SLUDGE CHANNEL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 156, 1 March 1872, Page 6

SLUDGE CHANNEL.

(To the Editor of the Mount Ida Chronicle.) Sib, —We are all idle, and have been so for some six months, and what is worse, we are likely to be so for some time yet. The want of water is the cause at present alleged, bat are we justified ia being idle when we have work to do, and work of sueh importance to the future welfare of this district that the fact of leaving it undone means ruin. We have a large auriferous district, mines of wealth laying under our feet, and we want the energy to provide the means to take it up. It is a known fact that there are hundreds of acres of good sluicing ground covered with tailings, while our population is, for the most part, at work on old ground clearing up old bottoms, and washing away old blocks which, in most cases, gives barely enough to pay for water; and now, through, the scarcity of water, the miners of small means are getting hopelessly in debt, while those who have made money, seeing no chance of doing any good even when water does come, are leaving us fast. These are facts indisputable. The question arises in the mind of everyone interested in the welfare of the place, What is to be done to give profitable employment to those who are compelled, through force of circumstances, to remain, and also to hold out inducement for others to come, and to prevent our monied miners leaving us? I simply say, open the ground. How ? Get a sludge channel. You laugh, and very naturally repeat " Sludge channel ! Don't you wish you may get it ?" Well, I do-; and I think we. can easily get it. We are told that our• Warden has been in Dunedin, and has been informed that no money will be given for such a scheme, Who said so? The Government. Who are the Government but men placed in power by the people to see laws made for the good of the people at large, and see that justice is equally administered? Well, we demand that we have justice done to us. The credit of the o Colony has been pledged to obtain money from Home to assist reproductive works, and forward the interests of the colonists generally. A portion of this money we have to repay, and we have a right to demand some share of it; and let the demand be made in such terms as will show that we have the right, and no Government will dare refuse. The Government will help those who help themselves. Just let us show that we want the work done and are willing to assist, and the money will be forthcoming. What are our miners about? what are our business men about? what are our squatters about ? and last, but not least, what are our water proprietors about that they do not combine together and try to do something to prevent the disaster that is evidently overtaking us ? A few more months, and the moneys at present in the hands of the Government will be uselessly squandered in salaries, and given away to other districts who have not half the claims, but who have amongst them men of energy who will see that they will have a slice of the Vogel Loaf.

Surely gome of those men who once worked in the interest ot the place under the name of the Progress Committee will again come forward and help us in our sore need. Let no petty feeling of spite or envy prevent us going hand in hand in this good work, and I feel certain that the Mount Ida District will again become the first gold-producing district in the Colony. If we do not, look ahead for nothing but

failures in business, and our pretty little township will be blottted put of the map and the 'Mount Ida' Chronicle ' will be heard of no? more.

Why, siri I for one would hare'been glad to work for 30s. per week during the dry season on such a work, and I believe hundreds more would have done the same had they had an opportunity of taking up claims along the course of the said channel, in such blocks as would have given, say two years work, arid be'allowed the use of said sludge channel at a moderate pnce—say 6d. per week for every sluicehead of water used.

In conclusion, I will be only too glad to give my 2s. 6d. or ss. to pay the working expenses of any Committee of miners and others who will undertake to move in this matter. —I am, &c, A Mineb.

(To the Editor of the Mount Ida Cheoniclb.)

Mr. Edittjr,—l never did propoze to write about the splitterings and spluttering ofthe " Vagrant Reporter'? that lives in the street at the newspaper shop, only that I like his imperancein, writing so outspoken like about a pack of people—drat 'em—as gives their-*-selves the airs of the old'un hisself; fancy my rage at seeing a old .Judge ride through the middle of the night to lecture us, no wonder he caught it in our paper by a Vagrant; and then the heelites that came after him, sitting in preserved seats indeed, and pretending anybody could sit there as paid 45., and that it was done for the good of the Hospital, which is awful. It. was done to show themselves off before their betters. I like your Vagran's morter —" Flyat Justice and rue it colum." It's so like him ; my word he do fly at 'em, women and all he don't mind a bit. I was glad he told them two fellers not to give these other two fellers so much beer; they deserves a watery bier for their goings on. I know he's a religious man of some sort 'cause he wrote so nice and kind about that man who is hard up and broken down. They always do this you . know. But why the dickins didn't he go to Weston's and write about it and propoze a vote of thanks to all the generous people who *vent to hear him, and so cheap too, why all the rich people went, you know, and they caught bad colds, and could not turn out the Hospital night, price 45., 2s. 6d., Is., which high it was though short for the money ; and fancy the bragian imperance of them blowing up the Warden ; and then the Clerk, he got it, and unbeknown to me he waR so clever then and not to get a vote of thanks at the school lecture, as chairman, and rile him it did to see the Judge look at him, he ending the other's lecture on Myths bv a myth of his own on linen, which the Judge did not cotton to, \*ause he did not see the thread with such reeling about And to - say anything about Hugh and Davy and others' singing it is really scandalous ; it's raising a hue which had better be left alone. Left alone be is at present, but if found out a dam will be his portion.

Which a letter fr im Tichborne has arrived, which make me drop my pen, so no more at present from your constant wellwisher, SAIEEY GaMP;

(To the Editor of the Mount Ida Chboniclb.)

Sir, —In looking over tlie 'G-overn-merit Gazette'. of 21st Feb., 1872, page 126, I read the following :- — Persons wishing to obtain employment under the Otago Education Board, and Teachers already so employed, who have not ytt received full certificates of competency, ; are. invited to attend an examination, to be held at the Education Office, Bunedin, on Friday, the 22nd day of March, 1872, at half-past nine- o'clock, a.m. ■ - . . ■. ,

For information as to subjeots of examination apply to

John Hislop, Secretary.

Now, I am quite ignorant as to the qualifications required to obtain a certificate of competency, but of this I am certain that throughout the up-country districts the schoolmasters as a rule are generally thought to be unfit for their positions as teachers. I have heard the same for years past in reference to our schoolmaster, and it has been stated

that school committees, holding office year after-year, were aware of the fact, but found the matter beyond their province. Now, then is the time, for the school committee to throw off the as-? persion cast upon them by allowing the schoolmaster (say ten days' holidays) (o undergo an examination as to his fitness. The time has now arrive 1 for the schoolmaster to avail himself of the opportunity thus offered him, and prove to the inhabitants that he is capable of giving instruction to the rising generation, so far at least as the requirements of the Education Board are concerned, which is, I presume, the highest authority in Otago ori 1 school matters. If the school 'committee or the schoolmaster refuse to act j upon the invitation held forth in the , * Government Gazette' the blame will not in future rest with the Education Board. In our case the loss-would be nothing,for. so short a time,/as the school is at present being removed on to the reserve. Besides, we <;ve a female teacher, who would, I have r.o doubt, carry an the school during the master's absence in such a way'that ho complaints would arise. Excuse'my taking up so much of; your valuable< space, but I though it right to draw '- public attention to what might otherwise have been'overlooked. You will admit that the 'Gazette* is not? the best mode of giving publicity to any matter --very few in fact ever think of looking at it.—l am, &c.

PATERFAMILIAS