THE Mount Ida Chronicle SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1877.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 448, 17 November 1877, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1877.

The great Middle Party has earned the gratitude of the people. Every newspaper reader knows all about this party that it was possible for the Wellington "specials" to tell, lie, or invent. We gather up from this confused relation a few threads which appear to be trustworthy. At the commencement of the session, the Opposition were clearly in a minority. The majority were an unhappy family." Major Atkinson only held the reins of Government so long as he did not attempt to drive. A large number of Members were jealous of Mr. Keid'a accession to office, and, little as they respected Major Atkinson, their selfrespect was bounded only bv the extreme verge of decidedly limited mental capacities. Much as these consideaiions weighed with the malcontentMi materialists, they hesitated to cast in their lot with the Opposition. Q'hey despised Major Atkinson much; they hated Sir George Grey more/' Th* Opposition w'lips, honoring the instmc's of the delicately-constituted: representatives, encouraged a number of the moderate am.ng Sir George Giey's followers to express dissatisfaction with their leader's impetuosity, and go the length of actually disavowing his leadership. T'-ese malcont ents, whose hearts weie sick with defeired hopes, as.had been foreseen, attracted the respectable deserters upon Major Atkinson's side of the Mouse. This waß the origin of the g-vat Middle Party. Sir George Grey was still the leader of the extreme leJt. I3ut who shtuld preside over the great Middle Kat-trap was not an easv matter fi-r decision. To meet the extreme modesty of the party, an Fxerutive Committee was formed, which daily met in solemn conclave, and decided*the fate of the Colony and forecast its fuiure administrators. Jt was natural that the hopes of the country should centre in the Executive meetings in the whii 'a room. The ' Obi go Guardian ' newspaper consoled Sir George and his followers upon their threatened loss of the spoils of battle. They (it said) like David were ixen of war ft\.m their youth up, and could not be permitted to build the Temple. That honor was reserved for Solomon, the Executive Committee in the whip's room. Kir George accepted the position. The consolation was grateful to him jmd to hi* followers. 'J he malcontents, tired with the sacred nature of the dis'uennation tut rusted to them, began at once to count noses. King Hiram, the, Member for Wellington Country districts, was understood to be willing to ally himself with the narty in the sacred task; and even the Queen of .Sheba, the new consort of Prince xlai of the Lakes, had heard of its wisdom and had interviewed the Executive. U timately Mr. Larnaeh was induced to table the ' Wa'a Maori' motion, w' ijh was put and lost. The first repulse cleared the way for the successful vo'e of no-c •nfiuVnee which immediately f. 11 jwi-d In these battles Sir George Grey ai d his followers tacitly ai-cepJCc the r, le assigned to them: they kept siler.ee ; ihey asked no questions ; they voted to a'man against the Government. 'J he Middle Party was successful, and now the Executive had to form a Ministry. But Governmentmaking by an Executive, has its disadvantages. Each Munlitr vied with the other in refusing office in anticipation of the offer. Eor who wa? to make the offer? Were not all the-' Members of the Executive kings alike? At last a Government was formed—on paper. The Executive went home to-,sh-ep upon it. Lo ! in the morning the Preu.ithr and i reasurer eject refused his task ; the Atorney-Gerwral elect began to tear his hair, and it is said (though we refuse to believe it) to swear. The Speaker self-elect" had grave scruple--, and demanded that a policy was the one great, essentia! j he -w. uld give his. incipient for a policy. It was dear that Minis-try-mji king by an i xecutive must heabandoned. ' Mr.Larnach was then allowed.to associate Sir George Grey with himself in the task. -Sir""George again accepted the n. w role without question. Bur then, literally at t'e twelfth hour, the m-ilcontejUs afain repented and asserted that the r" resppctability would be endangered if > r Ge.-rge Grey took office. But what .• u i be done ? sir George must form a Ministry,- or Mr. Larnach' mustthumb iu mouth— return to his Kxeellency to relate that he Lad failed in his task. In such last case ah the young promise of Solomon in-.temple-building would, have resulted in nothing, except...injasmujch.as.it might » fctavo strengthened tlie" feeble knees «f

