KYEBURN.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 158, 15 March 1872, Page 3

KYEBURN.

• '(From our 6#ii "CorasjwiUtenfc.) ' "'' ' t.haya'to tel££ peculiarly disgraceful to trie, inhabitants of the Ky A eburn r ~ as ifchey,; are, not all equally guilty,, I »vili:endeayor..'tjo des?*s? Ie a <?tual state ,qf'affairs,, and leave, the public to,. pronounce judgment..... ■,. ,".'.. '/" ■,. \. ,'\. .[ u°. About five weeks ago a. Mr. Edward Johnstone visited the Kyeburn .Diggings, and finding that there were°a large, number of children on the creek, and. that for the greater part they .were beinir,brought up.in ignorance, he .proposed to one or two of the inhabitants to start a school. The matter was taken up by two or three people, who saw the benefit which such an institution would be to the place,,and;the parents of child, en> vrepe^cauVjjis^d, ; when eighteen children were guarante.ed to attend school for a .start. On the v strength of this .guarantee,, Mr Jo.hnstone went to Dunedin t<y.makec .arrangements for open,ing,a school, and .also for the purpose of procuring, testimonials. Upon Mr. Johnstone'si return a public meeting was called,, when Mr Johnstone's testimonials were read and proved to be satisfactory. ~ .A.' committee of seven gentlemen were, then appointed as a School Committee, and instructed to collect moneys for the purpose of building a dwelling-house for the school master. They were also instructed to write to the. Church Committee, and request them to allow the schoolmaster to make use of the church for school purposes. Twentylseven or twenty-eight pounds were collected,,or rather promised, and a public meeting held at Cain's to hear the answer of the Church Committee and get ,the school started. There was some discussion as to whether the church should be granted for the use of a scbocl for six or twelve months. It was eventually decided that it should be only for six months A most disgraceful scene then ensued. A.man of the name of Ray <jor up and stated th.-.t-he had perceived three. Homnu .Catholics giving their votes, and that he objected to their doing .had nothine to do .with the matter. Qpor. this Mr. K ene. remarked that he was a .Roman Catholic, and that as the building had been put up by subscription, and as he was one of the public, he considered that he had a . perfect right to have a voice in the matter. Mr. Keene then endeavored to put.a proposition to the meeting:, but ihe[ Chairman declined absolutely to hear him, and upon his insisting the Chairman left the chair. Mr. Keene, then addressed the meeting, and remarked that the proposition which he was about /tb put was to the effect that, M the .building in question was a Protestant Church, and as Catholics had nothing to do with it, he should propose that it be removed from the public Cemetery, which belonged equally to all de- '. .nominations. Mr. Ray here remarked : that Catholics had nothing to do with the Cemetery. After some eonversa-. tion, in which Mr. Ray informed the public that the single men had nothing to do with the school, Mr. Keene was appointed to the chair, and the school business was proceeded with. It was resolved to build a house for the schoolmaster, and open the school on Tuesday, the 12th inst. The Committee also agreed to meet the next day. and select the sight. Upon the Committee meeting, as agreed upon, it was found that the up-creek portion of the population had been so thoroughly insulted and disgusted by the selfish oratory above alluded to, that they had withdrawn their subscriptions and refused to have anything to do with the matter. Theschool matter has therefore dropped through, and Mr. Ray has acquired a very unenviable notoriety. In strong contrast to the behaviour of those peo" pie who have charge of the emirch, I have much pleasure in stating that Mrs K. Georne, of the Pass Hotel, very kindly consented'.to j give' theuse of a room up-creek children. Imav further mention that H\e single iii(n to whom Mr. Ray denied the right of voting—-behaved noblv in the matter. They, with one or two exceptions, subScribed: liberally, and numbers offered their services towards puttingJip the schoolmaster's residence. We are not now likely to get a school at all, and

tliis result has- ibeenl brought itbout by the effusions of a frothy demagogue, ■•" We have lately lost several old residents in this - neighborhood. Mr. Samuel Davidson left here a few weeks ago for California, and lately Mr. Henry .Maynardtook:.his?depaT:ture for th great modern Babylon. Both thase gentleman were highly respected members of the community, and are much regretted by a large circle of friends.