INVERCARGILL.

Western Star, Issue 346, 24 April 1880, Page 5

INVERCARGILL.

[PROM OUB OWN COREK3POKBENT.]

After seasons of more or less excitement, both animal and natural liie subsides into a state of comparative calm —a state of things it may be to lie desired for the well-being of both existences, but, I must aid, one rendering the task of your correspon lent proportionately difficult. Let me commence then, as most do under similar straits, and start with informing you that our weather continues everything the most fastidious could desire. Last week having brought us a copious and timely rainfall, which has done much to restore us to our healthy state, which we were dieading at one time that the most energetic exertions of our medicos would prove impotent to bring about, we are now, thank good ne?s! free from that uneasy feeling which at all times a -companies outbreaks of eudetmo or epidemic disease.

Since EasUr the public mind has been some, what unusually exercised aaent Coroners’ juries,, m general, aud the feeling in your correspondent’ case, and indeed in most others with which he bus spoken, is that notwithstanding a desire which, in common with others of our loyal colonists, will possess to walk in the lines of our time honored Constitution, I confess my faith in the utility of that venerable judicial relic of our Saxqn forefathers has been somewhat rudely shaken. Seeing that the termination of the Wallacetown shooting case, and that connected with the death iu our local prison, have resulted in what would appear to be nothing more nor less than a miscarriage of justice. The proceedings in the case last named have been reviewed in a letter to tho ‘‘ Southland Times ” from our County member Mr M'Caughan in a stylo which, while it is most certainly caustic, cannot be deemed un F air.

Leaving the dolorous I will for a moment turn to a more enlivening scene of intelligence, viz. the inaugural ion under distinguished auspices of yet a:, other local corps—the “ Southland Hussar” troop having last Saturday met for their first drill, and we may now look forward to haying our broad thoroughfare enlivened ere long with the clang of scabbard and rattle of sabre- task in addition to our already well-established military lights and sounds. And while on this subject let us hope that the uniform of our head ’corps will, when gu c/ra-nd* teii'UCj at least exhibit the historic armless sleeve, so characteristic a symbol of the valour of our ancestors, wiiose readiness for the fray will, 1 have no doubt, be emulated by our Hussar corps should they at any time be as suddenly called to tho front. I said Saturday last was the first drill-day of the corps, which your correspondent was unfortunately not able to see, but from report it would appear that the attention to a uniform standard of height was not apparent among our troopers, for while the stature of some vied with the well-known sen,try at the Horse Guards, others might have answered for s iuie of our Cape Colony irregulars I don t, of course, mean a Hottentot or lingoe Couligent. The Bluff Harbor Board have recently come before the public under circumstances which cannot have been pleasaiit to themselves, and cei tainly not so to their employes. At present the Board themselves do not seem to be & hfippy family, and beyond doubt their proceedings are not likely to conduce to the happiness of their staff’s domestic arrangements, who have, it would appear, fallen upon evil days, as those who are not likely to be dispensed with must undergo that most unpleasant process of reduction of income. But, as the oid proverb goes, “ when there are more cats than there are mice to caloh, nothing remains for it but to part with the surplus masters.” And without having any wish to joke at the expense of officers in their position, I would throw out an (idea which may have a tendency to ward off a recurrence of similar crisjsos, viz., that the sooner our Harbor Board sot about deepening our river, and thus bringing all our oaashng trade at least to Invercargill jetty, the better for all the parties concerned, aud when that most desirable work is accomplished our Harbor Board will soon have an income sufficient for all purposes, even to the retention ot any undimiuished staff, aud may then legitimately add to their stylo and title by placing «* Invercargill” before “ Bluff.” I may add that a week or two ago there was a mee.ing of our citizens on this same subject, when a worthy and recent addition toov.r residents spoke ex cathedra

os this subject, which it is devoutly to be wished will not be allowed to end there. Apropos of our spacious water-way, while though by no means comparable to the Adriatic, like tb'e Doge of old, our City Fathers made yesterday, a maritime progress thereon, though pot symbolically, determined certainly to disport themselves upon the glassy bosom.of our noble estuary, lending on the different points of vantage,.and winding up by a feat which I doubt his Excellenlissimo the Doge aforesaid could have performed, viz., summoning the well-prepared “steward” to produce tho requisite,,quantity of champagne which. to drink success td our thriving Municipality. Prom this somewhat gay strain I am sorry to have agajn to return, to a graver tone by noticing an item of news which appeared in ourmorning paper, viz., the fin ling of the body of a nqwlyborn infant in a Maori kit floating in tho . Puriri Creek last evening by a -newspaper runner. An inquestwill be held to-duy. Our town has hitherto had an immunity.'from similar discoveries ; ’ot us hope such will,con,ti nu 0 _a ’feature in our urban history. I perceive the members of :our First Presbyterian Church have again, met, and as. far as in them lay, without on this .occasion any difference of opinion, ratified tho. call of the Rev. Mr Fcrgnsscn as successor to its late pastor, Mr St.obo. It .onlv remains, to bo hope as the best wish for the success of Mr Fcrgusson, that he will walk in tho. steps of his predecessor.