AN EXPLANATION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 182, 3 August 1871, Page 6

AN EXPLANATION.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, — In the " Dunstan Times " of the 22ud ult., the Mount Benger correspondent having referred to the yiel,i of gold at the Horse hoe Bend in anything but flattering terms, I forwarded a reply to the editor of that journal. He having decliuffl to adopt the usual course of allowing an explanation, I now request that you will be kind enough to grant a space in your columns for that , purpose. I am quite at a loss to imagine from what source he derives his information. He is not a resident amongst us —a circumstance for which we^have great ■ reason t*» be thankful. We can usually keep our own counsel, and if we should at any time obtrude our private affairs npon disinterested parties, I assureyou that those in whom we might so far , confide would require .to he of an eutirely different sfrunp from the highly talented, estimable, and abstemious individual whom the editor of the " Dunstan Times " had selected for his Binder Burn correspondent. So long as he confined his effusions to matters pertaining to the embryo township, which has uufortunateJy to submit to the iv fiiotion of his presence, we of course had no right to complain ; but when he intermeddles with affairs wholly beyond his ken, it is necessary for the public weal that he should be exhibited in his true colours. When concocting the paragraph to which I refer> he had evidently before his mental visual organ the scrapings of those poor "waifs and strays" who, by a wayward fate, were forced to connect themselves with the ill-starred dredge

Escalanos, better known as the Clutha

Ranger, from the fact of its being never ! stationary for twenty-four consecutive hours. From what I can ascertain, their gross receipts whilst in this neigh bourhood did not even approach a pennyweight a week ; at all events it is a fact that my informant (one of the afoiesaid waifs), after losing both money and time, and being apprehensive that lack of bare necessaries might cause a painful severance of body and soul, was so disgusted with the beggary concern, that (without even seeking a division of profits) he actually deserted, and sought refuge amongst us— the pauperising position from which he happily succeeded in effecting his escape, with only life and tatters, being at once eagerly sought and at present worthily filled by the "D. T." correspondent. Although he has thought fit to represent the earnings of the miners in this locality as being exceedingly meagre, it is a fact that not one of them has ever yet settled matters with his creditors by the vagabond process of whitewashing. I beg to assure that highly talented individual, the Benger Burn Croesus, that not a man of us would exchange positions with him for all the treasures of Golconda. In answer to his query " Don't they wish they may get the bridge 1 " candidly, we do ; but under any circumstances, he may rest assured that we shall never attribute our failure to his hostility, as fortunately he is pretty extensi Tr ely known, and where best known least admired. lam not afraid of having expressed myself too strongly, as his reputation is not likely to sustain any injury. What scavenger was ever soiled by being pelted with mud I—Tours,1 — Tours, <fee. Justitia. Horseshoe Bond, July 20, 1871. P.S. — I shall not trouble you again in reference to this matter, as I shall not pay the least attention to any scoriaceous vituperation which he may endeavour to inflict upon your readeis, as it is scarcely to be expected that I should continue a controversy with au individual who h s already reached the substratum of the sediment of society. — J.