THE SANITARY STATE OF THE TOWN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 678, 16 April 1875, Page 3

THE SANITARY STATE OF THE TOWN.

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE DPNSTAN TIMES.) Sir, —When a writer endeavors to patch up his argument with vulgar personal abuse it needs but little intelligence to comprehend tho nature of his case, and its destruction. Such is the unquestionable position of your correspondent, " Veritas," —what a misnomer ! —whose marvellous effusioifappears in your issue of the day on which 1 now write. I use tho term marvellous advisedly, for surely, considering the presumable object the writer had in view, namely, the defence of the town of Clyde from tho imputation thrown upon its sanitary condition in an article which re cently appeared in your paper under that heading, never before was seen anything more ridiculous, incoherent, or inconsistent. in one breath " Veritas " speaks of the author as "distinguished and unknown," and then as " the well known contributor," and goes on to say that he considers the allusion to Cromwell unnecessary, and in doing so, indulges in a lot of sickening claptrap about "The relatives of those who have been committed to their Mother Earth, and tho dreadful state of their feelings being harrowed and stirred up by the mournful recollections" tho unfortunate article will evoke. But what the people of Cromwell have to do with the article, o r why it should make them shed tears is beyond all powers of comprehension ? No charge is brought against Cromwell, far from it, but as anyone can judge for themselves by a re-perusal of the article, it was decidedly necessary to allude to that town, which was pointed out as a heacon, to warn the authorities of Clyde against their permitting a similar catastrophe here, and not, without just cause, for can it be denied tha* not only typhoid bnt typhus fever has already made its dreaded appearance in our midst. Therefore, if to any one can be attributed the cruel heartlessness of resurrectionizing the feelings of those who have loved and lost at Cromwell, it certainly must be "Veritas" himself who thus seeks to make capital out of an event he should have respected. Cut, instead of calmly pointing out any misstatements or discrepancies in that article, •' Veritas " as before observed, vindictively and meanly attacks the character, nay, even the personal appearance of the supposed author, and in terms so evidently vile that the Editor was compelled to eliminate a portion as altogether unfit for publication, though had it been rejected altogether, it would not, as it now does, stand as [a polluted stream of ink, a memorial of scurrility and abuse in tho columus of the Duhstan Times. There is one thing " Veritas " should know, and that is, when an article i 3 marked " Contributed," it is understood that tho subject matter is consonant with the views of the Journal, though it is thus acknowledged as not from the pen cf the Editorial staff—so much for the deprecatory remarks regarding its recognition. It remains only for me to add that every word stated in that article can be substantiated on the evidence of mo3t of the leading citizens of Clyde as regards its sanatorial state at the time it was written. Tiiere have been a few exertions since, thanks to the article, and especially in one instance, where, after years of unavailing complaint, a nuisance has now been removed, which was a disgrace to the owner, the authorities, and the Town, but I am willing to accept the dictum of the Cromwell Correspondent, who appears to have acted as an amateur Inspector of Nuisances on this occasion, in which office no doubt he has at last found his proper calling, nature and providence going hand in hand in combining to mould so happy a result. As this gentleman states that after a personal inspection, he pronounces everything to be coleur-de-rose, Clyde, according to bis pictorial essay is a perfect Paradise of cleanliness and perfume, the very pig-styes beam with happiness and comfort, and other useful places, not to bo mentioned, invite the passers-bye with their aspect of peace and purity, and as for manure heaps, why, my dear Sir, don't you know that, according to Doctors Fury and Pigley, and a host of others who I dare say could be found if a proper sum were offered, that manure is a disinfectant of so high an order that the man whose person, or at least his door step is not covered with it, is a foe to his species, and should be scouted from all decent society? This being tho state of things as noticed by this responsible individual, what further cause of dissatisfaction can possibly exist ? Why, none, whatever ! The Cromwell, correspondent however, and "Veritas" run so closely together in harness that, a person would be blind indeed who fails to recognize their identity, and poor, and weak, and desperate, must the case be when Clyde, forgive me ! for rather I should say, a certain inhabitant thereof unable to obtain a tool here, goes far a-field to securo the services of a reckless hireling to perform the dirty work of bespattering mire upon one who wrote, not from private motives as falsely and maliciously stated, but in all good faith, and conscience but yet, who had the temerity to expose an existing evil. As I consider it unbecoming so grave a subject should bo discussed with the intemperance and scandalous levity of the dualistic "Veritas," and the foul channel from whence his garbled information was derived, I shall pursue this correspondence no further, | beyond agreeing to furnish the Editor of tho I papor with a list of the names of Witnesses, whose evidenco will go to substantiate the truth of tho article written by. j CoNTEIBrroE. I Clyde, April 9th 1875.

