HYDE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 371, 14 April 1876, Page 3

HYDE.

(tVcrn oar onm correspondent.)

Apri! lOtli. . "Speech," says (lie sage of Chelsea, "is silver, silence is gold-" "What an enormous amount'oi weali'i then was concentrated in the Lord Burleigh of Sheridan's play of the "Critic," who, dii'ing the deliberations of the Council held to decide on Ihe ijesfc mode ol' resisting (lie ''lnvincible Armada," spake not one word, but shook '>Ls head amazingly.' And have I not al*o. by the same rule, some claim lo be considered disgustingly rich, owing to my long sileucc. If I could only realise upon Carlyle's idea I'd never more '• babble o' green fields " precious green, indeed, would youv correspondent bo i" lie so imprudently sacrificed fortune. But, ala«! nor much loquaciousness, nov silence significant, can ever drive him. out of the impecunious groove; so no fail) returns'to the tenor of his u-mal way, which, like " the course of (rue love, never did-run smooth," and, •with Jacques in '"As you Like It," rails at Lady Fortune in good terms. This is such a d—d—d (so many words begin with ,1 "d" that a fellow is cmbarassed with the richness of (he language, aud dursn't know which to choose) —Well, as I was saying, this is such a, delightful com m unify, am? such an enervating neighborhood, I hat one gets into the fix of the Lotus Eaters, and drones out—"Ah! why should life all. )abor be (writing they meant), and in a little time our lips are dumb—let us alone; what is it that will last."

And now, to furnish you with such, rrews as lain acquainted with. In ihe'Jfirst place. I may say that i he subscription list in aid of the Uct. H. Flamank. is but middlingly lilling up. This is not os it should, bo. Some few persons have subscribed sums of large amount. But qo doubt c-e tho lists closed most persons will contribute id proportion to their means. Mr. Flamank is nu old resident, and, l>y his individual olfoiis, has done much for the dietric't in hi? secular capa-

city. Id the hour of his adversity is the time for friendship and sympathy to make theu- tangible manifestations. The 'facts connected with the fire baveah-eady been 'noticed in the 'Chronicle.' Comment of mine is consequently not needed. 'SPeaving to be considered an alarmist, I forbore mentioning the death of Mr. O'Conuell's daughter—a fiue little girl of seven or eight years. It is alleged she died from scarlatina, and probably it is so; but, in the absence of any medical testimony, no certainty has been arrived at. Mr. O'Connell may attribute his great j loss in some measure to the discharge of a t noble and commendable duty—fra-emal ■affection, lie received his brother's child, a new arrival, into his familv, and so 'lis said by (his ad, his groat affliction was bronglj! a-.out, the little relative having'come from a ship in which such sickness prevailed. The funeral was attended by most of the people, as a token of affectionate. cga.rd. A panic foia timeseiz~-d upon the residents, and 'uuch anxious c.g'uatiou was bestowed upon--what .seemed a dangerous crisis. V Happily, now, 1 think no cause f o y upprehensio'u exists, and i.lie disii ict is, thank God, free at 'present- from disease of any kind. Bu , as epidemical diseases are not. uncommon, now in many pjac.es, even in new localities, no preean.ion conn assable by reasonable eflb'l- should be neglected. Most of the people iiere have "young and laroe families, crowded iu. very small tene-. lnents i'iis- they admit themselves. Plenty of room, abnudance of ventilation, audstcict cleanliness will be found, under' Jji vine "Providence, effeci.ua l weapons-wifir which lo combat ihe malarial foe, and forewarned is, or should be, forearmed. While discussing this, .meiaiirbolv and .unpleasant subjecl, I may as well intimate thai, the cemetery does not by any means re.fleci credit on the bo.-.i'y charged with the care of sepulture. The burial KrouDc! is certainly enclosed, but is otherwise in a Complete state of nature. No paths, no planting, nothing but an unsightly waste, overrnu with thisules. Is condition is a disgrace lo a community calling itself Christian and civilised. .Nor can want of fund-; be pleaded in excuse. The trustees have money in hand, su-neioni. at least to make absolutely needed decent improvement. But Ihey seem io bave : been quite indifferent to. or neglectful of, what most people regard: as a sacred duty. :-'•... .

I have heard that a deputation waited 1 on Mr. Jicid some time ago, wanting to know what..steps the Government intended taking about the S-.raihlaieri block, of which so much was-talked'and written not »ery long back. The deputation, however, have noi, iold the public anything ye:, relating io the mali.ei, aud their .reticency has not a nice look wiiii li. It is quile time the 'afi'air was settled and done with, one way or the other, aud anything that looks like hole and corner vc~ ; ceedint>s, eh her on ;!ie part of the authorities, deputation, squauers, or Oiliors dir<eily interested, is most, unfair, mo*i epreheusible, and cannot- be. too publicly denounced and condemned. There are many subjects of great, consequence to the people, not alone of Hyde, bn;. of the dis- : trict generally, wnicli Impe.-auvHy re-' quire looking into :uid agitating, and this august and elective" progressive or retro-. "Tussive Committee 'skduld be "upand; doing." '''••'.

The--complete l -cessation- of all public works in Hyde and the surrounding locality is a. great blow to.the district■ welfare, and will eventually cause much pecuniary _loss to. the general taxpayer. Works, -oads, culve- is, cuttings, only half completed, which" "the approach of winter will completely destroy, now gradually tiudoiiig .ihemselves, so that the. end will -tc worse than the beginning—the public funds absolutely flung to the elements. The inhabitants are'thereby cheated out of their just claims; and numbers 0\ poo" men, who, thinking, .Vy remaining in Government employment (never lucratively >aid) during the .harvest and. moiey-making season of the year, that they would secure'a fair chares .of sicady work for a time, are uow unceremoniously, thrust out of harness, and turned adrift Io provide for themselves anyhow. This is nob fair. Thcso :ii«u. had a tacit understanding that if they did not seek ihe higher harvest hut stuck to the roadwork, their job would last a long time. They did so, and now behold the one. Shameful! Mr. Odell, a gentleman resident here as State schoolmaster during three vears pas-t, left last week to take charge of the Wairuna district school.. I gladly bear tesiimony to his efficiency as a teacher of superior qualifications ; and I am not singular in this respect." His in the district and the School Committee presented him, prior to his departure, with a testimonial. The Government Inspector, Mr. Petrie, at his 'ast examination here, reported of Mr! Odell in fitost favorable and gratifying terms: and, more than all, his scholars bear manifold creditable testimony to his zeal and mo-e than average tutorial, "capability.' The Wairuna may coug'atulale. itself on having gained an efficient, indefatigable, and genial teacher.

The workings at the Four-lVltle still progress. The Star of Chago Company are completely through.the ioek, far advanced, driving in the alluvial ground—going througli the tunnel, so to speak, "hand over jftsl," to reach the country, in mining parlance, where tbev first broke in upon such good prospects. Engleson's, the Scandinavians, have not"'met with success yet in their shaftsinking. They are now, I am informed, sinking a third shaft—all, much more than a 100 feet deep—driving having been done to, for considerable distances in those first sunk; but no great, if any, prospect realised so far. However, they are still pegging away as cheerful and hopeful as if the wealth of Ophir were Before them ; so one must conclude they have no doubt of their ultimate reward. gTho sluicing parlies are all busy preparing head and tail races for the winter's campaign. The weather broke last Saturday night, and rain fell steadily from then tilt Monday morning. The pqtatoe season is on. The yield is not. likely to be so great as originally anticipated, but the sample is mo3t excellent. -