HYDE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 399, 3 November 1876, Page 3

HYDE.

(From our own correspondent.) October 30th. A meeting of tie Hyde Progress Committee was held on the 27th nit. Present —Messrs. John Laughton (chair), Angus M'Kay, Peter Laughton, Michael Prendergast, and John Meade (Secretary). The members proceeded to the election of a Chairman, that office having become vacant owing to the resignation of Mr. E. O'Connell. Mr.- Meade proposed, and Mr. Prendergast seconded, that Mr. An. gus M'Kay be appointed to the Chairmanship. None opposing, that gentleman was declared duly elected. Proposed by Mr. Prendergast, and seconded by Mr. Owen Laverty, "That a copy of the resolutions passed at the late public meeting held at Hyde be forwarded, to Mr. de Lautour, the District Member, as an appreciative acknowledgement of his services in tbe JLlouse of Representatives." Carried. Proposed by Mr. John Laughton, seconded bj' Mr. Meade, "That the Provincial Government be communicated with, requesting them to urge the Waste Land Board to cause the sale of the deferred payment block, now proclaimed and open for selection on Mr. Main's run, Strathtaieri, to be held in the District Land Court, Hyde." Proposed by Mr. Meade, " That the Provin-

cial Government be requested to find means for keeping the main road in repair between Macraes and Kyeburn, via Hydo, for that, owing to the stoppage of all surface labor for the last six months past, the road has fallen into thorough disrepair in many places along a distance of twentysix miles, and that the District Engineer be instructed to visit and report upon the general condition of the roads in and about Hyde and Strathtaieri, with a view to their extension and improvement." Proposed by Mr. John Laughton, seconded Mr. Angus M'Kay, " That, owing to the increasing settlement of the district, a traffic bridge to connect both sides of the Taieri at Hyde is urgently needed, and that the Provincial Government be respectfully asked to authorise the District Engineer to inspect and report thereon as speedily as possible." The Secretary was directed to communicate with the Superintendent, forwarding resolutions, and soliciting his Honor's serious attention to the exigent nature of the business required to be done in these regards. The meeting then closed. There is no doubt but that the people, acting through the Progress Committee, are quite in earnest in asking the Government to do, or take some steps towards doing, the matters submitted to them for consideration and compliance with ; yet it is only fair to observe that the Provincial Government has been so " cribbed, cabined, and confined " for the last twelve months nearly that it could hardly have been expected to be entirely without in attending to the real wants and progressive requirements of the many centres of settlement which, under its unbamperecLaction, have sprung up throughout the length and breadth of Otago, and, although chargeable with many short-comings, past (and pardonably) present, it still retains its hold on the affections of Otagans generally, and its demise which Heaven forfend!— Abolitionally will be the cause of real sorrow to all who wish well to the Province and the Colony. Now that the bitter cup of Abolition is before us, and we are asked to drain it to its deleterious dregs —now that we thoroughly realise the deadly nature of the potion "held up to our lips to drink, which to do, without in every legitimate way manifesting our own consent, would be neither more nor less than a suicidal action on our part. Is it now too late to dash down the noxious cup P Is there no possibility of freeing this "Juice of cursed Hebenon," this " leperous distilment ? " Alas ! must this most " lazar-like and vile and loathsome" Abolition eat up the smooth body of the fairest, the most prosperous of New Zealand's Provinces ? Good men, and true, still labor for us. Possibly the danger, if not wholly removed, may be modified. The Province should respond as one inan to Macandrew's appeal. Hepresentaf.ive members, Provincial Councillors, leading and intelligent men of every class, should not fail to attend the public meeting he calls for the Bth November. In it Otago will be fully, vigorously represented. An indisputible manifestation of the will of the people will then be shown. It can have but one result: unqualified abhorrence of Abolition, unqualified legal obstruction to the carrying out of the nefarious measure—destruction of Otago the fatted beeve to be slain for the sustentation of the famished Ishmaels of the North. Insular Separation, if the Province cannot be kept intacl, would be the next best form of Government. And if all our petty local, even Provincial (South Island), differences were set aside while this great turning point,■ this momentous crisis, in Colonial htstory is impending and being adjusted, and all our energies and efforts engrossed in grappling with and confounding this uncanny Ghoul Abolition, we should find, even irrespective of the demovs debt, wasteful and profitless expenditure, Voxel's and satellites' little hills for the grand tour, foul flood of j useless and demoralizing immigration—as, to wit, "balletdancers," and " reformatory sweepings " —our sore strait tided over, our difficulties baffled, and eventually the floioer " Safety " plucked from the nettle Danger" Jjet us not then shirk our responsibilities, for much of our future welfare depends upon this last, and it is to be hoped successfully, decisive call to the patriotism, the intelligence, the hearth and home-protective instincts of the people. In the language of one of freedom's ablest advocates, as well as one of the world's greatest poets, Milton, of never-dying fame, it is now for us to "Awake! arise! or be for ever"f alien." I know I have wandered out of the groove correspondentical, but at a time like this, when one's constitutional privileges, one's birthright almost, is at stake, such a departure from commonplace narrative is allowable, and will, I daresay, be condoned by you, sir. However, with your permission, I'll turn me again to the j discbarge of the correspondent's task. 'There are a few items of news, but nothing, so tojspeak, of material consequence. Baker's Liibernicon, a panorama of Irish scenery, visited here last Thursday week. We expected to have had a grand entertainment, descriptive lecture, musical melange, &c. But, O, t-empores ! 0, moresdisappointment only awaited hope exuberant. The shortcomings of the panorama were readily overlooked, because distance, which very frequently lends enchantment to these views, was wanting on this occasion'. . But the other part of the programme, as announced in the bills, was not attempted to be carried out —the musical portion, songs and duets, not even a little bit. Hyde gathered all its beauty never mind its chivalry—in Laverty's t to gaze once more on fami- ! bar scenes in " grand old Ireland, dear old Ireland, and effective they would have been, all things equal, ho doubt. Be that as it may, no dissatisfaction was expressed by the audience in this regard. Not so, though, when it was found faith would not be kept in other respects, and I must say, albeit not disposed to speak harshly of any, that I have seldom or never known a more thorough avoidance of professional responsibilities than those ; evinced by the Hibernicon folk here. A more numerous collection of people is seldom met with at Hyde than that asj sembled on the night in question. A more grievously sold lot it would be hard to find round about these or other upcountry fixings. This is poor policy on tj 10 , part of travelling professionals, as their fame, ill or otherwise, is sure to go with them, besides being calculated to tell unfavorably towards possibly deserving caterers for public amusement who may be doing the tour fairly enough. Well, should he come again, I tluuk the old phrase "not to-day Baker " will rise

