THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Véritè sans peur.” Wanganui, December 25, 1862.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 6, Issue 323, 25 December 1862, Page 2

THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Véritè sans peur.” Wanganui, December 25, 1862.

In greeting oui readers with the compliments of the season, we may be pardoned for reminding them of an opportunity of exercising that benevolence which is peculiarly appropriate at this season of the year. He (the Child born) whose entrance into this world we this day celebrate, never closed his ear to the cry of distress, but denied himself to comfort and aid the afflicted. It becomes his followers to imitate in some small measure his beneficence; 'Jhere has seldom been a case more urgently calling upon themthan that which at present occupies the attention of the whole civilised world. Two hundred thousand people having suddenly withdrawn from them the means of daily subsistence, exposed to fall ihe evils of crushing poverty—parents seeing fheir children growing paler and thinner day by day for lack of that nourishment which, they would willingly sacrifice their lives to supply—children seeing ; their aged parents grudging themselves the morsel they receive to keep them in existence, because their children require it more than themselves. Can a spectacle more harrowing be contemplated, or one more fitted to excite the warm sympathy of their countrymen in all parts of the world, and to secure their.substantia laid? And when it is considered that this daily martyrdom has for the. most part been borne with uncomplaining submissiveness, the claim on our assistance is greatly strengthened. We have seldom read a more touching incident than one mentioned in connec-, tion with the shutting of one of the mills. On going out for the last time the men and women stood at the door for a few moments in silence, then a girl, raised her voice clear and distinct, and began the well-known hymn written by Cowper, “ God moves in a mysterious way.” ' As the song proceeded it- was taken up by all around, and the effect was sublime when the stanza “Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,” was sung with a caljn, almost triumphant confidence. Surely people animated by such a fine spirit well merit that small acknowledgment of their orderliness and submission which bur contributions are intended in some small measure to make. And a still further consideration presses on New Zealand settlers. Let them show that the unmerited obloquy cast on them by some at home has not chilled the warmth of their affections towards their fellow-country-men, who are exposed to a distress which late events have made some of them feel, and to. which all. in this island may be more or less exposed. The claim we put . forth lias already been responded to, but not to such an extent as might have been anticipated. Opportunities enough have not been given for receiving subscriptions ; andfwe we are glad to learn that the committee, in order, that the ladies of the district may minister to the wants of their suffering sisters, have left subscription lists in places to which they have easy access. It is not a matter of slight importance to which we wish to draw the attention especially of our country readers. Trifles, indeed, make the sum of human things ; but this is no trifle. lii other parts of the country its importance lias been realised. In Taranaki; for instance, the evil has grown to such a magnitude, that the Provincial Government has found itself unable to contend with it single-handed ; and the General Government has granted 5,000/ towardsjitsjcxtirpation. In this Province, the attention of the Legislature has also been directed to it; but words, and not deeds having been the order of the day here, the evil is increasing, and will increase beyond the power of suppression unless immediately attended to. It;is the most rapacious land-shark that can exist. It respects no property, whether cultivated or lying waste. It grows and spreads on the fat of the land; and toil and sweat are heeded for its destruction. One parent produces annually an army of from four thousand to twenty thousand shildren, who in the- year .following their birth produce, each, as many more ; and thus, if production go on. unchecked, this' district which has been already, invaded will be. possessed by -them, and. the labours of the husbandman will cease. Qur readers know to what we refer. We call on them now that the season for the campaign has commenced, to declare, and wage war on this formidable enemy. The Thistle Act requires neighbours to inform on neighbours.* At that rate, every one will be a spy and informer, and every one will oe

informed against. There is no need for monopolizing the Magistrates’, time. Let every one see to his own ground j and remembering that ‘ “ One year’s seeding Gives seven years’ weeding ” do all he can to get rid of the pest.’Nature fortunately gives her aid. Ifby heihg cut down, while, in bloom, the thistle ( is prevented from sending forth its 10,000 or 20,000 seeds, it may be extirpated in two Jyears. , ! ..... . ; « The Editor of this paper, not being of robust constitution fears that in consequence of the Christmas festivities he may not be able to attend to his duties next week. And as this is partly a Scottish settle : ment, and the New Year is ushered in ■with similar hilarity, he fears his' indisposition may be continued into the following V ee k- We have therefore to announce that our next issue will be delayed till the recovery of the editor, and will certainly not see the light before the Bth pvox.” Suppose, now, that such an advertisement were made in this or any other paper, what would be the effect ? The readers could not grumble, because a man’s health cannot be always equally -good; The advertisers must be content to have their wares comparatively unnoticed and unknown and of course they would not complain at a dispensation which affected another more seriously than themselves. The Printers and Proprietors of the paper must be satisfied, since it might be infer red that it was in his assiduous devotion to theirinterest that their manager’s health had suffered.l Would this be the result; or Would it not be either that a substitute or successor would be provided at ouce, or if not, that another paper would be started to do the work of which this one was found incapable 1 Now, we confess we, do not see any flaw in the analogy between such a case and that of the No. 3 line, except that the latter, being a more important matter, the argument rises from the smaller to the greater, and is all the more strengthened thereby. The inconvenience suffered from the non-attention to the No. 3 line is much greater than would be felt in the case supposed. For several years this line has been to be formed. We are ashamed to say for how many. r J his year not only was a sum of money voted for it as usual, but a special promise was given that there should be no more vexatious delay. Of all the roads in the district it certainly had the first right to be attended to, not only because year after year Had passed with nothing but empty promises, but because, being a short line already gone over more than once, it might have been marked off in much less time than any other line wanted to be surveyed. But what was done 1 The Provincial Engineer -spent several weeks in laying down roads in the Uangitikei—the necessity for which was no doubt very urgent; but before doing this, a few days might have been allowed for the No. 3 line. After he had nearly completed the work he wished to do there he became unwell, has continued so fox* more than a month, and if the No. 3 line people expect their road to be begun this year they are greater fools than is generally supposed. Not only so ; the Engineer having done his work in Rangitikei, tenders for conti*acts for that work should have been advertised for some weeks ago ; but the good weather is slipping away, without, so far as we are aware, anything being done ; and this, year will also be lost for that district. Whence this supineness—this apparent indiffexence—in attending to the wants of this district f We do not b’ame the Provincial .Engineer. He has had to bear a good ,deal from the faults of his" predecessors ; and we are not aware that he has laid himself open to any censure for imperfection in the work done by him. In his illness he is to be sympathised with But surely there must be some one to blame for the extraordinary delays which attend all public works in ; this district. We can scarcely believe it is the want of money that causes them, for there seems a good balance in hand at the end of every quarter. But if this is ; Hot the reason, we are utterly at a losstb; divine it. One thing is certain, that if any private business in this district were carried on Government business is, it would last only a very few months. We have learned, since the above was in type, that the acting Provincial Engineer, having recovered from his illness, has gone back to Wellington, leaving his work here undone. No explanation having been given of this movement, we forbear in the meantime characterising it; but it makes certain, that this year no money'will be expended on the roads here. Such treatment of our settlers, so long forbearing, so willing to receive any reasonable excuse, certainly requires explanation.