INVERCARGILL.

Western Star, Issue 454, 18 June 1881, Page 2

INVERCARGILL.

(from our own correspondent.) One of the latest pieces of work, iot which the Bluff Harbor Board -as at present constituted— r will be famous for [all time, is the dismissal of the pilot boat crew. Right thinking people very naturally wondered what could be amiss, and very properly condemned the Board for its conduct. The local “Times” fired its shot with good effect, characterizing the conduct of the tt vrbor Board as suspicious, tyrannical, and odious, and had it g-ne further it would not have done at all wrong or said too much. From the reports published, it appears that Mr Craig characterized the letter for* war led by the boa'men to the Board as impertinent, and gave it aa his opinion that the letter was the production of one man at the Bluff, who could lead all the others by the rtoso. Now, Mr Craig should be the last ono in the world to talk in this strain, for there Would be nothing in this world dearer to his heart than to be able to do the same thing by everybody he comes in contact with—=and e-pecially on the Bluff Harbor Board. But this apart. 1 hold with the “ Times/* that the men had a perfect right to ask as tbev did for What was their’s legally and honestly. But not content with an attempt to defraud their servants, the Board committed a tyrannous anddisgracefully high-handed trick when they gave the men notice of the termination of their engagements. Is this sort of tiling to pass unnoticed by the Government. I wonder ; or are they powerless to demand the men’s rights of the Board? The letter—as published in the evening “ News ” —gives not the slightest Warrant for the remark by M. Craig that, it was “impertinent.” It is respectfully and appropriately worded. There is not the slightest evidence of the men wishing to give the slightest offence. But if has wounded Mr Craig’s sensitive! nature, and he has led the Bluff

*bor Board by the nose to the tune of dls>cbarming' tbe whole of the pilot, boat’s crew. - Are the men to quietly ‘submit to any and every injustice that this august bodv considers fit to heap upon "them ? Have they not a right to speak even in self-defenc'e ? Can they riot even ‘ask for the to ■support their tv'ivoH and children thout being spoken of as impertinent, and dealt with in. Such, a despicably mean manner? The public should demand the Vesignafion of the whole Ct Board; or the withdrawal pf its most ’obnoxious resolution, fdr n’dthing short of this will be worthy of a free pPbple. Bor- shame, gentlemen, for shame! Your cbndnct is disgtaceful and c6nteraprible.’b r • ■.-’••• The people, of Riyerton will doubtless pbserre with a great deal of pleasure'' that. : th.e'Chinese, question is already receiving the atten ! ion of Par-

liament. But the tneasure does not ■go far enough. A poll-tax is not sufficient check' upon them. Will a polltax,, prevent ; those in the Colony front pursuing the tenor of their way ? “We want a measure that shall force

