THE Mount Ida Chronicle SATURDAY NOVEMBER 6,1875.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 348, 6 November 1875, Page 3

THE Mount Ida Chronicle SATURDAY NOVEMBER 6,1875.

The electoral campaign hag bow commerced in earnest. It is time that the interior .constituencies of Otago were considering their position. The elections everywhere promise to be more than usually spirited. There will be no dearbh of candidates anywhere. All parties will make great efforts to get representatives returned favorable to their respective views and interests. The party that has taken the most prominent part in politics has heen for some time tin land owners. The politi -al intelligence of this party has been sharpened by the elastic properties of our land laws and by the financial exigencies through which the Provinces have passed. .In the first instance they started an assumption that the members of their craft were Colonial Ishmael's; unrecognised benefactors in advance of their time—that every man's hand was, and to all time would be, against them. On this assumption, so dear to aristocratic feelings, they founded an e ver-gro wingpedes talofj ustificationforall attempts to coerce legislation totheirown views,however barefaced or gross in their nature. At the. coming struggle the land party will be the most unceasingly active, although-very possibly not the most ostensibly prominent. Without altogether giving credence to the report in circulation that a large fund of money is already available for the expenses of candidates put forward

to hopes, yet, a$ the party are* working hand-in-hand with the Grhvernment of the day, we fully expect to see political heroes spring up by the bushel, ready—on receipt of a little gentle pressure—to lend respectability to country constituencies :

And now perhaps the glorious hour is como When, having no stake left, no pledge to endear Her interests, or that gives her sacred cause, A moment's operation on his love, ... He burns with most intense and flagrant zeal, To serve his country. Ministerial grace Deals him out money from the public chest 5 Or, if that mine be shut, some private purse Supplies his need with a usurious loan, To be refunded duly, when his vote Well managed shall have earned its worthy price.

Our readers are well aware that we do not consider the interests of the Goldfields and the land party as at all one and the same thing. .Looking back for the past few years at the battle we have waged—to obtain afootingon their own soil for men who have cast in their lot in this district; —considering that in spite of all our efforts there is not to our knowledge a single freehold in existence for a circle of fifteen miles outside Naseby, except the pre-emp-tive rights of the pastoral tenants: looking at and considering that and this, we are less inclined than ever to find out a single point in unison of interest. The state of land conservation is this district is unfortunately the rule, and not the exception. Whatever struggles for land there have been in the past they will be intensified .in the future. We have in the interior to anticipate at no distant date an' influx of population. The public works will for the greater part be completed in two years' time. The labor liberated on the completion of these will have to force its way up-country, for the labor required on the coast will be limited by the money available. This rush of population ' will begin and continue through a time when but for the greatest forethought on the part of the next Parliament it will be impossible to open an acre of land on which to allow the unemployed to endeavor to grow produce to support themselves and families during the idle months of the year. It is the fashion among the working classes to shut their eyes to the future. With them " sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." There is one class who see clearly what the future is to bring, who will at any cost- secure the freehold of the estate at present alienated on sufferance, but only for a few more years, to the pastoral tenants. If the interior of Otago lends its support to members or J;heir aspiring successors who would treacherously hand the present settlers over, bound' helpless under the pretence of a popular cry of Abolition of-Provincial Kedtapism, the retribution.to follow will be deplorable, ( but it will be well earned. Mr. Stout statecL at the Macandrew banquet that " the~Alpha and Omega " of Abolitionists-were-those who had " large blocks of--land." He might have gone further and. said that the Alpha and Omega of the LocaVGovernment Bill .to be framed next session, if the land party carry their representatives, will be—iarge blocks of land.

There are aa yet no declared candidates for tbe Mount Ida constituency. Mr. Mervyn has not thought it necessary to contradict the statement first published in the Uunedin papers that he gives up his old seat. Probably Mr. Mervyn has a little more chance of success for W aikaia than for Mount Ida:. Among the small fry rumor points to our two suspended M.P.C.'s, Mr. Tt. 11. Leary, and Mr. Smythies as possible nominations. The great big men are silent. It is possible that the writs will be issued in the course of a few weeks or days, and be all made returnable before the new year. Ministers are seen to be. busy arranging seats for themselves, and- the change's in a few of the electoral rolls, rendered necessary by the scandalous Kepresentation Bill of 1875, amount; merely .to a technical re-arrangement 6f electors' names and .the after work of the printer; V -