THE BANNOCKBURN MINERS’ ASSOCIATION. (TO TUP. EDITOR OP THE DUNSTAN TIMES.) Sin,—ln your issue of tho 2Gth March, appeared a letter from your Cromwell Correspondent, in answer to a “•Bannockburn Minor,” who had been finding fault with some of tho writings of “your own.” In that letter reference is made to two resolutions that were sent to the President of the Miners’ Association. Being at the meeting when the resolutions were read, I am in a position to give a true account of what happened. At a meeting of Committee men held on March 3rd, after the President had taken tho chair, a letter was handed in by one of the Committee. After some letters had been read the President intimated that he had received a letter from Mr Crombie, in which Mr Crombie stated that he had forwarded it in accordance with Bye Law No. 11. Bye Law No. 11 was then read, wherein it was distinctly stated that all such communications must needs be sent through the Secretary. Tho President then stated that he had no wish to take advantage of the point, and therewith handed the letter to the Secretary, at the same time requesting the Committee to deal with it as if it had been received through the Secretary. That I may be thoroughly understood I give a verbatim copy of the letter referred to “To tho President and Members of Committee 15. and C. M. A. In accordance with Bye-Law No 11, I have much pleasure in laying before you the following resolutions- Eirst. In the opinion of this meeting the miners in this district have no confidence in the present administration. Second. Tint they resign, or submit themselves to tho test of a public meeting (at an early date),—Yours respectfully, James Crombie. —President B. and C. Range Miners’ Association.”

Mr Crombic not being a member of the Committee took advantage of Bye-Law No. 11, and as it was in the form of a motion it required a seconder before it could be discussed ; but, as Mr Crombie stood alone in his opinions a seconder could not be found. Several suggestions'were made as to what should be done with his letter. One suggested that it be returned to the writer; another, that it lie on the table for six months ; and a third, that no notice be taken of it whatever. This last suggestion was agreed to, and accordingly the matter dropped.

If 1 could but wield the ptn with but half the force as doth that able, clever, and pithy writer—your Cromwell Correspondent, whose cleverness is admitted by all, but admired by few—l would have something to say that would astonish the Bannockburn folks. However, with your permission, I will, in my own humble way, have a few words to say anent the letter referred to. In the first place, who is Mr Cromhie? Ho was the first President of the Miners’ Association, and, after holding office for some time, he, by his inconsistent actions, made himself so obnoxious to the miners that they called a meeting and voted him out of the chair by passing a resolution that the members had no confidence in the then President (Mr Crombie); and, not long after that the Ex-President finding himself in the minority at a Committee meeting, put on his hat and left the room. But his eccentric actions were not solely confined to the Miners’ Association. He was a member of the School Committee, and, because the majority of the members could not see through the -wrong end of the telescope as he did, he, childish-like, took the sulks and resigned, and has never since been on any of the Committees.

There is very little doubt, judging by Mr Crombie’s actions, that he thought that, without hia assistance the School Committee would bo of very little use, and the Miners’ Association would go to the wall. But, what do we find ? The School Committee have secured the services of a first-class teacher ; and, at the last meeting of the Association a number of miners tendered the necessary ss, and had their names added to the list of members, thus showing their confidence in the present administration (as Mr Crombic calls it), and their anxiety to forward the object of the Association. Previous to the receiving of Mr Crombic s resolutions the new Committee had had oidy one meeting, at which no business of any kind was transacted likely to bring about a want of confidence motion. No wonder that the Ex-President stood alone in his opinion, and failed to get a seconder. At the annual meeting, atwbicb be was present, he would not allow himself to bo nominated for any of the offices, or for the Committee, thereby refusing to assist in doing the work be seems so eager to assert is not being done satisfactorily. Such men as ho merit the contempt with which he was treated by the Association. I have avoided using personalities as Mr Crombic is a man whom I respect, and had it not been for the capital “your own ” was trying to make out of the resolutions referred to, 1 would have taken no notice. I am, &c., CoMMITTEEMAJT. Bannockburn, April 12, 1875.