CORRESPONDENCE.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 128, 12 March 1879, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(TO THE KPI'I'OK OF THE TEJILTIvA LKATJEK.) & nij —The Geraldinc County Council lias fallen into a, most unenviable position. It wiil be recollected that at the last Counci[ meeting in December the Chairman read a Jotter from the Ashbnrton County Councii asking the Geraldinc County Council to appoint a sub-committee to confer with a similar committer to be appointed by them to devise tiie best plan for extending the Hangitata Bridge on the north fide. Unfortunate!} 7 , the Garaldine County Council could not agree as to the propriety of bringing the Act into force. Tiie result of this decision was that the Chairman was instructed to write fo the Ashbnrton County Gpuncil telling (hem to ivpply to the Geraldinc and Mount Feel Ftoad Boards. This they did, with what result is well known to every ratepayer. Xow if the Gerakfine Council had been in full operation they could no doubt have managed to come to an understanding with the other Council interested to have this work done, and in a way that would need no more tinkering. The- Ashbnrton County Council, as I learn, decided upon a plan to the effect, I behove, that the bridge slioukl be extended, built upon iron pipes instead of 'iron cylinders, similar to the other parts "of the structure ; but before proceeding jwitli the work the Council very naturs'ally sought to make themselves sure of I how the money was to be paid, and I applied to the Government, who, as was ; to be expected, declined to become rci sponsible for the Gerakline County's debts. j The consequence now is that the work i does not go on, and the whole district will bo put to great inconvenience, it may fbe for years. The question that will 1 naturally be asked by every one is, Who_ is to blame for this state of things '( 1 ■{answer the Ivaukapuka Hiding chiefly, and first and formost amongst its electors Mr Bosllethwaite, late chairman of the Geraldinc County Coumil. I fearlessly state that the unjust, crooked, nnwarr.mtaole procedure of that gentleman has deprived the settlers of this County of the benehts and advantages of a very necessary Iraki-- bridge. The late chairman of the County Ceuneii is a most peculiar gentleman ; at one time he is opi posed to bringing the Act into force, at another time ho start-! up in ids place. I and declares it ' a necessity ; again lie changes and deckvr<s again;-1 it. The J next idin.se of this phenomenon is in a i proposal for making ikutkapuka Biding a i county ; at first I was prepared to admit the justice of this procedure, seeing as I thought the feeling of the pernio I were in its favor, and moreover 1 could not blani'' them for going with the chairman <>f that meeting'' after the hideous 'form in which he painted the Milford -sharks, and the unscrupulous way in which he declared that the only good that would bo got by continuing in connection j with Temuka would be the privilege of being taxed to accomplish t! at monstrous job, the Miiiovcl Harbour. This, of course, decided the meeting', an'" tiie member for Rankapuka Biding cou'd not see his way to lead his constituents into the lion's m r nth. Circumstances have come to light that have altered the state of things; Raulcapuka has not an area by some 00,009 acres to entitle it to be formed into a. county. That the late chairman of the Coiintv Council could have betrayed such ! ign orar.ee of what ho was speaking about |is almost incredible. In my opinion he is very culpable, for not informing himself of the mailer before he came before the public as lie. did, but it just ends as all crooked ways end, in blarkening the ingenious schemer. Circumstances have come to my knowledge vehieh makes me more than doubt the truthfulness of his apology. It is painful to have to doubt tiie word of any man, more particularly a public man whom his fellow settlers are of necessity obliged to confide in, but I have no mercy upon any man who can wilfully mislead, and the more I look into M- Postictlnvaite's conduct since the first movement for an election for the. County Council the more I am inclined to turn away from the subject with disgust. It is bad in business to find a man that is not honourable and straight Co nvrn'i] in his dealings, it is worse in public matters. In the former a shrewd business man will not allow himself to be imposed upon. A public mail I am ready to receive as a philanthropist, prepared to sacrifice sell: for t!;o good of liis country. "When I lim! out that such a would-be philanthropist "iily studies self-interest or the gratification of private spleen then I say we must discountmiance such proceedings. In the case I have now before mo I see (lie result of unjust bitrigim, but the worst of it is these blunders have, led to other and far more important blunders. The Gerakline County Council will meet on tiie 25!h of this month for the purpose of dividing the funds that acme !o tiie County, amongst the various Boad Boards, and whatever may happen if has no po..ver afterwards of ha dling a single shilling for fifteen months to come. If I was a member of any of these ridings wdm have been so deceived 1 would at mice wipe out tiie foul stain firmly, and do my duty without fear or favor of any man. I am, &c, ■ v . ■' ' G. C.

