THE REMINISCENCES OF A COUNTRY CORRESPONDENT.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 818, 13 September 1877, Page 3

THE REMINISCENCES OF A COUNTRY CORRESPONDENT.

So you wish to become a correspondent. Well, my dear sir, nothing is more easy. It is as simple as signing a bill for a friend, and' the after consequences are, more, often 'than hot, very similar. It was thus 1 addressed my companion after he had -expressed his_ . desire to. become the correspondent for his, district, a wish as. he said, thathe had cherished for a considerable time. But fiuding remonstrance m vain, it occurred tome that perhaps a few reminiscences of what had actually happened at various times to the writer of these lines m his capacity as country correspondent, mi^ht have more effect, so fixing my eye sternly upon him, I commenced : Young man, time was when these feelings of patriotism and noble ambition, which are evidently burning m your , bosom to the detriment of your health and appetite, had, m like manner,, possession of mine, I was also going to confer a benefit upon the whole country, and on my own district m particular;, the land must be cracked up,, important meetings held, so that I flight report them, and acoidentr I was .determined should happen ; and I may 'here remark that accidents were about ihe*only thing that did happen with any kind of regularity. But to continue ; I wrote the first epistle. It was merely as an introduction, a preliminary, and it fully explained all "that I intended to do as correspondent. Everyone should have fairplay, and the district be shown to the world m its proper light. This artiole gave general satisfaction, even the editor fatted me on the back, saying how necessary a correspondent was t« every district, &c, &c Perhaps the greatest mistake I have ever made as a correspondent was, m not stopping at this satisfac? Tory point and retiring m favour of someone else, for never Bince that time have 1 given partial, much less general satisfaction. Howeyer^some great writer mentions tbe future m connection with a millstone, and as I could see through neither 1 wrote again. This time, craoking up the land m the distriot m. such, a manner, that even Colonel Sellers, the great American speculator, I would have smiled. But not so those who I expected would have been at least reasonably grateful. One . man. had a large area of land, bnt wanted still more. My letter, he understood, as a general invitation to all small farmers to come and settle around him. Another had a . email farm, and wished to know whether I meant to introduce big men into the plaoe, (o take away all their run, and buy them up, bag and baggage. . I indeavoured to explain, ' but to no purpose. However, J intended that it should serve as a lesson for the f utnre. No more writing on land for me. In the meantime, I would take up the roads, they were, as I well know, somewhat out of repair, but to be exact m my report, which, for ought I know, might be read m many parts of tbe world. I took the trouble to ride over the. main road for many miles, coming home primed with details. I wrote on this subject, an elocfuent and fervent appeal to the Government, to tbe publio, but more especially to the Road Board. The artiole was interspersed with valuable suggestions as to the best means of repair, _tc. But, if I bad been mistaken ia my land calculations, it was nothing to this. In less 7 time than it takes to mention that well known name, Jack Robinson, I had transferred into active and bitter enemies, the five gentlemen composing the Road Board, not. to mention the Ranger and Collector of Bates. I was, they said, ridiculing tfair efforts towards making the roads, and, as it were, trampling upon their toes, individually and collectively. Thus again did I fall into a grievous mistake. It was discouraging, very disoouraging, but about this time accidents began to fall m, and m depicting these m their best light, I endeavoured to repair my damaged reputation. • It was, bowever, no ose. If I mentioned that aman hurt himself by falling down, then that man would risk his future state to prove tbat the injury was received whilst m the act of rising. These, my friend, I continued, are only ft fow Qf the mnny troubles that I wight

recount, hut they fairly illustrate the honor and glory that await; the Country Correspondent. No matter. how honesthe jnay be m. his his endeavours to advance his district, he has the pleasant alternative of being held' up, either as a knave, or a fool. My friend's face had gradually elongated as I proceeded, and upon my asking bim When his first article would probably appear, he said, 'Of course, there was no hurry ; he' had not quite made up bis mind/ but, ih case of accident, he.would insure bis life, and buy a double-barrel..'— One op Youb Own.