ST. BATHANS.—September 5.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 32, 10 September 1869, Page 2

ST. BATHANS. —September 5.

(From our own Correspondent.) Eude Boreas lias apparently been in a great rage for tlie past two days. He lias been unsparing in bis wratli. Many , poor mortals stood by momentarily ex- i pecting, "with fear and trembling, to see their habitations take unto themselves wings—your correspondent among the number. The casualties, however, are few, and the gale has now abated and rain is setting in—a blessed change. A good deal of damage has been done to flliming in the district, and many claims were compelled to cease working, the water in many instances, instead. of quietly descending to its worki in the paddocks and tail races, proved refractory, and ascended to the clouds in showers of spray. I am sorry that my misapprehension of " Shamrock's " meaning should have necessitated an explanation from him. The matter was hardly worth comment "When gentlemen meet compliments pass," &c., and seeing that the classics are not interdicted, I beg to quote a I Latin proverb which we would all do'' well to remember in our dealings with that brittle commodity, truth —viz., Veritas odium parit, which means that truth produces hatred, " 'Tis a hard world, my masters." I spoke a fortnight ago of an appli-1 cation for twenty heads of water fori Drybread from the Manuherikia- Since J then a further application for a similar I quantity for the same place has been lodged, so that our lethargic community may expect one fine morning to wake up and find their hopes of an increased water supply nipped in the bud. In | such a dilemma I could only comfort them with a repetition of the verdict of an intelligent jury out West —" Served 'em right."

A nice point is engaging the attention of our townsfolk at present. The balance of tlie Government subsidy for sludge channel purposes has arrived, with an order to Mr. Stratford not to pay over the amount until further instructions. It appears that the original initiate, s of the whclj scheme were the Progress Committee, composed partly of business men, who were eventually superseded by a Sludge Channel Trust Committee, nearly all miners. During the working of the first Committee they became liable for the sum of £75, balance of contract money, of which the incoming Committee declined the responsibility, and now apparently wish to repudiate the said debt; and as both bodies have applied for the Governmental alms, Government naturally " wants to know, you know," &c. It is a pity that such Peddingtonian practices are allowed to creep into the management of our public institutions, among which the sludge channel as-

suredly ranks first, a pamphlet containing the history of which would prove highly instructive and amusing, and might serve as a guide to other communities having such works in contemplation. ? ; The question of prior right on the Groldfields is • creating great discussion just now, the fortunate (?) holders finding lately, by judicial verdicts, that priority of ' right 'does not confer on them the pleasing power of injuring their neighbors. It would be well if the question was definitely settled, as it seems likely to become a fruitful source of litigation in future. The stern Editorial castigation administered last week to the Naseby poetasters was well deserved. The two aspirants to poetical fame, I should say, were fitting candidates for a lunatic asylum. I trust their friends will see to it,- ana prevent any further outbreaks. I can only pity them, for Seneca says, " Null am magnum ingenium sine natura dementia} " —-no great genius without a certain degree of madness. '