The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1877.

Dunstan Times, Issue 780, 30 March 1877, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 1877.

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

Tug “ Otago Guardian ” is a peculiar paper. Its most remarkalile feature (if, indeed, it is remarkable for anything except its pronounced egoism and strong Auckland proclivities) is the solemn ponderosity of the leading, or rather, misleading matter which it places diurnally .befon a non-appvecia-tivc public. One dull line succeeds another, with the dreary regularity of a funeral march ; truisms follow k truisms, and platitudes are piled upon platitudes with remorseless accuracy, until the most patient and long suffering of leaders is fain incontinently to yawn, long ere he reaches the soporific seveuthteenly which terminates the awful display of unmeaning verbosity. Such is the normal condition of our Thtnedin contemporary. But there are times and seasons when, oppressed seemingly by his own tiresome gravity he bursts into fits of uproarious merriment, and revels in delirious jocosity. Yet still is the characteristic taint discernible. His merriment is nr terrible as an elephantine bray, and his jocosity is the jocosity of a Quaker at a tea-party. Grimly humorous in these his scanty frolicsome moments, he produces an effect the converse of that which was intended, and one never feels so much inclined to weep ns when ho rashly endeavors to make ns laugh. The last example of this abnormal condition occurs in our contempoiary’s issue of the 23rd instant. Therein, under the flimsiest mask of assumed mirthfulness, he has managed to crowd Into half a-column of solid matter more arrogance, and much more ignorance than wo had previously supposed to have afflicted the entire po-

pulation of Dunedin. He is merry after his own fashion upon the woes which, as he imagines, beset the inauguration of what he is pleased to terra “ the grand now County system," and gloats demoniacally over “ the amusing contretemps that have happened in the Vincent County." The special subject which bus evoked this unseemly display is Mr Pyke’s reply to the Cromwell requisition. That the “Guardian” should hate local self government, as wrought out by the County system, is only natural and to be expected ; for has it not “fallen from its high estate ” as, the people’s newspaper, by pandering to the allgrasping plutocracy of the Provincial metropolis, to whom anything tending to decentralise the country is obnoxious? But why Air Vincent Pyke should be the target for all the pentup bitterness of our contemporary, except that he is one of the most prominent members of the country party, it is not easy to discover The Press has a perfect right to discuss the conduct, and criticise the actions of public men, and we should be last to deprecate the exercise of such right. But it behoves the Press withal to be truthful, and the higher the position claimed by a newspaper, the higher should be its standard- The insignificant oracle of a village clique may afford to disregard its own character and credit by the publication of slanderous libels, because it has no character or credit worthy of preservation. But a metropolitan paper cannot venture on such perilous paths; and therefore we are forced to the assumption that either the “ Guardian ”is really ignorant of the facts, or that its leading columns have, for the nonce, been entrusted to rash and unskilful hands. Having thus arraigned our peccant contemporary before the tribunal of public opinion, it is necessary that we should adduce our profits of his misbehaviour. In the first place he mistakes a patent fact when he speaks of “ the rebellious Jollvites” as having once been Mr Fyke’s warm supporters. His unworthy sneer at that gentleman’s election and position as Chairman is grounded on another misstatement. His assertion that Mr Pyke worked hard for the Canterbury squatters is untrue ; and further ir, argues a dense misconception of the merits of the question indirectly referred to. And when, with dismal jocularity he affects to deal with the question of logic, we can but sigh for human imbecility. The dullest urchin in the fifth form of a school ought to know that of which otir contempoinry somewhat unnecessarily parades his want of knowledge ; namely, that there should be a distinct relation between cause and effect. To ask a man to resign bis seat in Parliament, because of a vote given in another and totally different Assembly is as illogical as it would lie, to dismiss the family doctor because of his holding peculiar ideas on the question of infant baptism, and yet this is the illogical position of the Cromwell reqnisitionists. Mr Pyke’s fitness as a member of Parliament is gnaged by his voting for or against Cromwell as the County Town. If 1m had voted far Cromwell, he would have been a very prince and paragon of representatives. To this end he was bespattered with the most fulsome adulation for weeks and months ; and it is became he preferred the interests of the County at large to those of an outside hamlet, that he has been pe'ted with undeserved abuse, and called upon to resign bis Beat in the Assembly. Either our contemporary knows this, or he does not know it. If he does know it, bis perversion of the truth is the reverse of creditable; if he does not know it, then he is unfit to wield the editorial pen of a journal which as pirns to a leading position in the Colony. Perhaps the most amusing part of the article commented on is the extraordinary assumption (hat Q’enstown, Clyde and Cromwell are blessed with a County rate. The force of folly can no farther go. Happy indeed should we and our neighbors be, if we had on’y to pay the County rate of eightpence in the pound. Unfortunately for the repute of our “ Guardian,” and for the pockets of the residents in those charming townships, the Clyde borough rate is eighteenpence, and the Cromwell rate is one shilling and five pence in the pound, whilst Queenstown is nearly as heavily weighted. And what about Dunedin, which we are told envies us because it has no County rate ? Why is a false issue put forth by quoting an “ additional threepence ?” If wo are not mistaken the Dunedin ratepayers have to contribute someebing like two shillings in the pound, and may well wish that they too wee as lightly taxed as their County neighbors. As to the statement that “in tie year 1875-6 the Provincial Government spent more on roads and bridges without rates than they piopose to expend with rates” we have no hesitation in saying that it is utterly and wholly untrue, as can easily bo proved from official records The amount expended in 1875-6 was at most about 1.6000, and it is proposed by the County to expend 1.10,000 or 'more during the current year. Let our contemporary stick to solid facts and solemn sentences, and not imperil the small reputation he possesses by distort ing and mi-repre-senting matters in his burning zeal for a defunct and worthless system.