tho Atkinsoiuans. A 8 soon an the new .Ministry were sworu in, fivo of tho Mi Mlo men opened negotiations witS M ijor Atkinson. Their nanvs nre.wurt'hy of Record: Mes»r*. Tra-vern, jtaileatton, Curtis, Mbnrp, a,, d the Hon. Mr...>:ii.iitbogri)o: /They; fedbit lip; Major with hope*. Pprlmp*, they confessed, they ht)d..P>ft4» r a miatufre.. , JN.ow,. it" » mot id ik of uy-ainlideuco' .were fabled befflttftjgii_i?eqrnre Grey. had_ time to dov.ii n Aubstanlpl policy ; it'the w6uld naerifice Mr. (George M'Loan, DrflNjTleh,\ahd , 'Mr Ortnonii, fot»P of their iminb"er.-.would consent totalt<?.office, and the,, remaining, one would accept the chair or take a reTerVfinnary interest in the extra portfolio to' &«' created by Act. They jineW'fnvore allegiince to him who, ten daya before, they hid reviled. The requirement of their suffering country demanded the sacrifice. King Hiram aolemn'y ratified the recantation. Captain Morris and Mr. Waeon, on behalf of Major Atkinson, took counsel with the Queen of Sheba The philosophy of natural affinities expounded by the ex-Mini-ter of Justice, of prosaic physique but most poefic soul, was worshipped as the religion of the hour. Trie five malconten a who had found place for repentance met diiiy in caucus. Tho remainder of the Middle Party at once joined Sir George Grey'* party. So the Middle Party died and was* buried ; and the further acts of the five, their wisdom and tho euhuinalioa of their .greatness, have they not yet to be written in the chronicles of Isew Zoaland.

TiatTlsu mni'.a via ''uez will close at the district pout office on Monday, 19th. Bavuk's Criterion, Hot 1, Chrisrehurch, toti'ily destroyed by (ire on .Sund-iy lußt. St' r ps are being taken for the appointment of a colleague to the Kev. Dr. .Stuart, of Knox t/hurch, Dunsdiu.

The Home mails via Suez, which arrived *t a.ilelaide on Friday last, may be expected here on, Saturday morning. The total quantity of gold forwarded from Uaaeby for the past month to Dunedin by the recent escort amounted to 310 D ounces. It is, said that the Turkish soldiers liavo received strict or lt»rs not to Bre at a Russian general, lest he should be killed or disabled, and repl.iced.

It is currently reported that tho defunct ' New Z-aland Magazine' is to find » successor in Weilit-gton, under the editorship of Mr. J. K Fitzgerald. Ol K -PAT aas Veed'e, which w.is being towed to L onion, mi 1 wui ai>a>:di>ueil in the B-iy o lii-euy on th ) 17- h. coin.qii"nt on a heavy gale, was recovered on the litlli ulr.

Th ' Cromwell Jockey! lub have decided t'l.holl their annual race meeting on tins I:7th anl2Sth December, and that prizes to thd amount of £Z±o be competed f.^r.

The cricket match between the Dunedin and Palmerston (Jlubs, which tool; place on the ground of the bitter on-thy 9th, resulted in a victory .to Palmerstou • y seventeen xuna—lJuueiiu OS, I'uhiurstou S'. Tub value of land id appreciated by the people of Wak-ittp Tlio sale of a ten yoars' lease of an educational reserve, containing oixty acres ot' indifferent land, fetcbod 21s. Hd. per acre per annum.

SeVKitAt, Otagan constituencies are being moved alrealy by die almost certain prospect of a dissolution, and are casting about for •suitable persons as representatives at the next j,'eiieial election.

"Thk disgraceful conduct of members of Pai'liam-tit m idedrunk to ke p them from voting" was the text sebcted by ill! Uev. Mr. Urrry, a V\esleyan clergynun of Nupier. last .Sumiuy evening. I'cBUC meetings are to bo held in the principal centres of papulation in to take into c insideiati in the present position of afford iu the J-lome of (.representative.*-, and the obstructive attitude assumed by the members of the late Government. Mk. W. G (tkaok, the well k'own crieketer, has been i'jur«d in o ti> of hi» eyes tiy the accileut.nl di-chnrsje of a eon while s:.o:>t.*ing on the K-irl of VWrtinorlund's estate at Ap tliorpe. The shots were extnn ted, und it it hoped the eyesight w 11 not be lost.

His Woi.ship tub Mayor has forwarded to Dune lin the sum of £l4 Bs, being the nnvjunt collected by him in aid of Uie Indian Famine Kelief Fund. Mr. M'.iutcbeson has also for .varied £G 2a for the same object. These two amounts make up a, total of over £6 l collected iu aid of the fund from Kaseby aloue.

In the Diooesati Synod on Thursday last Mr George. Cook's niotiou to the following effect was. uf'er discussion, carried un.mim jusly :—" That this Synod is of op nion that the use of the title Uhurch of I'higlnn.l to designate any society eonnoutud vith the Church in New Zealand is not opposed to anv provision contained in the constitution " The Bishop accepted the resolution on the un lurctAudinji that it was not intended to expres* pny opinion on the status of the Church in New Zealand in relation to the Mother Church.

A public meeting was Ivl 1 in PunerJin on Mond iy evening hut to consider U>e present jiol 'icai positi m. The resolutions, whieh were «nthusiu.>itiiMlly and urmnimously came I, were to ilia effect, that tim? sho-ild be allows! the Government to inrestii; ite t \w cut? of fin met, worki, and native affairs ; that th« ooieluetof tlifl Into Ministry wa* obstructive and ropreheimhle ; tl-afc an immeoiitc dissolution of fie Awrimblv is necessary ; that', the Gove,'nor b-' to dissolve I he Assembly, to give the people an opportunity of exp-essing their on the ex'ntina state of public ulTa rs.