up, so lint a sponge cor. taming ui!on)t'oini might bo applied to his nose The lii'M. evidence of the action of the chloroform was a diminution in his struggles—one paw dropped and then the other. The door of the deii was opened, and his head laid upon a plank outside. The cataracts were removed and the be;.r was drawn back into his cage. Next morning ho camo into his den staring about him, caring nothing for the light, licking his paws, and evidently glorying in the recovery of sight. PIIOTKCtION AND THE OaKEYLNG TIUDE --There seems a considerable probability that the first break down of the system of protection in America will be with the ' navigation laws. Here it manifestly does not work. As the ' N"ew York Herald' admits, America pays nearly £20,000,000 to foreigners for carriage, 0r,., more strictly, allows, foreigners to earn that sum without competition, because she cannot build her vessels cheaply and is not allowed to buy them. The circumstances in; relation to the Brazilian trade, which every effort is being made to foster, bring the subject home to people just at this time ; and the ' Herald ' complains, with some apparent justice, that it is absurd that in order to communicate quickly with South America it should be necessary to make a detour by way of Europe. We say with apparent justice ; but there can be no doubt that as soon as a trade of any importance springs up between Bio Janeiro and New York a line of steamers will very quickly begin to run between the two ports. These outcries for fresh openings are really only an evidence of depressed trade. But the Atlantic steam business is a different matter. Here the Americans have helped to beat themselves ; and they are begining to see that to shut themselves out from the cheapest market for steamers is to drive their own flag from the ocean and enrich other mercantile powers at th"ir expense. Scientific Progress.— Can it possibly be true that our Councillors intend as soon as convenient to fit up their Chambers with scientific apparatus of acoustic operation 1 There was a defect some time ago in the sound-conducting properties of the room, but this was quickly remedied by prompt action on their part, in running a system of fine wire under the ceiling. They are about to order a clock, and, we believe, a microphone for the assistance of Mr Studholme and the engineer. These gentlemen at present when - they speak, pass a loving arm round the chairman's neck and whisper in his ear. But, gracious ! when the magnifier of sound arrives, they must lead him into the back-yard, and their, under the shadow of the stately pile, they may whisper in confidence their digested opinions, and escape the wiles of their ci-afty colleagues. A telephone will be the means of summoning the liveryed care-taker to explain the disappearance of a missing whecl|barrow|or a nut from the' stone-breaker. The electric coil will compass the building and exhibit its influence in such menial offices as the opening and closing of the doors ; but. ah ! should anyone forget a Tasmanian experience, and negligently lay a touch on the handle, the attraction current will immediately seize the hand and elicit such a yell that should prove an example "to our inaudible councillors. He will execute a North American Indian war-dance, and practically illustrate a series of violent manifestations that would do credit to a rampart third-class tragedy player. But seriously, we really wish Mr Studholmc, Ihe chairman, and the engineers would stand erect, and speak loudly and distinctly. We have the greatest respect for ad three gentlemen, and conside; - what Ihey say of as u:u h importance as the utter uices of the other councillors. —indeed, we pay a high compliment to them ; otherwise, w-e would observe sib- - cc on the subject. Bet us hope we will find an exemplification of the utility of our remarks at the next Council meeting - .—that we have not spoken in vain. We had intended to include.the name of Mr Loudon, but his remarks, as a ride, bear such a close resemblance to ignorance of the subject under discussion, and such a bucolic complexion, that we had better confine ourselves to what is in our present estimation, less vague and of greater public importance.—Waimate '' Star.' Holloway's Ointment and Pills.— Indigestion, Disorder of the Liver.'—No fact in medical knowledge is better established than that the chief source of all morbid states, whether of body ,or mind, is a deranged state of digestion, usually originating in the liver. Hollo. way's'Pills speedily regulate this function. In'cases where delicacy of constitution render it unadvisable to take many Pills, the same healthful effects may be carried out. without debilitating, by rubbing Holloway's Ointment thoroughly over the pit of the stomach and right side at least twice a day ; no pain or inconvenience attends this treatment. Its merits in vanquishing pain at the stomach, flatulency, and imperfect digestion have been fully appreciated by the public in all parts of the globe for tha last thirty-five