The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1875.

Dunstan Times, Issue 700, 17 September 1875, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1875.

Beneath the rule of men entirely jest Hie pen is mightier than the sword.

The first important step in opening up the interior portions of Otago bymeans of railway communication may be said to have been accomplished by the completion of the line from Dunedin to Balclutha ; also the Invercargill line to Mataura, leaving only some forty miles of coach travelling to complete the distance—about 140 miles—between our Provincial greater and lesser metropolises. The celebration of this new era in our history has been the occasion of high jinks between the people of Dunedin and Balclutha respectively, where free excursion trains from both places were or ganised, so that the dwellers at either terminus might fraternise in the most amicable manner, and which they appeared to have dnne heartily. Our Dunedin friends, however, viewed the matter quite in a business light, as we find the Weekly Witness recommending that excursion trains should be organised, from Balclutha to their city, not upon the occasion of a general public holiday, but only a sort of partial one, to be confined exclusively to Balclutha and Tokomairiro, so that the inhabitants of those towns might do a little shopping in Dunedin, in the shape of purchasing sundry little nic nacs, at prices much below what they could procure them at home. However desirable such a consummation might he, in a Dunedin point of view, it will scarcely suit the ideas of the country folks, and who would most decidedly object to paying interest upon tbo cost of construction of railways for such a mercenary purpose. Wo have no objections whatever to the populations of places to which railways have been made enjoying themselves by a gratuitous ride in a railway carriage, even though it be to initiate them into the advantages of—to many of them—this novel mode of locomotion; hut there the pleasure must end. as it is rather too much of a good thing to expect to combine business with it, even could such he realised. A sti'l further previous issue of the Witness informs us in its facetious columns that when once railway communication has been es tablishod to Tokomairiro and Baidu-

tha, storekeepers in those towns must desist from the systems of high profits, and reduce their wares and gew-gaws fully 50 per cent. This is advertising Dunedin interests with a vengeance, and the writer would be accepted as a very patriotic individual wore he only a true prophet, No Balolutha or Tokomairiro storekeeper can possibly occupy such an unenviable position as to be able to charge 50 per cent more than his Dunedin contemporaries; such a paradise of profits is not in existence in any country town in Otago, in fact a country trade rather means smaller profits and slower returns than what the writer in the Witness would have us believe. Giving our contemporary every credit due for advertising the interests of his friends, we cannot leave the subject without remindiag him to spare us poor country folks a little, and not make us appear worse than we are, as, without the country districts theie would be but little necessity even for Dunedin itself With railway communication to Tokornairiro we think that something might be done towards a reduction of the time occupied in travelling between the Dunstan and Dunedin, two days being' rather too much just now. Queenstown by the way of Invercargill is now within two days' reach of Dunedin,s notwithstanding that the distance to be travelled is something approaching to 260 miles, while between Clyde and Dunedin via Tokomairiro the distance is only 130 miles. In our case the advantages of railway communication are no benefit whatever, beyond l-peihaps" a little more comfort iii*travelling|; the time occupied in the performance of the journey remains the same as before. Mr Fache requests us to draw attention to the sale of Horses to day at Alexandra. Among those to be offered are some of a very useful class, suitacle as hacks and harness horses. On Wednesday next, the 22nd inst., Mr Fache advertises a sale of the unexpired lease of the Old Bendigo B otel, Clyde, also, household furniture, bar, fittings, horses, • &c. See advertisement. Tenders for the formation and gravelling of 80 chains of road—Dunstan to Cromwell —close on Monday the 20th inst.; and for the approaches to Clyde Bridge, on Tuesday, the 21st inst. In both cases tenders have to be lodged with the Secretary for Works, Dunedin. On Monday next Mr Chappie will sell by public auction, at Alexandra, the Gorge Creek Water Race Mining Claim, tools, &c. We understand that this is a most valuable property, and deserves the attention of miners. Our local Knights of the Willow must be up and doing if they wish to maintain the reputation they gained last season. From all accounts there are plenty of competitors in the field, whom they will -be expected to face during the coming season. Practice is arranged for to-morrow afternoon at three o’clock, when we hope to see a good muster. We have to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of a batch of Parliamentary papers including the Estimates under the Abolition Bill, and other papers, also numbers of Hansard from Mr Geo. Didsbury, Government Printer. Mr Fache reports having sold the rights to occupy the Grand Stand during the ensuing Spring Pace Meeting, to Mr Fames, for the sum of DIG ; Mr Webb being the purchaser of the Horse Paddock and Cards, at LI and 7s 6d respectively. The Alexandra Spring Race Meeting takes place to day, when, from all the surroundings, we may expect a good day’s enjoyment. The number of competitors for the Handicaps are not so large as they would have been had not some mistake arose either in the posting or delivery of two letters, which contained one and two nominations respectively for each event ; t’ e-a are, however, four for each event. For the Maiden and the other Races on the programme, which are post entries, a large field and good sport is anticipated. Mr Tohill is lessee of the refreshment booth, ho having purchased the right for LG 10s. The weather has at last broken, and in place of the warm sun-shining days that have ruled for months past, making us believe that a perpetual summer reigned, snow, sleet, and rain is the order of the day. The ranges bordering the Dunstan basin are covered with a whiter mantle than at any previous time this season, leading purely to the hope that we shall hear no more complaints ot the want of moisture. The mandamus calling upon tho Queenstown Corporation to discharge Mr J. W. Robertson’s claim for L 945, costs and ir - terest has been served upon the Mayor. The service of the precious document has caused quite a commotion in civic circles, who are puzzled to know whore the money is to come from—citizens declare they will not pavWe are sorry to have to record tho death of Mr M'Guiness, shoemaker, which took place at his late residence, Sunderland-st., Clyde, on Friday last, tho 10th inst. Mr M‘Guineas was highly respected by all who knew him as was soon bv the large cortege which followed his remains to the grave on Sunday, tho 12fch inst. Among the followers we noticed manv Oddfellows and Forresters—the deceased having belonged to both Orders and passed through the principal offices of each—to witness the act of laying him ip his last resting-place. Ho leaves a wife aud child to mourn his loss. A correspondent writing from Cardvona to tho Arrow paper says : —“ Provisions are plentiful and reasonable ; all kinds of food, and farm produce is grown in our | midst. Wo have largo farms, plenty of j fat cattle end sheep are always obtainable ; also, poultry, eggs, butter, milk, good beef, and sweat mutton.

