A JOURNALISTIC SCOLD.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XX, Issue 5513, 9 January 1885, Page 2

A JOURNALISTIC SCOLD.

The editor of the Chroni ,le this morning, instead of admitting his error like a man, or attempting to show that he had grounds for his statement, in a previous issue, that the Co lonial Treasurer and the member for Wanganui were to blame for the unavoidable delay in the £10,000 advance reaching the Harbour Board, takes refuge in a spiteful aud low-bred attack upon the editor of this Journal, and makes a sorry exhibition of himself. He cannot argue, but he can scold, and were we as fond of using simile as our impotently irate censor, we would have no diffiodi/y in fitting him with an illustration more in keeping with" bia case than comforting to his feeiiDgs. We have no desire, however, to enter the ring with so doughty a mud-slinger ; but he will always find us ready to do so when he agrees to fight fairly and strike no foul blows. Abuse is no argument, and is always looked upon by unimpassioned spectators as a sure sign of a lost struggle. Therefore the lovers and the gorilla, and tho baby, and the rest of our friend's extensive stock of elegant weapons of offence and defence, of the kind, may be put out of sight, as we simply smile at their absurd exhibition by a writer who fancies impudence and bounce are very good substitutes for accuracy and ability.

The Feilding Star says there is a good demand just now for decent dwelling houses in Feilding.

At the Police Court this morning Martin McNarmara was fined 40a or in default of payment 7. days imprisonment for drunkenness. There were three previous convictions recorded against the prisoner. Mr Ward occupied the bench.

The Directors of the Library are to meet to-morrow evening to make the necessary arragements for holding the annual meeting of the subscribers which, according to the rules, must be held during the first three weeks of the year.

Prohibition orders do not seem to prevent the prohibited ones getting drink, as a man who has had one out against him for some time here, has been reeling about the streets for the past week or two. Surely the police can pnt a stop to this if they try.

Mr John Bennie'a hop culture at Spring Vale is looking very healthy, and bids fair to give a good return this year. Mr Bennie has spared no trouble or expense to make hop culture a success in Wanganui, and we trust he will reap a good profit from his plucky speculation.

To-morrow evening the Australian Blondin will perform on a wire stretched across the street opposite the Railway Station. The entertainment will of course be free, but during the progress of the show a collection will be made, when the spectators will be at liberty to give in proportion to their own idea of the merits of the performance.

Wanganui has long been famed for the luxuriant growth of the pinus insignus, but we are sorry to note that these handsome trees are being attacked with a blight, which we think a close inspection will prove to be the work of an aphis. Trees are dying by dozens, and if the evil goes on unchecked these handsome trees will share the fate of the peach trees, which are fast dying out all over the district.

Heavy reclamations have had to be made on all wheat shipped Home from New Zealand last season, and it is not at all likely any further shipments will be made until a rise of at least 10s a quarter is established in England, a very remote probability just now, as good harvests have been the rule all over the world except in New Zealand of late.

The meat freezing establishment at Waitara is being rapidly pushed ahead, and will soon be in full swing, giving the stock owners of this coast an extended market for their sheep. Why cannot Wanganui support such an industry. If a Home steamer can load in the open roadstead off Napier, why cannot the same be done here ? Is all enterprise dead in Wanganui ? We hope not.

We (Taranaki News) learn that a party is going out this week to prospect for gold in the district inland of Mokau. They have the consent of the native chiefs, and it is likely we shall have some interesting news of their doing. We may state that they have no wish to create auy gold fever before they have found sufficient proofs of a bona fide gold-field existing in the country. All they desire is, that in the event of the ground proving payable, they will be acknowledged by the Government as the discoverers of the gold-field, and therefore entitled to the reward. They state that they have found a gold-bearing quartz reef, but they have not had an opportunity to thoroughly prospect it until now. As they have both obtained the consent of the Government and the natives, they have determined to start on their expedition at once, without loss of time, and they will thoroughly search the country before they return. "