CONSISTENCY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 795, 13 July 1877, Page 3

CONSISTENCY.

(TO THE EDITOR OR THE DUNSTAN TIMES.) Sir,— Before 1 say what I wish to say, t must ask your pardon, for 1 have to admit that f read that common enemy of the pub-, lie good—tho, Cromwell Argus. But a wise man can always learn something oven from the lips of foolishness. J'jom the Cromwell pappr for instance, one learns how insignifi. cant tho Press may become in the hands of men entirely unjust,—men devoid of all honest principle—fickle men who, as the Apostle Paul saith, as are “children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.” Many a laugh has echoed through our lonely hut when I and my mate have been wading through the silly twaddle of your contemporary, wigae only stock subject is Pyke—always Pyko—nothing but Pyke. To tell you the truth I had rather a mean opinion of Pyke till tho Argus commenced its laborious abuse of him. Then, thought I, surely there must be something in tho man or else ho bo worth such an awful lot of abuse. And I.have ended by becoming “ one entire and perfect” Pykite—thanks always to the Argus, But, Sir, what I want to say is this : On looking over tho Cromwell Buster this week, I find that it has become the common receptacle of all false floating rumours even to such an extent as to disagree with the robust stomach of its not-too-squeamish editor. What a pitiful position the poor man must be in to bo compelled to insert any untruthful letter against even his own imperfect sense of right and wrong 1. Take tho first of his “OriginalCorrespondents,”—a gentleman who rejoices in the nom de plume of Vide ul Supra, and who writes as if he were something of a pulpit-thumper. “In vain.” shrieks this individual, “ does he (Pyke of course— he is the onlyHE of the Argus) endeavour to hoodwink the people into the belief that the County Council will build a bridge here, &c. ( in the mean lime incitiug the ignorant into a belief that they need not pay a legitimate toll.” And tho “Own Correspondent” from Betidigo tuning his lute to tho same lay, writes—“ some people say that Mr Vincent Pyke only mentioned the bridge (across the Clutha at Rooky Point) to appease tho indignation of the people. ” After reading these choice extracts, I turn to the editorial columns, and there I road—“ The County Council invites tenders for the erection of a pile bridge across the Clutha River, near tho Rocky Point Ferry. For particulars, advertisement,” In another part of the paper I find some correspondence anent the Bannockburn Bridge—“in'eresling correspondence” the editor calls it—with these editorial comments—“ Wo confess that so tar the case.looka bad against the bridge lessees.” Yet he allows “ Vide &c.” and his Bendigo “ Own” to blackguard Mr Pyke for making this information public, and for proposing to build a bridge at the Bendigo crossing. If there was any possibility of such a thing, the Cromwell ink-slinger ought to feel ashamed of his petty persecution of Mr Pyke. I suppose the poor fellow is only obeying orders ; but it must be heart-breaking work or would bo if he had any manly spirit inside his flannel vest. One other matter, Why does ho allow people to defame the County and the County Chairman without enquiry and without comment ? Under the heading of “ Vincent County Roads” he permits some idiot who signs as “Traveller” to censure both because of the condition of the road from Hill’s Creek to Lauder. Let “Traveller” and the Cromwell editor subscribe Cd apiece and buy a geography or a map for their joint and mutual information. The had road complained of is in Maniototo County and not in Vincent County at all As to the unmanly and unhandsome sneer at our County Engineer all 1 can say is that I have more faith in a professional gentleman’s ability than in an ignorant fool’s criticism, and 1 am rather inclined to think that when “ Traveller” saw tho new road “resemble a dog’s hind leg” he must have been unable to look straight. 1 bear tho whiskey thereabouts is more potent than pure—which probably accounts for it. Rut why does a newspaper editor open bis columns without enquiry to such stupidity, to the detriment of the public weal ? Let him answer that if ho can.—l am, &c., "■ Gum sucker. Wai Keri Valley, July 11, 1877.