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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 134, 5 June 1873, Page 2

The Wanganui Chronicle of the 27tb, says that Colonel Gorton was, the previous day, " busily engaged disfiguring some Government property." Old Colonial in the .Auckland Weekly JSTews says :— 1 hear one of the farmers in Canterbury is prospering well by the cultivation of chicory.- The culture of this root has been repeatidly urged upon settlers of this province, but the industry has never been begun in earnest, and the golden prize is being won by Mr E. W. Trent, of Templeton; Canterbury. He has now over 100 acres in that crop, has kilns erected for the drying, of the sliced roots, and mills for the grinding of the same. Within two years he has increased his area of land under this crop^ from 50 to 100 acres, and would increase that by fifty acres more could he obtain the land. at a reaepnable price. He exports, from the colony at the present time about 90 tons per annum, besides supplying all coffee-roasters in the colony with what they require. His receipts will thus amount to several thousand pounds per annum. A kiln is being constructed on his farm at the present time, ; aod other improvements are being made which will enable him to considerably e_tehd his operations. He finds chicory-growing to be a most profitable branch of the farmer's business. The Troubles of a City Councillor. —The. following comes, from -Dunedin.; It will be seen that it does not refer to a Provincial, but only to a City Councillor : — " Some years ago I was a happy man, I kept a general shop and the general shop comfortably kept me. When I had put up my shutters for the night X revelled in the domestic happiness of ' home sweet home.' My wife was happy and content, and no ambitious dreams of greatness disturbed my serenity. I sold my pots and pans in peace and profit, was happy in my; little way, and found existence sweet, until one fatal day a requisition 1 was sent to me to become a candidate for the Council. I felt flattered. I consulted my wife. She urged me to stand, it was all I wanted tq give me a status. The title of Mr Councillor was an introduction to any society, and who knew but what I might become a mayor and herself a mayoress, I was to think of that. Besides, I had talents, look how I had spoken at teafights and temperance entertainments— •■ almost as good as a minister. . I consented and was returned. From that moment my history commenced. One clique of councillors made a tool of me, another a butt of me. The town clerk pulled me like a puppet, and the Press made public my ignorance, which I might have kept concealed had I riot by blind infatuation emerged from that obscurity which so well became me, The Municipal Act to me was a wilderness of words in which I became bewildered and lost, and the way I construed its clauses provoked the jeers and jibes gof my opponents, I was not slow iu resenting, I would have been sarcastic had I had the wit j havingJt not, I sfaowedmy temper, and any man. possessing one of an ordinary kind won't be long in a municipal council without his little points cropping out. I got personal in my remarks. The retorts I evoked generally ; soothed me, and in place of getting the honor and respect I anticipated, I got nothing but .contumely and derision. My wife was harder on me than my opponents. What was I thinking about to let men like those ridicule me ? I had even grown smaller in her eyes. I must redeem myself at any cost. Determined thus, next night I went to, the Council. There was a debate about cutting a gutter: Alderman Jones said I wanted to improve my property at the expense of the corporation. I replied Jones's great grandmother was not lawfully married. He ' retorted that he was never a shop boy and robbed his employer's till of haif-a-crown. , He moved that the 'words of the mendacious miscreant be taken down. I shook my

fist in his face. The Council broke up. I was stuck for damages in both actions — for slander, and assault. My customers deserted me. My wife upbraided. The public derided mo, and the bank squashed me. My unchristian resignation followed, and the sands of my (public) life are run out." }• | !P|TE_PAXHLfAS,.^ . saysfuhe Westiporty Times on the look out for a" cheap Sunday dinner, had a rare chance on Saturday last at Towndrow's auction rooms. A consignment of live turkeys and fowls on aboard the Wallace intended for Greymouth, were/owingto'the vessel's detention here, sold for what they would fetch, rather than incur the chance of their dying in longer confinement. The turkeys realised about 3s 6d each, and the fowls 3s per couple., nY..\y. ; ' 7 '