Soo hero young man, you are bringing your father's groy hairs in sorrow down to the furnace.

Contractors are reminded that the time for sanding in Tenders for tho construction of n Stono School-house at Blacks is extended till Monday, April 9th. A cricket match between the married and single is arranged to ho played on tho Clyde ground on Monday afternoon next, Easter Monday. As tho Mayor has proclaimed it a halt holiday there will be no excuse if there is not a good general muster. Messrs Nim'rao and Blair, forwarding Agents, notify by advertisement that they have opened an agency at Lawrence, and tolicit the patronage of merchants and all others who are in tho receipt of goods from Dunedin. * According to tho Tuapeka Times Mr Warden Carew has rather more than his Mr share of the public work to do, and so wo should imagine when he holds a court at 7 o’clock in the morning, that being tho hour'ho advertises the Assessment Court at Beaumont. Mr Bathgate, as Judge of Assessment Court, Caversham, ruled Tha- for all School Reserves and Buildings, the Board of tho Educational District must bo inserted as owner. A French newspaper lately to hand states that a married woman resident in Paris lias given birth to [twenty-four children in eight years, all of whom are daughters. The matron had'triplets at each'confinemenl.l The South Australian Register, in summarising the circulars received from farmers, estimates that 850,000 acres have been reaped for wheat, averaging about six bushels per acre. Tho total yield is 5,730, 970 hushe’s, and deducting enough for seed and food, leaves a surplus of 3,020,970 bushels, or 80,918 tons of wheat available for export. Anyone taking the trouble to wade through the report of the Vincent County Council must give that body credit for the amount of work they do, and the very general desire they exhibit to do justice to all parts of the district alike. For roads and works at this last meeting they appropriated no less a sum than L 2300, besides another LIOO in one inconsiderable trifle and another. Who after this will say that the Comity system is no good. The barque Gloucester from Hong Kong has arrived at Port Chalmers, and is reported to have small-pox among her passengers, some 120 Chinese. The Clutha Leader says :—We learn on excellent authority that a good rush may very snou be expected in the direction of the Waikaka. Some Chinamen have recently made from 1.15 to L2O per man per aveek at from 40 to 50 feet sinking. Some of the knowing ones from Tapanui have already left for the ground. I’eople who allow their cattle to wander about the town will do well to make a note of the following extract from the Impound- ’ ing Ordinance “IE cattle shall be found wandering at large within the limits of any town, the owner thereof liable to a fine of not less than 55., nor more than LI for every bead of cattle so trespassing.” According to the Guardian the late meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club was one of | the most successful ever held under the auspices of the Club. The amount of money given away in prizes was L2OOO. One of the great features of the meeting was the splendid performances of Fishook, which carried off the chief event, and won for his owner, Mr D. O’Brien, L 2500. The sum of LO3 was subscribed on the course for the various charities. ' For the special information of the clerks of oar local governing bodies we extract the following clauses from the “ Registration of Electors Act, 1875.” - Clause 3 says—On the thirty-first day in the mon'h of March in every year, or if that day fall on a Sunday, then on the thirtietli day of the said month, the clerk of every governing body shall compile an alphabetical list of all those persons, being males of twenty-one years or upwards, who shall have been assessed or shall have made payment of any rate struck by such governing body in respect of rateable property situate in an electoral district within the year ending on the thirtieth day of March then instant. Clause 4 says—Every such list when so prepared shall be signed by the clerk and shall be countersigned by the Mayor and shall be forwarded to the Registration Officer for tho electoral district within which the municipality highway or road district or other division of the Colony under tho control of such governing bydy shall be situate, on or before the seventh day of the month of April in each year. Holloway’s Ointment and Pills.— Diptheria, Sore Throat, Quinsey, Mumps, and similar complaints always abound in wet weather, and are moat safely and effectively subdued by rubbing Holloway’s Ointment at least twice a day upon the chest and glands of the throat. Tho Ointment penetrates the skin, reduces inflammation, and heals ulcerations. This treatment is sufficient for curing the most serious and complicated throat affections, provided Holloway’s Pills be taken at the same time. When swallowing gives pain, the Ointment may he relied on till improving symptoms admit of painless deglutition. In asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, the early days of consumption, scarlatina, and measles, Holloway's medicines are no* less valuable in mitigating the most troublesome features than they are certain in ultimately curing. • Throat Affections and Hoarseness. - All suffering from irritation of the throat and hoarseness will be agreeably surprised at the almost immediate relief afforded by the use of “Brown’s Bronchial Troches,’ These famous " lozenges” are now sold by most respectable chemists in this country at 1s IJd per box. People troubled with a ‘ hacking cough,” a “slight cold,” or bronchial affections, cannot try them too soon, as similar troubles, if allowed to progress, result in serious Pulmonary and Asthmatic affections Sec that tho words “Brown’s Bronchial Troches ” are on the Government Stamp around each box. -Manufactured by John I. Brown & Sons, Boston, United States, Depot, 493 ord-atreet, London,

