FOURTEEN-MILE BEACH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 157, 9 February 1871, Page 6

FOURTEEN-MILE BEACH.

(From our oivn Correspondent.)

In mining matters I have very little to report owing to the long continued drought. A great many sluicing parties are at a stand still, almost all the water races being dry. Messrs. Heron and Nott are vigorously pushing on with their large race at a very heavy expense. The ground is as hard, and of the consistency of half bui'nt bricks, through the dry weather. However they expect to be finished with it in a fortnight, when the proprietors will have ten good heads of water at their disposal.

There is a requisition to the Chief Postmaster being numerously signed, for the establishment of a district post office at Kemp's hotel and store, Bald Hill Flat It will prove a great convenience to the district if granted, and I do not see why it should not, as there have been post offices established in this district where there is not the slightest necessity for them.

The latest piscatorial sensation up here has been the discovery of a juvenile saltncn by an elderly pi(y)ke. I believe the specimen was sent to Dr. Hector, who declared it was not a salmon on account of there being no cucumber attached to it.

The all absorbing topic is the approaching election for the Superintendent's chair. The general feeling is iv favour of Mr. .Reid. Those of the Macandrew ei'eed are in great alarm as to the result of the polling; and Macandrew's squattocratic proclivities arc sadly against his being returned, while Reid's clodocratic tendencies ensures him the support of all the voters about here. Old Pumpernickel attended Mr. Reid's meeting at the Teviot, and the old fellow sententiously observes, as a preface, that we ought to be thankful for small blessings, as we cannot have everything we desire. Although Mr. Reid's speech was not a master piece of eloquence, it bore upon the face of it an intention to carry out, as far as lay in his power, all that he promised in it. His views on the leading questions of the day seemed to give general satisfaction, and the feeling evinced by the meeting after Mr. liei-1 had answered the various questions put to him, was that Reid was the man for the billet. Our Alexandra friends are beginning to see the errors of their ways — that portion of the province at least is, I am informed, inclined to split upon the merits of the two candidates. Mr. Reid may rely upon having a full half of the voters up there.

As to the other gentlemen who are in the field constituency hunting, with the exception of Mr. Bradshaw for the Waikaia, and the older members, Messrs. Fraser, Mervyn, and Mr. Hughes, or Honest John (though why they call him Honest John is a mystery to me, and several others of xnj acquaintance) are the only persons who have any chance at all.

Mr. Macandrew's supporters are in high spirits at the certainty of his being returned. They bring forward the never-ending argument about Mac. being a progressive man, &c, &c, who has done so much for Otago, and who has been made the victim of a conspiracy by the Provincial Executive, &c, &v. ; but had they been in the province a few years back, they would sing a very different song.

It is a wise saw that a man who cannot look after his own affairs is not fit to be entrusted with those of the public. Macandrew's antecedents go to show that he is the man to place any country or province in difficulties. Our local laureate has sent you the following lines, with a request that you will append them to this report, as they are set to a popular melody :—: —

OTA.GO TO HER CHIEF. You came to us downcast — a poor broken

soul, And hanging your lip like a motherless

foal ; We buried the past, all was laid on Time's

shelf, And we gave you the chance of retrieving

yourself. Gave you station and honours, crowning

every desire By making you chief, we could place you

no higher ; In the run for distinction, the race was

your own, Coull have easily won it, aye, won it hands down. Had you kept on the course marked by

o;ir constitution, You had ne'er been bucked off by the colt Retribution. Men thought you in earnest when settled

to work, JSTor dreamt their best interests ever you'd

shirk ; Believed you a loadstar, who'd guide them aright;, But found you no more than a farthing

rushlight. Oh, how we did blush when we heard

others speak Of the lame logic used in the case of

Trewcok, That opened otjr eyes, scarce recovered

the shock, When astounded we read of the sold

Island Block. Then wo gave np all hope, for full surely

we saw Your word in the country was not woi*th

a straw. When taxed with this scheming, why

then take refuge In that statesman's worst crime, a mean

subterfuge ? Why not up like a man, and take all the

blame ? Not drag honest men in to share in the

shame. Through your weak yq.cilla.ting and beatr ingarpunds

You have cut from yourself every foot of sure ground. Of course we distrust you, your promises yet You have broken, and now want to crush us with debt. For ourselves, we are sorry, your fate none deplore, The places that knew you, shall know you no more ; And as you pass from us, take with you this rule — Men don't care to be led by a rogue or a 1 " fool,