SWITZERS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 194, 26 October 1871, Page 5

SWITZERS.

(From our own Correspondent.)

October 20th.

If wind and rain be good for the crops, they have received great benefit this week. Strong winds and heavy rain-falls have occurred almost every day, and this day being no exception, I am in a state of retirement, and feel rather disposed to take a birds-eye view of society — not that t-ither you or I will be much benefited by it, nor that the public interest would suffer much were I to abstain from such an effort ; but as 1 have commenced the prospect, I may as well let you know what strikes the eye and what is the general appearance of things. The prospect may not be a good one, but points may be discovered that are striking and worthy of note. I see the people busy doing what they can te assist our Teviot friends out oi' their difficulty. The utterances they give vent to are not .quite so severe as they were when the news first arrived. The feeling is now rather sympathetic — in fact I heard one person almost pity them, It is hard .to be done always , but the Island Block was not a patch — not a circumstance to this. In that affair it was rather a doubtful matter who really was to bl.-tme ; Mac blamed B. and B. blamed Mac. In thia in .-fcanee, doubt disappear* ; tl c matter rtlaiitls clearly before us ; it; was our own that did it — the man of historic notoritv, the experienced political! who was bi-'auded and beloved. Every means were employed toj|.!ae him in tho j>o«t of honor — eihs an I »as, packers and trappers, tailers aivl retailers ; everyone from Horseshoe Bend ro the Nevis who was under the slightest obligation must come manfully forward to lend a helping hand in the jjood cause. And then just think : io\v much beer was spilt, aud invective '.ittered a<rain"t the person who had the t merity to enter the areuaiu opposition 10 such an honorable gentleman. The •' in O)hite, M *' the peripatetic dominie," to have the presumption to commence ' the great Logomachy." Not that they really had anything against the opponent; either personally or politically, but because of their intense • levotedness to their worthy, yave utterances to epithets that might v ider other circumataces have been excuseable. But the evil is done and the almost neeepsary consequence has followed. Henceforth let unity be the watchword. Petition ! Petition ! He will resign at y< ur request, he will , readily come forward to give an actouut nf his stewardship ; he will not allow place aud pay to tarnish his honor ; he will show the difficulties that strewed his path the factious to fight, whose only object was the emoluments of office ; he will touch the the tender cords of your pliant nature, and there will -be secure against all who may come. He cannot leave us, we cannot leave him. We will stand or fall together. Our tender, our womanly hearts will cause us to fill up the bi'eacb between us an~d our erring member; we will forgive him. But in looking over the muster roll, I find one missing. Whither is he gone ? ' What Has gof Johnny ? Is all right with Johnuy ? f have a sneaking regard for Johuny. He is all there, is Johnny. He toou to©k stock of the " three comic singers" who ventured to disturb tne quiet of that monotonous region.! But where is he ? I missed his active presence at the great meeting. 1 • hope he has not gone with the great landslip. Me. quiescat hi pace. Is all the result of a long session of the Assembly- to be only visible in "Hansard?" Tho Gdldfields Bill still remain's in embryo. ; Is there to be nothing done to relieve the pressing ueees ities of the miner, j Coin petition is increasing, his field oft labour is becoming more and more impoverished, and his burdens continue the same. -The Miners' Rit^ht ana the • export duly- ar6 to- remain as they wereThe much vaunted eileouragemen.t that was to be given, ia t mtftgm»i»lv "terprise stttl remains' at [sr-great distance from us, md tho .1 class that in •doing more- than anyl-otlier in giving sup-port ". to- Jthe establiihrnears and; institutions of the country is feeling that it is being grievously, Js^od*wrn:fct«<i and neglacted, while- &scry.. otb^ji , • • •- \

little pet scheme is encouraged and supported. The Government of Provinces Bill appears also, to be in difficulties. For the well-being of this Province it wruki hi- L ;'tcr if it wero withdrawn, and Hip Shire Councils Bill substituted. As 1 hat would only continue the many evils that are existing under the present system. If there is to be a Council in the Province, the present is as likely to bent* tit the bulk of the population as forty members of the House of Representatives in Council, aud also under the proposed system mining Representations would be reduced to a minimum. No scheme will' be satfactorily received in the up-country districts that leaves them at the mercy of the Dunedin magnates. Decentrilisalion must be the watchword of the mining population. We have a great deal to lose and nothing to gain by a connection with the present clique that rules our affairs ; and in any change that takes place we should agitate for electoral district councils, or as near an approach to these as possible, so that our affairs might be under the control of persons who were conversant with the wants and requirments of each district.

Since I wrote last, the race to the Scrubby Terraces has changed hands ; Sk ne and Co. have become the principal proprietors. Ths race is capable of carrying sis heads of .water, which has hitherto been used by the

party, but is to be, under the pre- , sent proprietary, open for sale to the public at ten shillings per head per day water; the evening and night shifts are to be seveu shillings and sixpence each.