The opening of the railway to Lawronca ia fixed for Monday next, the 2nd of April, It will bo very interesting to many, os* pecially to housewives to learn that tha Chinese expression “No savco ” was defined in the Supremo Court, Melbourne, recently, to menu not only “ 1 don’t know,” but “ I don’t want to know anything about it.” This interpretation was given to, the words by more than ono witness in tha case of Ley Kum v. tha proprietors of Tha Australasian for libel, in asserting that a well-known betting Chinaman could not be induced to pay the sums he had Inst. A number of witnesses deposed that this could only refer to Mr Ley Kum, who • was the only prominent Chinese betting man in Victoria, and as his refusal tt» pay was not proved, the jury found a verdict for him—damages, one shilling We take the following items from a Victorian contemporary “ Sheep are selling in the Western district at from 7d to lid per head, and in Adelaide at 2d. This is owing to the scarcity of food and water.”— “ A wealthy resident of StaWell, named David Constable, was fined by the local bench recently L2O, for sending indecent valentines through the post-office.”—“At Eaglehawk a young lady has served an apprenticeship as a watch and clock maker, and opened a shop. A selector in the dis. trict also boasts that his six daughters can fence land with any half-dozen workmen in the country."—“Ona day named a Mr Sibbald, while working on his selection at the Caledonian Flat, Inglewood, dug up a mass of living creatures which he soon ascertained to be no less than sixteen black snakes, the longest being upwards of seven feet six inches, and the smallest two feet. Mr Sibbab' killed every one.” •“ A correspondent of the Manning River Times relates that a rather extraordinary incident occurred at Pampoola Saw Mills. A bird got entangled in the webs of spiders, and was utterly unable to extricate itself, although making desperate efforts to do so. After some time it began to manifest unmistakable signs of exhaustion, and to sink under its fatiguing exertions to free itself from the web. Several spiders made their appearance and gazed on their helpless prey but a man standing by liberated the bird. A correspondent writing us from the Lakes says : —lt is rumored here that Mr W. Warren, proprietor of the Wakatip Mail, has been appointed Resident Magistrate, and that Mr H. A Stratford, now on leave of absence, is expected shortly to return as R.M. and Warden of the district. Speaking of Mr Warden Simpson he says—“he is a wonderful man for his size, and 1 wonder how the d—l he gets through so much work, and so well in the bargain. Whether just from the saddle after a long and hazardous ride, or fresh after a good night’s rest, it makes no difference, he is always prepared for his duties with a clear hea'l and steady hand. His journey to Wellington next week, as [ understand to assist in framing a general Code of Rules for the whole of. the New Zealand Goldfields, will give him a well deserved spell I after the last few months' laborious work of performing the duties that formerly occupied the full time and attention of three gentlemen.” A DvicE to Mothers ! Are you broken in your res', by a sick child suffering with the pain of cutting teeth ? Go at once to a chemist and get a bottle of Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup. It will relieve the poor sufferer immediately. It is perfectly harmless and pleasant to taste, it produces natural quiet sleep, by relieving the child from pain, and the little cherub awakes “ as bright as a button.” It soothes the child, it softens the gn ns, allays all pain, relieves wind, regulates the bowels, and is the best known remedy for dyssentery and diarrbrea whether arising from teething or other causes. Mrs Winslow’s Soothing Syrup ia sold by Medicine dealers everywhere at Is lid per bottle. Manufactured at 493 Ox-ford-street, Ijoudon.. The Evening Star’s travelling reporter writing from these parts on the County question and the present aspects of aff drs, says The probability is that under the new system the country districts will be more heavily taxed than before, but as the amount will be spent by the taxpayers, for their own benefit, ond on works which they themselves design and supervise, they will feel at least more content, O’pecially ss many will now have to contribute directly from their abundance who have hitherto contrived to throw the cost of improving their estates upon the public. As the jealous feeling of which I have spoken has been growing for years, there can he no wonder that almost all in this part of the country are anti-provincialists. The term “ Centralist” never was applicable to the Abolitionist, for it must be evident to all that a more complete system of decentralisation than the County system is hardly possible. The County Counci’s and municipalises are endeavoring to complete their new organisations and the jealousy that once tinctured most of the people in this part of the County regarding Dunedin seems like'y to be transferred to their nearest neighbors. It has gone to a ridiculous length in Clyde and Cromwell, and Mr Vincent Pyke, M.H.R., has, in consequence, become “ the man of the people in Clyde, and the lets voir in Cromwell As no doubt you arc aware, a requisition has been signed numerously in Cromwe 11 asking him to resign bis chairmanship and membership of the Ilmisr—a concession to Cromwellian aggressiveness that Mr Pyke is not likely to submit to. There are payable reefs that enrich some of Cromwell’s magnates, but do not benefit Clyde, and, therefore, it is to he expected that a little bumptiousness will be ex* hji 1 ited such as- “ Its impns-ible that present arrangements can stand. We must, separata from Clyde, at least if money and influence can do it, it will be tried.” Another said, “ Mr Pyke was here last avcck, hut he did not enter my house of refreshment— they would have mobbed him if lie had," I I think, under the circumstances, Mr JPyk o I acted wisely.

