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Globe, Volume VI, Issue 695, 11 September 1876, Page 2

The Lyttelton Times has taken lately to fine writing. In addition to endeavouring to relieve the dull monotony of his pages with classical quotations, which tend so much to elucidate his meaning, bis exuberant fancy has also been indulging in a rich variety of metaphor. The change must be quite refreshing to his readers, but there are frequent evidences in his columns that this style of composition is new to him. The wealth of material at his command is not always managed with the skill of a master. The other day, for example, in an article rn the position of the Ministry, his readers were treated to some rather tall writing on the subject of the land fund of Canterbury. Speaking of Messrs. Hall, Richardson, and Bowen having joined a Ministry of which, he maintains, Mr. Whitaker is the virtual leader, our contemporary says Mr. Whitaker “ has by some means won “ their confidence, and desires no “ doubt to win ours, and then to treat “ us as the Thug does the unsuspect- “ ing traveller. .Step by step our land “ fund is led to the shambles, and we “ look on with philosophic indifference “ while our leading representatives “ calmly assist at the immolation .” In the above extract, the italics in which by the way are ours, the Government is represented as a “ Thug” who pleads the laud fund to the slaughter-house, in order to offer it a sacrifice to the gofis. Secret, murderers, butcher’s, and priests are jumtled together in wild confusion, in defiance ultte of common sense, and of the most elementary laws of composition.