THE SALE OF THE BLUE SPUR PETITION.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 298, 16 October 1873, Page 8

THE SALE OF THE BLUE SPUR PETITION.

(To the Editor.) Sib, — The Blue Spur was raised to . a state of great excitement on Saturday, the 4th instant, by the speculative rashness of a member of that community. It appears from what I could gather that the miners have been plagued by sheep encroaching on - their cabbage gardens and about their workings. To remedy this, a public nieeting waß held in the sohoolhouse, where important resolutions were proposed and argued pro. and con. by the leaders on both sides ; warm and indignant protests were heard from all sides against the great migration of sheep. And it was declared with emphasis that a petition should be got up, and sent to head quarters asking for relief. They employed forthwith a miner of" some standing to carry round the petition and obtain signatures. The petition was being rapidly filled with signatures, when unfortunately the person in charge was confronted by two of the principal commonage squattera, who appeared much excited and in censed by the action of the miners making liberal use of invective, and a little plausible cajolery, and being stimulated by a sense of impending danger, and copious draughts of the seductive beverages, the two sides of the question were sometimes calmly and sometimes warmly discussed, While matters remained in this state, it occurred to the wise and cautious minds of the two gquatters that this matter would be best settled if they could purchase the j petition. So with all the caution characteristic of these worthies, they offered £1 for the petition, which' was indignantly refused.: But after a little consideration, he askecUhe pound for it. It retrained a long time iv this position ; meanwhile, considerable • quantities of the softening fluid passed from the shelves of the public bar to the parties who were haggling over the bargain ; by-and-bye the squatters were joined by another partuer. No doubt roused by the urgency of the occasion, they then advanced from £1 to 305., which price was accepted, proTided the buyers stood drinks all "round. The petition and the money K changed hands, and at this stage the scene is difficult to describe, the equatters. were so overpowered by the success pf thejr strpke of policy that they exhibited feetfnga wholly indescribable. When I found my informant, he was Jn a musical trance, and somewhat in-^ coherent,, but trying vigorously to render the following stanza : — I'm, here, JSq Peep, I saw three sheep, ' And these three sheep saw me. Ten shillings a piaae they gave for their fleece, - While J, Bo Peep, gofree-e-e c. But, Mr, Editor, your readers will naturally aak what the state of. public feeling was on, the revelation of these facts. There was indeed a lowering of brows, and indignant remonstrance with' the person who dared to sell the .poor to a vulgar, boastful, and insolent ' squatocracy ; such is always the state of the pqp.r., and such the virtue of more pretentious persons than the hired servant *of the minerß in this case. It is unreasonable to expect more virtue in a practical miner, "than in a professional politican. I suggest these compavispiis to induce the parties interested to take a, philosophic view of the matter. I will aTlow your readers to imagine the state of indignation, while I direct atten- j tiou tothagentletnen who bo u,ght the petition, as they were seen so tnetime after Could they have seen, -themselves ?■ No l- X— noticed 'tne maudlin stupid - — glare of apparent forgetfulneßS of past or present pictured in one of their, faces, and in another a. mawkish and disgusting effronfcry, with attempts at frolic and fun- But it \v\\\ be hard jo» your readers to reconcile this transaction with the solid gravity and morality of the cautious gentleman who formed the third party of the trio. Yet the gentleman wham I Jeft under musical inspiration, asserts . that it is to him he assigns the success frf 1 tb§ transaction. What can right thinking men think of actions of this fcin.d> Few will b $ye that shrewd $a.utioufl , persons, such as they are, " w^>u,Jd he guilty of a charge of this gravity^ Bu,t it. on,ly illustrates the full and varied qualities of the Christian character. But, Mr. Editor, let U 8 draw a veil over the ■ »ceue, and, hide the deformity of these tW ftf^ fiogft. busjC/ scrutiny.— our^&c.,, • i<mm%