OUR BENDIGO CORRESPONDENCE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1019, 28 October 1881, Page 3

OUR BENDIGO CORRESPONDENCE.

(Communicated.) The editor of the “Cromwell Argus” seems to have forgotteu that truth is often stranger than fiction, for ho appears to doubt the truthfulness of some facts mentioned in my last, and, referring thereto, wrote thuswise :—“lf there beany truth,” etc. Now, in order that he may no longer be faithless, but believing, I again assert that every word mentioned by me respecting the public school is correct, and I challenge •he “ Cromwell Argus " to refute one iota thereof. It has, howevi r, had the desired effect of awakening the pedagogue to a sense of the relation in which be stands to the School Committee and the children entrusted to his care, and the Committee lave extracted a promise from him that in the future he will draw it more mildly. So mote it be.

But does not Mary Denny come forth as defender of the schoolmaster and care-taker of the child of tender years, and through the Press lets the world know that she is the mother of children ? Now, if she had any prudence or discretion she would be forever silent on the latter subject, instead of employing a penny-a-liner to make known things of which she should be ashaine I. She is not related to the ill-used children,so that in every sense of the word they are dependent upon the cold chari*y of strangers. It may be true, though, that they are not stiangers to her cruelty betimes. I fancy that the School Committee were the most fit and proper persons to refute my statements, were they incorrect ; but they refrained from ink-slinging in the teacher’s defence, and left it to the Carnatic emigrant to palliate his harshness. The reign of terrorism still prevails here. The old and experienced miners in the employ of the Cromwell Co. a r e nearly all weeded out, and “ better ” men put on in their place. Few now think of seeking employment here on their own merits, but get a letter of introduction from a priest or a parson, or some man of standing, and, thus fortified, they are generally successful in their application. I hear from a reliable authority that some of the influential shareholders of the company are beginning to compare one thing with another, and are likely to put a stop to the slaughterj of the innocents, and the sooner they do so the better far their own interests. One instance will suffice to show how undue influence is brought to bear on those in authority here, who appear to take a pride in seeing their fellow-men bow and scrape to them in a sorviln manner. After my last letter appeared in print, the schoolmaster went to the company’s manager, andjpointed out to him the supposed writer thereof; and, although this man was admitted to bs one of the best workman in the mine, without the slightest hesitation the manager “wont for him” right off, discharging him for the sole reason already mentioned. Now, I should like to know what are the relations existing between the schoolmaster here, an I the Cromwell Company, that they should so summarily dismiss one of their best men for an imaginary offence to the former. Surely, the way aof some men are very obtruse.

In mining matters everything at present is rather dull, being principally confined to the Cromwell Company, of the prospects of which it is not now safe nor judicious to say anything, lest some other man (or myself) might get sacked therefore. The forthcoming elections have but little interest for us here, ns every particle of manhood has deserted its throne ; and we will henceforward content ourselves to drift down the stream as best we cm. Mr Colclough will, in all probability, have a walk'over to the Lindis Rilling. Until lately', t was generally thought that Mr D ewar would have sought the sufferages of the free and independent elector. If so, in all likelihood he would have been returned, but he is not ambicious for the honor and glory of political life.