CATLINS RIVER.

Clutha Leader, Volume VII, Issue 359, 27 August 1880, Page 5

CATLINS RIVER.

« [from our own correspondent.] Tour bucolic chronicler of small beer, viz., "Your Own" for Catlins, is absolutely at his " wit's end " to rake up enough subject-matter for a letter. What a falling off is here ! 'Tis a useless labour to hold the mirror up to nature when there is nothing to reflect, and " the very age and body of the time " here at present is too prosaic to evoke more than passing remark. It would appear prima facie that we believe in the proverbialism that Providence takes especial care of fools, since we do not put ourselves about in the least when a Government breaks faith with us . and calmly shelves us fpr the next century. We trust to luck and others, and, like the Akaroa Frenchmen, we are content to smile and smile and see dockweed fringe our door-steps instead of the Iron Horse pass our windows. We are philosophers in our own quiet way — very energetic when there is nothing to do, and always willing to do it. But as for coming to the front to declare our own grievances, bah [ the thing is absurd. We are humble and meek, and resentment has no lodgment with us. We read of deputations, Catlins Railway Committees, petitions, and very (most merciful very !) occasionally we see D. Whytock's Puerua puerility in your columns. We know you Clutha folk are bestirring yourselves, but up to the present Catlins River — concerning the Catlins River railway — has been as dumb as a drum with a hole in it. Our local magnates are apathetic, and our only J.P. betakes himself to modest retirement and eats the leek of his own disappointment in silence. Your ex-Councillor Campbell flourishes the only stake he has in the district, and vows and rants toto codo that something shall be done, but " the sudden eruption passeth and the lava lieth still." Of the people Jiere it may be said ; Along the cool sequestered vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their way. Tree planting in Balclutha interests them a little, and the startling fact that a psuedo - sportsman and amateur botanist (well-known by all the Kaw-Kaw's in McDonald's bush) is standing for election for your North Ward stirs up their expiring sensibilities, but the railway is lethar- . gic in the interest it awakens. For myself " I have multiplied visions and used similitudes," and brought unanswerable arguments before your long - suffering compositor and the patient public, but an unapprociative Government will not be convinced. What more can Ido ? That there is much indignation felt here is a fact, and as a coup cle grace I would, ad vise that a public meeting be tried, and that the vox \populi go forth. , Surely we will not stand idly by any longer and see others fight our battle, and never so much as sling a stone ! We have been badly treated ; faith has been broken, and repeated promises have ended in disappointment. We. have been fooled. The arguments are well known;, and I need hot repeat them. Most of \is he.r.e are as well aware of them, as painfully aware of them as we are aware that Port Molyneux has an A. P. that writes poetry (?). Our cxl perience is a practical demonstration of / the philosophy of the- fishermen in Pericles — " Master, I marvel how the fishes liv« in. the sea ." " Why, as men do a-land : the great ones eat the little ones." I do not think we should be thus eaten T before we have at least endeavoured to impair the digestion of our devourers. Of course you will remember that LI OOO. ■was voted many years ago for the removal of the harbour rocks. They are not removed. They are where they will remain "for the next fifty years. The very absurdity of the promise must be flattering to the Government of this Colony. Why vote us money we are never to get 1 Why treat us as fools? Is a New • Zealand Ministerial promise to become a proverbial satire 1 The shuffles, the evasive references to other departments, made by the late Government in regard to these rocks were — not clean. And we are not now to expect the fulfilment of the promise at all. So much for the rocks. We are quite willing to let the rocks "slide " for a while at least, but we are not disposed to submit to the verdict of the. socalled Railway Commissioners, who> kno-w absolutely next to nothing about the merits or demerits of this peculiar case. Their "enquiry" was a farce, and thoir. employment a blind. Our . eyes are wide : open to these facts, although our lips are closed. " • •'