SWITZERS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 170, 11 May 1871, Page 6

SWITZERS.

(From our own Correspondent.) April 23. Surely the election cannot have anything to do with the muddle our postal arrangements have got into, and yet there are those who point to » rather significant coincidence in connection wit'a it. The Teviot has obtained a bi-weekly mail since, and the alteration iv the arrival and departure of our own mail has beeu made to suit it. I cannot say much about it. but there does seem to be prima facie evidence against our representative. He owes the Teviot people much for the position he occupie.- 1 , and the Switzers people very little ; but it does seem hard that our interests should be sacrificed for their accommodation. A memorial ha* been sent to tie postmaster through Mr. Brndshnw, and I hope that the latter gemk'inun will prove himself to be our representative by bavins'- the irnevince redressed as speedily as posni ile. The meeting of t!»e Minium Conference in Dunedin is causing a little exciteineDt among the friends of those who are" aspiring to the position of delegate. There are already three candidates in the field, viz., Messrs. Grwynne, Bailey, nnd another. As to the relative merits of each, I can s-iv very little, but I think Mr. Grwynne wili bo likely to have the majority of • votes. I see by the address of one of the candidates that there will be an attempt made to curtail the discretionary power of the Wardens. The ouly way this can be done effectually is to reduce the assessors' fees, and to make it compulsory for the court to summon them when required, without any additional expense to those who may require them. As it is at present £3 4s. has to be deposited in the court when assessors are demanded. To many this is a large sum, and rather than incur it the case is left iv the hands of the Warden, and persons find out when too late, by one of those strange uncertainties in law, that they have lost. In the Supreme Court, presided over by a Judge, there is in criminal cases a jury, and in civil cases assessors ; and how much more is it necessary in a Warden's Court, where there is more likely to be prejudice, that there should be a cheap mode of obtaining the assistance of assessors. Mr. Grow, the contractor for the Winding Creek bridge, finds great ■ difficulty in getting down to the bed rock for a foundation for the pillars in the bed of the creek. Strenuous efforts were put forth to keep the water under by manual labour with two Ca"lifornian pump for more than a fortnight, when they failed, after haviug suuk to a depth of six feet through the shingle. A water wheel was then erected to work the pumps. When the water was got under, it was found they had still a depth of four feet to sink to the rock. The work is now stopped until instructions from the Government are received by the inspector, as the hole is now deeper by two feet than the depth specified in the contract. On Wednesday, the 19th, about 4 p.m., we experienced a rather severe shock of earthquake. The houses were shaken as if by a terrific gale of wind, and at some of the sluicing claims large falls were brought down by it. May 5. The election of a Delegate took place yesterday at Switzers. There were 83 votes polled for Mr. Grwynne, and 46 for Mr. "Bailey when the poll closed, but Mr. Bailey had twelve votes taken under protest fifteen minutes after, on account of the difference in the time kept by. the Eeturning Officer and the town time. Nokomai returns not in,