Although not prepared to budge an inch in our opinions for c any person, demon, or interest, we yet are anxious so far as possible—to show fair play to all. It may be as Well, before the battle begins, to iridicaite the line we intend to take. First, as regards corres- ■ pondence: —We never manufacture thel article. What , we have, to say , we J a re prepared to taket.be direct respon-! sibility of. Wo shall find room, with; certain limits as to~space, for all let- 1 ters bearing on the contest sent in on or before the Tuesday preceeding publication, however hot'in tone, or quite irrespective.of the views they may bo written to advocate. Gross personalities must be refrained from, and the law of libel respected in anonymous contributions. Although we are surrounded by widely circulating newspapers, all sworn to advocate centralism at any cost, still, remembering that we represent the only local paper circulating in the district—taking a leaf out of a contemporary's book—we will go a step further. Our leading columns will be open until the polling day to advocates of Centralism an I de r fenders of the land party resident iu the district; with the following conditions The real names of the writers must be forwarded to us. • The articles must be signed by some initials, must in no case exceed a column in Ipngth. They .must not be personal, and? must be in our office on the Wednesday preceeding publication. After publication any such articles will be open to criticism, but not before. . That seems to us a very fair offer to the party, who consider we do not do them justice. The interests of the agriculturists and miuere we consider safe in

our Town hands. Beyond this do! ariy although" it may be* confidently looked . for. However interested we might be in any election we would not in any case be so cruel as to vacate.our editorial chair in another's favor while we could grasp a pen. Cruelty to animals is hot in our line. We are slightly seasoned to all and everything, always excepting broomsticks, which heaven avert. For ourselves we shall, as heretofore, jealously guard the interests of the district as a whole. One promise we make unconditionally. If the views of any candidate or any candidate's party are not likely to benefit Mount Ida, we will abuse that candidate, his party, and his views with such poor ability as we may be able to master, although he might be able to prove incoritestibly he would in the long run be a Colonial benefactor. We have steered through many a. war of words before now, and hope to survive the one at present imminent. .We invariably mean what we say, and try week by -week to say what we mean, which last is not so easy a matter as many of our critics appear to think. On this course we intend to keep. As heretofore, we; have no doubt we shallreceive the supj port of the district as an impartial and | fearless exponent of its interests.

The number of electors in Wanganui who have been granted another-member is onlv 789. -

It is reported that Sir Francis Dillon Bell: has expressed, his intention of again standing for his. old district—the Mataura—-unless; indeed, on arriving home he should find that' domestic affairs may render it necessary for him to proceed to England. The 'Post' says there is every probability that a higher grade than he now occupies in the Order of St. Michael and St. George will shortly be conferredvapottthe Agentr-Geiieral, who will then be Sir Isaac Earl Featherston, K.C.M. G.—This is another dab at Sir Julius.

The judgments delivered by the late Judge Gray in the District Court are to be published in monthly parts in the new series of the ' New Zealand Jurist,' and will be edited by Mr. G. B. Barton, who is well posted in mining law. Copies are to be procured by order to the publishers, Messrs. Keith and Wilkie.

•A meeting of the Mount Ida Cemetery Managers was held on the 23rd ult. Present —Messrs. W. Inder (chair), Brown, Rowlatt, and Busch. Mr. J. Gason's tender was accepted for building a tool house at the cemetery, price £l3 7s. 6d; Morrison and Langmaak's account- of I2b. was passed for payment. , '

. The Waste. Land Board lias decided in favor of the Naseby sectionists. It will be seen by our telegraphic summary that the Chief Surveyor's report was to the effect that applications already L made for purchase of improved sites should be granted, but. that: any parties after this taking possession of Crown lands within -Naseby will not be supported Jby the Board with regard to any improvements that may be made by them.

Thb ' Palmerston Times' reports that, at the KM. Court held last week at Macraes, " A case, in which Thos. Tate sued W. E. 'Griffin for damages sustained through the defendant s cows destroying his garden, was .disposed of by the bench awarding Mr. Tate >3OB. damages and costs of Court 13s. together 'with 30s. expenses of complainant's witnesses. : A contra case was also heard, in which Mr. W. E. Griffin sought to recover £lO damages alleged to have, been sustained by Tate's dog harrasing the complainant's cattle. A verdict of £2 and costs of Court 235. was given. On the whole I consider the litigants are now in about the same position as when they started, only minus the costs of the Court."