Applications aro wantod for tlio oUce of anxton to tlw Nuw.'by comotory. Tbndb ;s nm required tor aworal contracts in con- , ncction witli tli '. County roadn.

Pb'.ihoxs willing to bcconj.i mcmb.'rs of the Nasr-by Cn'orod Ojioru Troupo nro requontcd to attend a mutiny to.bj h'Md in thj Town Hall on Monday o/oniutf n'.xt.

Tfs .DEits aro wanted for aiipplvin l ? tin mcensaricd In LwrnictiHii with th> o«n> Templar iinQlTerß.iry t u-ra mting at Kycburn Diggings ou tha 12th Do•coratwr.

NASEBY COLORED MINSTIIELS.

I The entertainment m the evening of Friday tlait (Prince of Wales' Birthday) by the ■Jiaseby Colored Minstrels, in aid of tho Hosipitnl funds, wu» a most successful ajTiir, No jpaina'w'ere evidently spared by the members jof the troupo to render .themselves proficient Jin thrTr--part-s~ftn<l-th« clever execution-of the fchorn-<PB (instrumental nmi subdued) -were [evidences of careful tmining and repeated fre- ■ {hf»isit.,*' Tho .'part «if>the programme {consisted of npgro songa'and chorivea, convc {and, Hujittiiurutnl, y*itr» musical aceompani Vmenta,' the brief'intervals betwten each event rnflordinu an opportum'y for the indulgence of (tho comicalities'arii-1 funnyism« of" Bones " , (Mr. Sandow) and "Tarabo" (Mr. 3 eddinjj). •The.".Centrcman " (Mr. Jacob) al« did his justice. After the overl.u e, the song '" Happy are we " was given in excellent time by Messrs. Sandow and Sped lint', Mr. Webber following with "Little I'arlinu, do you miss me?" wbieh was very creditably gone through. •'" Zaohariah Br.iwn " (chorus by the -troupe') by Mr. Sandow w.is given with spirit, meeting the he-irty an roval of the hou*e. "O, Gently Breathe," by Mr. Morrison, was Hint; with feiding and correctness, the difficult chorus being rendered by the jCompmy, bo f h iustrumenta'.ly and vocally, in a very ereditab e manner. The " Kelle of Tenn -ssee " wns next given by Mr. Spedding. Mr Jacob following with " Little Rosebu I," which was sweetly rendered. "Seethe Gils on Sunday," hy Mr. Sandow, narrowly escaped an encore. Mr. Webber ne-»t g:ive '• Mamma, .where" "has baby gone?" Mr. . c p<*dding " A> gelina Beker," and .Mr. Grumi'.t '' K : ?s me, Mother, ere I die," wbieh were w irmly applauded. E-nrj eft's " Snyder how von vns ? " was most effectively rendered, and brought, to a conclusion tho first part, amid marrifeottitions of appreciation hy the audience. The orchestra, consisting of M»ssr=. Martin (cornet), Collett Dealer (violin), Webber (violoncell i), and Viekery (flute), played selection?, which were mu«h admired »nd heart ly applauded. " Once Again" by Mr. Grutnilt, who was in good voice, was a capital rendering. A clo.' dance by Mr. Sando<«!)-rwlnse talented capabilities in this us in other lines have been previously noticed—followed, and equalled hi* former ■•■irorts. being enthusiastically applauded. Mr. Dealer's solo, "' ICrin-go bragh," was much appreci'ited Hy the siiHieine. Mr. Web ber's plaintive air, "I no home." was followed by a stump speech by Mr. Sundew, whose make-up. absurd sayings, eomienl attitudes, with occasional poetical snatches on locu men and events, kept tho hou«e in ex eel lent humor. " Little Footsteps" by Mr. Morrison (nic-ly i-unir) gave nlace to a rornrt solo, " Auld Robin G'ny," by Mr. Mirtin, who executed with taste this difficult p ece. Mr. »4rurnitt wis good in the song of " The Mountebank." The next, attract! n was a double song and dance, "The Rival Dirkies" hy Messrs. Sandow and Spe Iding This was the gem of the evening, and pleased the audience so well that an encore was voei ferous'y demanded. The dancing and singing of thesj amateurs approaches so near the professional ar isi es that it would be a matter of some difficulty to make n rii-'inelion. After further e< ideriee of the proficiency of the or chestra had been given, the performance concluded with the laughable farce of " Upper Ten Thousand," wiiicli was played smoothly Tlirjiighou , nnd sent t.ha hir.e audience ho Tie wards in spirit". The lion. Treasurer tf the Hospital (Mr. B. Oorden), on being called upon, thanked the troupe for their rx client entertainment and the audience for their patronage in so creditably re spouding to the call of char'ty. The enter tj,inment w.is repeated on the f Mowing evening. The m n handed to the Hospital Committee.amounted to £3O.