them—no humbusj—really force,, them to.conform to the rules of society ’which guide us all as a Christian and riivilisetL community. There must he ; a measure ■to prevent the heathen from herding together like beasts, to preyePt them further brutalising themselves with opium ; and there must be n measure to compel them to leave their pigtails in China, to pay a tax on landing ,pf_£loo, and then X think we * may expect to be,rid. of them: and their, abominations; ; .v i , y -;,;j • • ■ at’ the beginning nt a very severe.season, ! huh 1 afraid. ; The wes- - frightfully cold, and therp is . much sickness in and aroundi Inver- : cargilh • ; A noth eri thi ng•whi ch ’- addh to the terror of what y this- winter ihreatehs tW J be is; that there are num-, beVs ot^'eh^'oiit 5 of work ■^ho ? haye large fapulxes ydepppdant -on them for Ye!ywise rulers iof this our adopted country; ye have a deal to answer for in.having deprived many .. n breadwinnep," tbe . chance 6f7"a -cyust now that .be ; and, bis . little ones mostlneedyitM Make:;haste ito .rectify suicidalo'mistakee, and provide Wbrk Jo for" the’ ■' vrillihg : hands that' are ’waiting, eagerly for a chance, and.,let tipi the cprse' dfuSta-rvirig families rest w.it3hjyoii.'^it s -J8 not fancy -that dictates these words,'- I have already seen. me sad and at starvation’s, door, anil with very Tittle hope, tbe future ; in fact, some of the men I have: to of ' getting lhrdiigh : ‘the;? 1 Rioter without, losing ■some of ; the frail ones/of their families, 1 . whok bear, up ■ against tbe biting of cold and hunger. “ Are we so soon forgotten when we yafe dead?” / Yes; for even the awful calamity which convulsed New Zealand and . sent ya thrill ofd horror through tbe length and breadth of tbe colony has - ceased to he spoken of, exceptirn a very casual way. Even a? the. ceaseless wiaves beat on, and over. xtnp oVei* - the • remains of the once trusty steamer which many^a time and 1 oft bid defiance to its fiercest wrath, so the; stream ;of life has gon e steadily ®h,aand nought^now' is said of the victims ,of mnh’s carelessness, and edntepJpi,;ipr danger,' But, in the lone hushes toHsleep the babe left fatherless by'-tbe terrible 1 catastrophe—the away,’ who, 'trill look in vain.for the. coming of a dear one, offer up a;prayer forjhis or her safety, not .knowing, tbrtt until that day in ' Which ; the l ! sea : shall give up its dead shall they, .meet , them again. The Wprl d has jil ready forgotten,, an <j. y ,t in With grief,; and refuse to he comforted fdrrthose;that are not. And what has 1 befeny r dohe for them ? Who will eticcpbr the widow and Orphan; who will cafe for- the aged mother, now ? iNo one knows,; and very few care. The inquiry is over—all the blame that can be has been heaped upon tbo bead ■of t tbef dead' captain ;'f. the company who owped the steamer make no sigh ;Court of . Inquiry never evert Refers rthem-rT-afid so the- matter ends, i' yy.Court; of Tnqiiiry ! It w'n s thatj and no r mbre. .y It ; inquired, :it WeSVched' for facts, and then,failed,to give what alone could have ; stamped it ns a cdurfc worthy of being entrusted With the conduct of so important. a matter—a satisfactory decision. The many and; various opinions expressed by the public, and tbo decisions como tOj-have'neither been confirmed or dia* eipated, and the whole affair.. is con-* sighed", to. the limbo of the past, “ the,. World;.forgetting,:by the world forgot ” How -much'longer is this state of Ibings to disgrace onr civilisation ? ' ./vWhen place men in theKposltioh to judge of other men’s deedsywithonf the fear that they will Utterly, fail, ih . the carrying put of thejy.dhties?; , > J ;>

; It is stated in Auckland that Dr Weir, the gentleman who was chiefly, instrumental iit getting, -together., the - magnificent 6lud of Lflland Stanford (the Culifornias railway king), has engaged the whole of one side of the after-deck of the Zcalandia, on her next Voyage from Safe Francisco, for. the accommodation of..kis.! horses.. As a first instalment lie brings three mares, six stallions, and one gelding, ell of the purest blood. The first stallion is a ma2nifioent:hlnod, by Young Vermont out of old Vermont, sixteen hands fend n hilf-.ihcli high, six years old. ITis,record i 5.2.26. The second is a baV, stallion, Stride Awfey by Elmo, sixteen hands high, four years old. He trots 2.40. The third is Dio chestnut stallion General Hoc, font years cld. He trotted in the Colt Stake?, obtaining a ycnord at, three. yefersnlcl of 2.10£. Dapple is a bay stallion, five years old> fifteen hands three inches high. The mahogany chestnut Stallion Primero, by Elmo, is sixteen hands. hentwo years old the owner was offered 10,000 dollars for this horse by Leland Stanford. One bay stallion, two year Colt; One do- gelding (for -his-own private- use) not for sale.e. The. chestnut filly, . two years old, Hattie Pear, out of Elmo, has the best two jnile record in the United States, and was sold iof'£2ooo. Dr Weir lakes his horses to Sydney and Melbourne, but it is possible endeavours will be' made to have at least one gtftUi on left in Xew Zealand.