The Provinces as they were Sir John Richardson looks upon as a bygone tale. The Provinces as they might be '' lie regarded as a most substantial reality. Tlie Provinces could still live if the people were to say they should; possibly and probably not as nine Provinces, but as two Provinces. The Middle Island might still continue to exist with all its original vigor with a federal government at Wellington. He supposed that they would have some little quarrels on the question of the whereabouts of the Seat of Government for the Middle Island. Dunedin would like it to be sure; it would- be the same with Christchurch. He suggested that it should be situated in the port of Akaroa, which was open on both the North and South, and to all of them. Much as he was in love with Otago, he was almost aB much in love with Christchurch."

The installation of newly-elected officers of the Ark of Safety Lodge, 1.0.G.T:, Naseby, took, place in the lodge-room, Masonic Hall, on Monday evening last . Bro: Geo. Raven, L.D., acted as G.W.C.T., and, assisted by Bro's. Morrison and Caspar, installed the officers for the ensuing quarter as follows: W.C.T., Bro.: E. Nicholas; JR.H.S., Bro. Caspar; L-H.S., Bro. Donaldson; W.V.T., Sister'Rohertsj; \V. S., Bro. J. ; Spedding; W.F.S., Bro. M'Fady,gn;,J$ r .T. Bro. Wade;' W.C., Sister Green; W.MV, Bro. Bradley; W.D.M., Bro.' J, J. Smith; W.I.Gi 1 , Bro. : Mountain; ' W.O. G., Bro. George -Alexander.; Bro. W. T H. Ash succeeded Bro; D. Barron 5 : a, ;P ; W:C.'T,- The various reports were : read,; 'and approVedj showing the lodge to'be on good'standing.' The hour of meeting.of .the' ' lodge s is changed as'notified in l "our advertis- ; ing columns, from 7,30 to 8 p.m. ■ ,i. j

ihk Bey. E. Royer preached an - eloquen: Berraon sif -'St. Patrick's Church;' Naseby, on tlie uncertainty of life on Sunday last-; In the .course of .his address, .referring to the common" habit "oif'procastination in religions duty, the reverenilgentleman said: "According to recent statistics one quarter of those who are born into the world cease to breathe before the . age of - seven, while moro than one half die before attaining the age of manhood. In the year 1554 in London during one week 700 persons of both sexes died under the age of twenty. The average length of human life is said to be thirty-three. About a thousand millions may be considered as the actual members of the living human family on the globe's surface, and of these it is calculated that 500,000 are removed by death's agency every day." Latter on in his discourse the preacher, referring to the risks of sudden death, mentioned a case which occurred at the Spring 'Assizes in Stafford, England, 1854.' The : Magistrates and other legal officers had assembled in the hall of justice for the transaction of public business. The presiding judge was in the act of address-' ing the-Grand Jury, when suddenly,: his speech failing, he fell it appeared lifeless into the ' arms of a by-stander near the bench. The corpse was carriad from the chamber on the shoulders of several gentlemen who had witnessed the awfully impressive event. Thus, instead of pronouncing sentence on the prisoners about to be tried, the arbiter of their fate was unexpectedly summoned to answer for himself at the bar of a higher tribunal, before the Supreme Judge of the living and the dead." After eloquently enlarging upon sin the great cause of death, a most impressive and earnest discourse was concluded.

The E-ev. D. Boss, of Queensiown;. will preach at Hamilton schoolhouse on Tuesday evening, the 9th instant, at 7.30 p.m. A case of assault, in which a Chinaman ■working on the Sludge Channel was accused of having cut Mr. J. Creighton's head with a spade, was partially heard at the Court House, Naseby, yesterday, and remanded for further evidence.

A special morning service will be held for young children at the PresbyteHan Church on Sunday next. Children are requested to be at the Church early. The Rev. D. Ross will conduct the service, and will also preach in the evening at the usual hour.

John Carey, who was brought up at Macraes, on remand from !Naseby, was discharged from custody. The charge was .one r?v» assault at Deep Dale Station. Ihe case was heard before Messrs. H. W. Eobinson and D. F. Main.

The quarterly meeting of the Licensing Court will be held on the first Tuesday in Decemoer. The Licensing Act Amendment Act ot 1875, now assented to, places all Quarterly Courts on the same footing. New applications can be made at any meeting of the Court, unless the Act particularly excepts the Court to be held this month, which is" not likely. New applications, or any other bu«mess connected with the trade can* be dealt with in futnre at any meeting.