up in judgment against and assail him on every side. The weather is very warm, mining water supply fast-failing; and, although a few summer shotters fell last Sunday and Saturday, there was nothing of much moment for crop, garden, or alluvial claim. I may mention the Star of Otago (deepsinking) have struck a thick K->d of <va-</i in the main tunnel, nearly 2000 feet front the mouth. It is said to prospect with capital results three test up, from a grain to two to the dish. It seems to be making into deep ground, g-vcl is supposed to be a portion, or continuation of, the patch or lead worked so profitably tour years back. I shall soon have fuller details of mining matters at the deep-sinking. Cropping of most kinds is now nearly over, though potatoe planting in some few instances yet continues. There will be a good breadth of land in oats, turnips, potatoes, &c., this year at Hyde end in the vicinity, but certainly half as mueh more' if the deferred payment block had been: made available. A petition i'rom Waikouaiti and Macraes folk, relative to opening 10,000 acres of land on " Moonlight Plat" has gone the rounds here. It had upwards of eighty signatures ; is a pithy, sensible, popular production ; and deserves, eveirif it cannot command, success. Some of our graziers and cockatoo farmers have commenced shearing. £1 per 100 is freely given by them. Mr. Main's advestisement in the ' Chronicle,' threatening impounding it stock be not removed from his run forthwith, is slightly exercising Hydoniajis, who will be rather hard put to it to keep their beeves and chargers on the 640 acres of township reserve, encroached on, as it is, by town sections, enclosed paddocks in crop, &c., &c. The outcome of this will be clamor for commonage, of which more anon.