THE KYEBURN STORES.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 15, 14 May 1869, Page 3

THE KYEBURN STORES.

(To the Editor of tie Mount. Ida Cheonicle.)

Kyeburn, May 3, 1869! Sir, —Several letters have lately appeared in your columns, dated from tins quarter, which are really a disgrace to the community. I, therefore, take up the pen on behalf of the respectable portion of the inhabitants, and will inform you of the true state, of affairs'on the Kyeburn. JSTot knowing the writers of the letters referred to, I cannot,, in justice, be taxed with any personality La any remarks which I may make: "With this this prelude I will proceed with my story : Up to a very recent date the Kyeburn diggings, although possessing a fair number of well-to-do miners, could only' boast of one general store. As in allsuch cases goods of every description ranged considerably higher than in places where competition existed. The "usual'sequence followed, viz., that other stores i set up m opposition, and that the prices ot provisions are now considerably lower than they were, a few months A miner could now make, a living on , this field who certainly could not have done so a short time since. The arrival, then, of -these stores (or as Mr; Veritas" calls them grog shanties) must be accepted as-a boon to the inhabitants. As these stores have been placed here for the benefit of the parties themselves, as well that of the public and as it is but natural to suppose the owners of these stores expect to make an honest livelihood by selling their wares, I cannot help feeling that anyone ■ endeavoring to injure these. !x rt ? S 1S retardm g the progress-of the district, and, therefore, is becoming a public nuisance. *

. As regards the selling of spirits and tormented liquors in stores it-is nothing more than is done on every goldfield in the Province ; and, in . this particular instance, these stores are merelyput here as a trial, and should, they have to leave through excessive taxation the probabilities are that half population would have to move also. In-conclusion, I must state that there is as much truth in " One of the Six's" letter as there is in that of " Veritas." « Veritas " evidently does not understand the meaning of his cognomen, or he would never say that there was more drunkenness on the creek since the arrival of the new stores to what there was before; and as to " One of the Six " saying he had not seen a drunken man" for a month is equally fallacious, and I imagine that ithe poor man must have been in that ! state that he could not have seen a. hole through a ladder. • There are more married couples in this small locality'than I have seen in any fmining community pf' the. same number in Otago,'*and a more prderly ' community coulcL not be found anywhere. —I am, &c, A Miser-. [As both sides have- had a fair hearing any further correspondence on this subject -will have to appear in our, advertising-coiunins.— kt>. 'it.i.e.] ~