MOUNT BENGER.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2575, 19 May 1871, Page 2

MOUNT BENGER.

[from our own correspondent.]

Keen frost by night, warm sunshine by day—such is the meteorological report I have to make. To-day (17th inst.) a snow storm appears imminent, and the hearts of the miners rejoice at the prospect of a plentiful supply of water. The district continues its sleepy-hollow style of existence, although no less than two halls are to enliven it in the c nirse of a few weeks. The first of these is to celebrate the opening of Ormond’s new hotel, a substantial stone edifice ; the second in honor of the Oddfellows’ anniversary. Gout and an enlargement of the paunch prevent me from the*o delights, so I have been compelled to take to politics as an amusement. But local polities and local politicians are sadly demoralized. The result of the past elections has taken the fight completely out of the great liberal party, unless a general rush in the skye-terrier line be considered a display of activity. In the hope of a little “divarsion,” I have invested in a ticket for the great liberal banquet. The pleasure of encountering such illustrious specimens of the genus carpetbagger, as Brown, Lillies, Themson, Held, and Co., will am ply repay the expenditure. I am strongly opposed to cockatooing on tffe goldfields, stillj there are exceptional eases where it ia not only to he tolerated but even encouraged. Sijch a case I take the opening of the Miller’s I’lat east block, on Miller’s and Henderson’s mu. The applicants, with only one or two exceptions, are miners, settled on the ground, whoso claims can only he worked during the winter months. The ron-auriferous character of the ground ia indisputable, as nearly every square yard lias been prospected, and agriculturally it is as rich, as frppi a mining point of view it is poor. Further, the uncertain tenure pf the land has placed a mffn«

ber of hard working men completely in the power of a potty tyrant, whose conduct has done more to alienate the miners of this district from their natural allies, the pastoral tenants, than all the eloquence of Brown, Bradshaw, or even Bastings, the great Bastings himself. I trust the present Governm. Nt will justify the high expectations entertained of them, by imm diatcly throwing this land open for agricultural leasing. Talking of runholders, reminds me of two charming pieces of scandal. Imjn'inus, we have had a case of horse-whipping in the district. Eloggcr was aJ. P. Fioggce a manaager’s manager. Public opinion says “sarved him right.” Sec undo, a youthful squatter has recently mistaken the golden rule for a repeal of the tenth commandment, and skedaddled with a shepherd’s wife. The happy, happy pair, were last heard of from Melbourne, whence I suppose they sail for the noble land of wild cat, divorces, and cotton scrub weddings. Good luck be with them in spite of Mrs Grundy and the Presbyterian clergy. There was a sale of town sections in Roxburgh on the 16th inst. The highest price realized was L 7 for a corner lot.

The famo s Island Block is to be brought under cultivation. The purchaser is going out cockatooing on a large scale, and will, please the pigs, be able to undersell the ground parrots already settled it the district. Agricultural development of the land is the great cry of a certain faction, surely the cultivation of 2000 acres will satisfy them, and abolish the Island Block as a subject for stock leaders, and indignant oratory. What on earth your Tuapeka contemporary will do for a grievance, deponent cannot surmise.