TURAKINA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 534, 17 February 1869, Page 2

TURAKINA.

(From our own Correspondent.) Turakina, Friday morning

At last the light appears to be ' breaking in upon; the darkness of j the poor man Tricker. The com-, mission, I see. is to sit in a few days, if it is not sitting- at present, and ; great hopes are entertained, from j the character and unflinching justice j of..the officers who are to conduct, j the enquiry, that at -last.justice will j be done. But can we imagine that j hope, with its brightening cheering j influence, will ever again gladden! his heart in.his gloomycell. Writh- ! ing from the agony of unjust com- ! mittal, crushed in spirit till he-:must \ almost imagine himself guilty, torn j away .from- a loving wife and young j .family,--all of whom have too good ' cause- to bemoan his absence, it is ! a miracle that his reason is preserved to him, or would he be worse with ' it also a wreck? Many an earnest wish is offered for the happy result | of this last-enquiry j.of his guilt we | will never be/persuaded, but .if his release should not be granted, God j help him an I his poor suffering- wife | and the little ones ; without futurity, : how dreary would it be ! Life hath no charms, death no hopes for me. Our [ Odd Fellows' Lodge which so long ■ has been wavering, between;life and death has I fear received its death ; blow in the loss, of its.-Dispensation : in the ill . fated .'Leichardt. Some' two years" ago the necessary funds were collected, and entrusted to the liquids of an unworthy servant by whom it was never sent for. After tedious delays- and correspondence, another was sent for, meantime the Lodge lingering out a dragging- existence, this,.second one has been lost in the'way I have described, and a third one is now on its way. I much fear it will never bereqaired, as''tbe majority of the members either . tired of waiting for proper appur- \ tenances, or disgusted at previous i mismanagement,' have left, the Lodge and will be very chary of re-joining. A few still cling to their standard nnd with" praiseworthy zeal have marie up their minds to keep it going til! the arrival of dispensation No. 3, even though its final decease were merply postponed till the final strnggle for existence succeeded or failed in its olject. Tbe selection of; an ensign in our corps of rifle volunteers has caused much excitement, and some rather amusing exhibitions of party feeling. The -two competitors in the race for honor are "mine host" of the Shamrock, Mr F. O'Riley, and Mr Felix O'Sullivan . McCarthy. Two elections have already taken place, in each of which Mr O'Riley was pronounced successful; but a. third (luck in odd numbers) is being instituted, which if ever brought to a poll (which I doubt) will have the same result. In fact, every election shows an increasein the votes of Mr O'Riley. His name has now been sent to be gazetted,- and so the matter will end,' 1 hope. Since the last earthquake, in which-our bridge suffered pretty, severely, the. District Engineer has seen fit' .to order the erection of a strong centre pier, which has been constructed by Mr John Campbell, and is now nearly finished! It has cost .considerable trouble and severe labour,. but will, when completed, add much to the beauty and strength of the bridge. Everything has been so well arranged that, during the whole time the work was progressing, no stoppage to the. traffic occurred. In, a recent letter; I gave an account of the fire by which a new bake-house on the point of completion was totally destroyed, along with several other buildings, A much larger building is now in the course of erection for .Mr Heaton, and will, when completed, much improve the appearance of our village. I regvec that I can report no .improvement in trade, even now,

when shearing and harvesting arenearly over. With* the exception of an 7 occasional: salej which draws a few visitors, and temporarily relieves the dullness and monotony of the times, a stranger would imagine it a deserted village. Like Babylon of old, its greatness hath' departed, and its strength and its glory hath passed away. When poverty has so far overtaken us, as to deprive us of the services of our Minister and Doctor, is it not nearly time for us to exclaim to our publicans and sinners, "Well done, good and faithful servants, you may retire from your' labors, and your works shall follow you V - What has become of the medals which were to have been distributed by the agricultural show committee ? I understand that there was a balance of £40, which would be devoted to that purpose, but; since the show nothing- has been heard of the. medals or prizes.. .There has been sufficient time to have done something, in the. matter, and ithe prize-holders are waiing impatient. I,trust we shall soon hear something about it.' Mine host of the Ben Nevis has presented an elegant silver toddy kettle -to be fifed' for by the militia, cavalry, and rifles. Much difference of opinion as to the successful corps. -I shall acquaint you in due time.