Mount Benger Mail "BE JUST AND FEAR NOT." FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1896. Introductory.

Mt Benger Mail, Volume 17, Issue 858, 2 October 1896, Page 2

Mount Benger Mail "BE JUST AND FEAR NOT." FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1896. Introductory.

On the 16th May, 1880, over sixteen years ago, the Mount Bengek Mail was launched on the tide of public opinion by Mr John Wea- ! therall, the late proprietor, since which time it has met with the I varying fortunes incidental to I newspapers. Duiing the whole of ! that long career the paper has, i through all its vicissitudes, met ; with generous and unvarying support from the public generally, and from the people of the district in particuj lar, a fact which the former pro- ' prietor has requested us to heartily acknowledge. On assuming control of the Mount Bengek Mail, we consider it opportune to follow the recognised custom in laying before our readers a sketch of the policy which we have formulated for the paper. Recognijing, as we do, the paramount importance of Roxburgh arrd Millers Flat, as amongst the chief mining centres of the Ot-ago goldfields and looting forward to the time, in the near future, when the mining population in these and all the surrounding districts will be largely increased, it will be our duty, as far as lies within our power, to assist in and promote such development by the thorough representation of the views of the mining community and the dissemination of up-to-date information useful to miners. A district which, for such a lengthy period, has yielded a steady, consistent return of the precious metal, should not be trusting to the fact that the news of its valuable resources might percolate through the channels of mere gossip, and anything approaching adequate representation is not to be expected from journals at a remote distance, far outside its radius. They are concerned with their own interests, and cannot be supposed to do anything like justice to ours, however much they may wish to. Apart from that, however, the public of Roxburgh and surrounding districts I demand, by their former support, that they should have their own local journal, and they have a right to expect that it should t ike up the position in the ranks of colonial journalism which the importance of the district warrants. To realise this high ideal, then, we have set ourselves, and we feel thoroughly confident that with the generous support already accorded us, and

i 1 ' the very encouraging promises of assistance made to us in all parts of the district, that our ambition is not by any means beyond our powers of accomplishment. To conserve and promote the mining interests will, therefore, be our first care. We will give all publicity to mining matters, whether hydraulic sluicing, dredging or reefing, and in every species of legitimate mining enterprise miners may count on us for all the assistance in our power. There is another industry in this district which, though not dating so far back, forms, in importance, a good second to that of mining. We refer to fruit cultivation. It is impossible to over-estimate the valuable results likely to accrue from ! this industry throughout the colony, j and we have it on the authori fc y |

j experts that Central Otago is, from the nature of its soil and climate, amongst the most suitable districts j to be found in any country for fruit j cultivation. To foster this industry i shall also be our care, aud we hope j [ the day is not far distant when the j fruit-growers of this district will ; command a position on the fruit j market commensurate with the full i resources of the district. The agri- ; cultural and pastoral interests we j shall, of course, always represent ! faithfully, and believing, as we do, ! that the time has now arrived for j the settlement of agriculturists on j farms —we j-efer to the proper class | of men, .who are able and willing to ; make a remunerative living on 1 farms- —we shall advocate that line j of policy. The local institutions ! will always be fully reported, while to matters of interest outside the j

district we shall endeavour to give a fair amount of representation. Comment on public topics we maintain the right to express freely, and we shall not shrink from our duty, however unpleasant, to conserve the safety of the public weal as far as is in our power, we shall mete out justice impartially in our criticism, untrammelled by the influence of.party, and hope by such wholesome methods, to prove a lever for-the public good. As we have said, our aims are lofty, but with the encouragement and support of the district, on which we feel sure we can'rely, we believe we can accomplish fhis and much more, until we attain to the goal of our ambition —which is to worthily represent, as its chief organ, this large and important district.