In the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Clyde on Tuesday last, the 27th instant, before V. Pyke, Esq. and B. Naylor, J.P.’s, James Oliver was charged by Mr Hall, Bailiff, with assaulting him in the execution of his duty, The accused pleaded guilty, and expressed the most sincere contrition for his offence. The Bench pointed out to accused the seriousness of the offence and its consequences, and said it was the duty of the Bench to support its officers, but considering the surrounding circumstances of the case, and the expressed penitence would inflict the nominal penalty of 20s, and costs LI Its fid—total, L2 11s fid. On Thursday, the 29th instant, John Campbell was charged with disobeying a summons |in the above case. The prisoner seemed very penitent for his folly, his excuse being that he had been up all the night previous, that he had started on his journey hut had failed in finishing it. The Bench, after a severe admonition, and considering that he had to tramp by the side of the arresting coni stable’s horse a distance of twelve miles the I 1 afternoon before, and was locked up in 1- Clyde gaol all night, recorded a discharge. The rather severe lesson taught John Campbell will not be readily forgotten we imagine. Floriline ! For the Te»th and Breath. —A few drops of the liquid “ Flori line” sprinkled on a wet tooth-brush pro duces a pleasant la - her, which thoroughly ■cleanses the teeth from all parasites or impurities, hardens the gums, prevents tartar, stops decay, gives to the teeth a peculiar pearly-whiteness, and a delightful fragrance to the breath. It removes all unpleasant odour arising from decayed teeth or tobacco smoke. “The Fragrant Floriline,” being composed in part of Honey and sweet herbs, is delicious to the taste, and the greatest toilet discovery of the age. Price 2s fid, of all Chemists and Perfumers. Prepared by Henry C. Gallup, 493 Oxford St., London.