DUNSTAN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 287, 31 July 1873, Page 7

DUNSTAN.

(From our own Correspondent.) With the exception of a few stormy days about the end of last week, which have left the signs of winter on the surrounding hills, we have experienced little of the season as yet, and that itself may be looked upon as a boon betokening a plentiful supply of water for months to come. There have been few complaints about the scarcity of that element lately, with the exception of thc'.WaiKeriKeri. Lindsay and party's race £ot snowed up some time since, and water has not j yet been cot down it; and tho other small sources of supply in that district have not yet recovered from the very severe drying up they had. The Town race lias been running full all winter, and to little purposo but to supply the inhabitants, for the unfortunate Clyde coalpit had another breakage just when most wanted — the axle of the lara;e wheel broke, and to replace it they had to send to Dunedin, which takes a considerable time in these days. Sideberjj's dredge is a<?ain at work near the towr, ho has been making improvements on her in the shape of fitting her with what I shall a call a fender or sluice dam, for want. of a better name. It, however, consists of a lars;e piece of boiler plate joined together, with a sharp bow up stream and expanding downwards, which is let down and kept in its place by means of two strong iron rods sliding in sockets on each side of the dredge. It is intended to prevent the tailings in the river from rushinz into the place where the spoon work?. The pneumatic dredge is in the hands of the bailiff, an I advertised for sale ; this is more to be regretted seeing that this dredge answered etfery expectation as to her working powers, and tho nrpsent collapse of the Company is duo to the misfortune of not meeting payable gold. It has told a tale, however disagreeable it is, nevertheless tnu\ and to borrow an expression, the old dredges have been like the squatters, who haw picked the eyes out of the country, orly the miners have pick*' l the eves out of the rivers. The special claim of the Alexandra Stenm Dred&o Company has been refused: but a claim hai been off.- red them of 1000 feet along the river for every £1000 of capital, to be represented by 15 holders of miners' rights. Thus 15,000 fiot will »ivo them close on a mile — an ar -a which few will object to, and in all reason it ought to be

enough. Tlu» oft-repeated public boast of bo'll'.r p iv pared to give tho order for tlic machinery, will surely now be spp(*dihj| put into execution; The Company's '"Cromwell Arsons" corI'eypoMiient may then write with impunity I about liliputian dredges. The election of Mayor passed off very quietly. The civic chair was quietly vacated without .1 struggle by the present occupier to Mr. B. Naylor, I merchant, who, when duly elected, thanked th^ electors for the honorable position they had pl-iced him in, complimented his predecessor for the creditable manner he had conducted the affairs of the town, and hoped his successor would be able to say the same of him. A shout all round nt the Hartley, and all was over. To replace the retiring Councillors, I hear there are to he several in the field, but who they an- 1 am not yet able to sa). The old team, however, is useful to the last. Great improvements are being made, on the southern approach to Spring-street, which your correspondent '"Progress" figuratively alludts to, and also bewails the loss of a rake. Let me inform him that the retaining wall is still standing, and the rake is still in existence, and Councillor Auckland is as indefatigable as ever. Another useful implement he has just introduced, which, in the place I come from, goes by the name of the " bishop ;" its use is for breaking down the stones after they are laid down in a pavement or sewer. How it derived that name was once asked by one of the cloth of a workman, who was using it. He replied '• I don't know, Sir, unless because it is for knocking down the heads of the hardened sinners." The session of the Provincial Council is being looked on with considerable interest. The party fight being over, we expect to come in for a good share of the " loaves and fishes," and in that way we are likely to fare pretty well. We are to have a ne»v court-house anil library, and the road improved in the vicinity of tho town. Strong efforts are b«ing made to get the raihvav to Clyde or Cromwell, a consideraMe sum Spent on the ro-id from Butchers to Clyde 1 was going to s.iv, but that would be wrontr. for it is to Alexandra. Th'» town is to b( j mortgaged to bridge the Molyneux, ami £100 is granted to make approaches to the punt, also some talk of an opposition punt. We will then have three different means of crossing traffic ; but no road for the traffic to come. Spe iking of the school brin»s t"» my mind a circumstance spoken of by th v Rev. Mr. livley, Otepopo, in a letter to the " Daily Times " on " Denomij national Co-operation, y in which hestates th.it when he and Mi*. Todil, of Oamaru, were visiting the goldfields they were denied the use of the church at Clyde. The bigotry of pavs.ni and Pope are put forth in pretty strong language ; but they seem to sit easy under it, for as yet it has elicited no reply. The subject is somewh.it out of my line; but I will give you something like the facts. The church was refused by some of the lending members of the English church in the abscene of the minister, on the grounds, I believe, that they did not know if he would be agreeable, that ib was required for the school iv the forenoon, and that a newly fledged layreader was to conduct service in the evening. Of the first two excuses they may go for what they are worth, and for the last a townsman remarked to ' the lay-reader that it would have been a great pity to have the service interfered with, fi>r the congregation would be sadly disappointed, and for yourself yon would have felt like a child being deprived of a new toy, Mr. liyley's observation that the church had not been consecrated and that the Presbyterians contiibuted largely to its erection is true, and be might bavo added that uncil n-)w it had been usod by both sects when occasion required ; but it seems that some of the members of the English church were a little too tar seeing for their easy going brethern, for they applied and got the site declared a Church of England reserve, and by common law rights the building goes with the ground. So much for the right those worthy dignitaries had for refusal, and ib may be quite enough for them to justify their action ; but E somehow think it puts a hitch on that brotherly love which we read iv the hook which on both sects base their religion. The meeting of the divines mentioned at Queenstown also betokens a like coldness ; and should Mr. Ryley again visit the district, I should not be surprised if an adversary should meet him on the tsrms of the old story by throwing off the bkiclc coat, saying lie their divinity and here am I 1 I's ready for you. Let me, in conclusion of this rather variagated epistle, send you a note of warning which may be useful though you need not be alarmed. 1 kuow of no cause why you need lie apprehensive of the treatment and danger experienced on late, occasions by your brother representative of the S'> called fourth estate in this place. Tho miners at the Cariick thought pi*np"i* to strike, because their employer** wanted t) reduce their wages The remedy was put forth that the storekeepers, butchers, and bakers should stop the tick ; but the Ksiwurau biiilgo had to Ikj opened soon after, and the prebs had to be repieseuted ; but no, the miners would not have ib, the representative of the '• Dunstan Times" would nut Iks listened t> at any price, and was nearly coming in for pretty rough treatment.