■A surgeon has ' lately published tho re- i suits of experiments tried by him ■ which i have proved to his satisfaction that the ap- { plication of a white iron to the body is ah- , solutcly painless, whilo when only red hot , iron it is nn extremely painful operation. When operating with a red hqt iron on men their screams were fearful, whereas when tho iron was white hot not a murmur was heard. When he operated on a horso with a white hot iron the animal seemed scarcely to he aware of what he was doing. The Macetown correspondent to the Observer says : —Messrs Barclay Bros, and Raven have added' another to the list of auriferous reefs that have recently been discovered at Macetown. The average width is estimated to be about 12 feet, and it has been traced for 1200 feet, and has been proved to a depth of at least 100 feet, and gold is to be seen in tho stone at that depth. Those who have »een the stone believe it will go an ounce to the ton. Tho Arrow Observer says : Not long since, a gentleman of color arrived in the beautiful city of the Lakes, and proceeded to an hotel to engage a bed. The landlady said, “ I couldn’t think of giving him a bed. He was black, he might have dirtied my sheets.” House after house did the poor fellow make Lis way to, but ah, no ! they would not give him a place where he could lay his head. One hotelkeeper he asked, stared, started back, whistled, scratched his chin, “No, no, can’t give you lodgings.” Another—“ Get out, do you think lam going to ruin my connection by allowing you to take up apartments in my house, oh ho.” We do not know what became of him at last, poor fellow, but the next time a black man visits Queenstown, we should advise him to try the effects’ of a whitewash brush on his face and hands, so that he may not shockjthe “ of the Lake city. Oh, my ! The Tribune says :—“ This abolition talk is sicke ing the country. Like the boys who pelted the frogs, it may be amusement to Sir George Grey, Mr Stout, and Co.; but the readers of newspapers—especially the quiet country people, who like ‘a good murder’ and exciting events of any kinddecline to wade through these dreary columns of sound and fury, which really signify nothing, and the Wellington newspapers have been seriously considering whether it is not a duty they owe to their readers to cease giving any further report of this wishy-washy'flood of talk which flows nowhither. Let Hansard have it all to itself, if it be necessary. The Oamaru correspondent of the Waitangi Tribune writes :—“A smart trick occurred lately, which, though not in Oamaru, I think is worthy of publication. A certain I mercantile individual became embarrassed, | and I believe was not much troubled there--1 by. In the course of his transactions he j paid a cheque to a creditor for L 75 odd | shillings; upon presentation the said j cheque was dishonored ; the creditor spoke ; gently and entreatingly to his mercantile j friend, and iu tho course of his conversation managed to learn that the debtor had a l balance in the bank of about LSO, and that i the gentleman of mercantile proclivities inj tended to draw his balance that afternoon, i The.creditor proceeds directly to the bank ; and pays in L 23, presents his cheque for I L 75, and so saves his LSO. I believe that j this affair has happened before, but its recent occurrence not many miles from here makes me send it.” A document of a somewhat mysterious character has been left at our (Marlborough Express) office by Mr Builiffe, the Wairau pilot, who on his way from the pilot-staMon to Blenheim on Thursday last, found floating in the river near the mouth, a bottle about half hill of gin, round the neck and cork of which a paper was carefully secured by sewing. On the outside of the paper was written, with a blacklead pencil, the following words; —“Friend, read this inside .” In obedience to this request, the stitches wore carefully cut, and the following statement, also written in pencil, was found to be the contents August 1, 1873. Cape Campbell.—lf anybody should pick up this bottle, let it be awarning to them not to drink any of the poison that goes into these kind of bottles, for it was gin that ruined tne.—From a Friend