After nearly half a year's deliberation the members of the General Government hstve made up their minds to disallow the Otago Gold Bonus Ordinance, passed by the Provincial Council last session. After the -repeated declarations made by the Colonial Treasurer and the Native Minister that the taxation upon miners would be, under their .guardianship, absolutely beneficial to the mining interest, they could hardly agree to allow the Provincial Council to reap the publie indignation sure to follow the striking off a shilling from the duty. °

' There appeals to have been large borrowing powers, conceded to Municipalities during last session. Clyde is authorised by Act to-borrow £SOOO for the purchase or construction of waterworks; Oamaru £6O 000 for, the same purpose and £IO,OOO for 'gasworks; Nelson £30,000 for water and lasTimaru £15,000 for the purchase of water'works, and Napier £IO,OOO for construction or purchase of waterworks. We have got so far out of the first batch of Acts received from the Government Printer. Municipalities ari certainly in good odor in one respect, which is so far satisfactory. ' . 3VIr. Macandrew's opinion of the defunct Assembly is not a very high one. Speakin* at Balclutha last week, he said : "The Co° lony was at present being subjected to a frightful expenditure at the hands of the General Assembly, Measures, and not men was the motto which had been raised bv that august body; but the very opposite was the case in the Assembly, where two-thirds of members would vote black to-day, and black white to-morrow, to gain their' own selfish and rapacious ends. He trusted that in the coming struggle they would be victorious, as they deserved, and the bulwarks they had so carefully raised would be maintained from the outside pressure of abolition Let them work well and they would succcedj and. then he hoped they would continue to reap the many advantages they had during past years • been able to. maintain, and -at length see New Zealand a great united tonfederation of Provinces'."' :

A characteristic accident happened to Mr. J. P. Armstrong at Balclutha. It is thus reported in the ' Guardian'" Each of us in our lives tries to have something to boast of: one may have seen one thing, and one another ; a few boast of their . ancestors,and try to feel grand in consequence—we have all our peculiarities, - and so long as they are indulged in without injury to others, it matters but little what they may be. Shaking; hands is certainly ; a great institution, even although it means no more, and perhaps less,' than rubbing noses like the Maoris, but ;it is" apparently a. matter on which. Mr. John Armstrong, member of the Provincial Council for Mount Ida, in .this Province, sets great store. "Good-natured John," the very example of "laugh and grow fat," had treasured up in his memory, the fact.of his having once in • his life shaken hands with Abraham Lincoln, and he did not fail to let the electors of Balclutha know of this " historic ' circumstance at "the political banquet which was given there on Friday last. With laughter beaming- all over his broad, manly face, and his frame fairly quivering, beneath the convulsive merriment in which he. was indulging, in the many humorous allusions he was making to the applauding company he said he had to boast that he once had shaken hands with the great American President, and he would then have to boast that he had shaken hands with Sir George Grey —and suiting the action to the word, .he stretched his arm across the table and caught Sir George's hand in a friendly grasp. We only hope Sir George's-halnd did not; suffer in consequence, for there could be no mistaking the sincerity of the action thus evinced by the friendly squeeze." Yesterday afternoon in th© Warden's Court, Nape by, Mr. Hertslet moved that an interim injunction put upon a mining' lease claim at Clark's Diggings be removed. ' It appeared that the'injunction had been ■ granted on Monday last, upon an ex parte statement, and not upon affidavit. This has been the customary .course pursued for sonie years.' In this case the complaint upon which' the injunction was granted represented that ! Grose, R. Lawer, and G. Thomas were desirous of ; an immediate dissolution of partnership. Now: yesterday (3-. Thomas stepped forward and said he did not know any such complaint was to bo made, and he did not wish for any dissolution of the partnership before the season's washing-up was finished. It was represented to the Court that an injunction at such a peculiarly Bhort-working diggings as Clark's was a.most serious matter, the loss being at present estimated at £3O per diem, and ought not to havebeen granted without notice to the parties, and careful argument as to whether there would be danger if the working' was cortinued of " irreparable loss." . The Warden said "he heartily^regretted that lie granted the injunction. The Court had been misled as to the proportion of personal, interest, which had been represented as half with the complainants, ancThalf with the' defendants. I repeat T was very fiasty in granting it, and in future I shall decline to grant injunctions except upon affidavit;" It was suggested the party should try and arrange; among themselves as to the..management of the claim until the ,19fch, the day iixed for the hearing of the case. Grose asserted his right to manage by agreement. After an utterly useless attempt to arrange the affair, the Warden declared the injunction removed. Mr. Row*latt stated repeatedly that' if he had timehe eould have entirely refuted the statements made, which were not true. So the matter 'stands." -The carcase is 'now--exposed, and the vultures are to be seen waiting for the ■ t . i'i ;