TOPICS OF TALK.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 210, 7 March 1873, Page 6

TOPICS OF TALK.

Tfte son, in the parable, who refused to go, and afterwards repented and went, is said to have been more commendable than the other, who said " I go, father," and went not. It may be so. It may be that minds who require a mountain of argument to convince them are, when convinced, as difficult to turn from the purpose they take in hand. Hitherto, all attempts to induce the miners of Mount Ida to form themselves into an Association have been met with apathetic indifference. Now, happily, a change has come over the spirit of their dream—dream indeed—and they have rushed headlong into harness. It most happily occurred to Mr. Armstrong, M.P.C., to suggest the formation of such a body at his late meeting with his constituents. As he could be neither supposed to be a business man, a water squatter, or simply and solely a digger, his remarks were listened to, and a Provisional Committee appointed, who went into their work with promptitude and ability. At the public meeting called to receive their report —a meeting that had just enough heat in it to give it life —a Committee was formed to hold office for the first year. So far, so good. If the Committee keep the interests of the place prominently in the foreground—if they are careful, that their acts are fairly representative of the Association, and not only of the Committee—if they will sink the personal, and let all their efforts tend to incorporation of aim and idea with the Central Association—then we shall have unqualified cause for tion that the Mount Ida Miners' Association is at last a reality. The work this body has before them is something more than watching the Corporation. They can adopt the role of imbecile inutility if they like, and still be a certain benefit to the place. On the other hand, they-can inaugurate such measures that, shall lead to the very great advancement of mining interests. The Maerewhenua is crying out foi? assistance against the attacks of powerful interests that may at any time use the same weapons against the head race now projected from the Manuherikia, and which is supposed to be the only remedial measure capable of placing Mount Ida in her old position as one of the most prosperous of Goldfields. The Goldfields Bill now being drafted should be considered, and amendments suggested, and evils pointed out before they become law. The solving of the problem as to a main bottom in the immediate district is within their reach. In short, they can so act that every other place in the Goldfields shall look upon the Mount Ida Association with cordiality and respect, instead of a very opposite state of opinion which at present is existing on all sides, and is entirely due to the apathy of the people themselves—'an opinion of contempt for a district that has been hitherto too poorspirited to help themselves or their fellow miners. "We have pointed out, from the very first, the desirability of such a combination, and now that at last our recommendations have been followed, we may be allowed to say that, had our representations been attended to earlier, Mount Ida would have escaped the odium and reproach she has not undeservedly incurred —a reproach that can only be wiped off by an unflinching determination on the part of the Committee to lose no opportunity of doing all in their power to develop the interests of the Goldfields generally.

"What about the contracts on the head race ? Are they bona fide ? Is it possible to do them at the price? "What is the price ? All these questions, and plenty more bearing on the point, are undoubtedly topics of talk. The good faith of the contractor in the matter is beyond question. He has observed the forms necessary to make his tenders legal ones ; we may presume that they are also lower than all others, and consequently he is entitled to receive our support and encouragement;. At the same time, we are not and caunot be satisfied with the action of the Government in the matter. 'Undue haste appears to have been shown in accepting the tenders for contracts

Nos. 3 and 4. Where a contractor who had already obtained contracts was again a tenderer, the Government should have satisfied themselves he was carrying on the works he had already tendered for properly and ■ speedily,' before accepting his additional tenders. Mr. Pearce is, no doubt, quite'able to do the work, but he should not be allowed to take his own time, or his own way, when delay and his mode of working are alike injurious to the district and entirely against the letter and spirit of his specifications. The district is in the position of the poor little hedge sparrow who, without her connivance, has received the addition to her little store of a huge, ugly, cuckoo's egg. She doesn't like it—does hot know how,to get rid of it—so reluctantly hatches the thing to the ultimate destruction of her own offspring. Perhaps the simile may not apply as far as that-—the district; contractors may be saved by the discovery that the egg will not hatch, is addled and lifeless. If that should be so—and the point should be at once ascertainedthe sooner it is thrown away the better.

If a man kills his fellow man with malicious intent, it is murder. If he determinedly induces him to.take poisonous matter,, knowingly and with the intention to destroy, the law properly hands him over to the hangman. No oae can fail to see that, if Walter Mornington and his mate David Eichards had not been drinking in a public house for one or two hours, the former would not have met his sudden and shocking death. The medical evidence at the inquest was clear and decided' that death ensued from a contusion on the head producing mortal effects on the brain, effects being increased by the intemperance at the time and the generally intemperate habits of the deceased. A case of a man lately killed by a slight fall—or, rather, slip —from a horse while standing still, was mentioned in Court as a parallel instance, where a very slight cause, owing to excitement from drink, had been-fatal. Bardsley, who was lately killed in a claim, was taking the place of men who, instead of pointing out to him the dangerous ground, were putting stuff into their moufhs to steal away their brains. Yet public houses that depend for subsistence on this disastrous bar trade alone, are repeatedly licensed, and the habit which supports them, and leads to such sad results, is spoken of as "good fellowship." So long as the customs of a place create a demand for alcoholic drinks so long will this demand be met —either by licensed or unlicensed houses. then, is the real destroyer in these cases ? Is it not Custom—Good fellowship ?