Alexandra Times at KellyGang 2/6/1871
"By the law of its existence, the Times never can be anything but abusive and scurrilous," no writes Fred. Coster through the columns of our contemporary, the Mansfield Guardian . If a respectable person had written this of us we should have felt hurt and offended, but such remarks coming from the quarter they do are very harmless indeed. Mr Fred. Coster is offended because we gave a full and particular account of his " atrocious charge" against Mr M Raphael, and as he says, "I challenge and defy the scrutiny into all and each of my statements - material and immaterial," perhaps he will be able to explain why the Police Magistrate, Mr Sturt, before whom the case was heard, did not commit Mr Raphael if he believed his (Coster's) sworn evidence? And further, why he did not think it worth while to call witnesses for the defence? Some people are under the impression that the evidence for the prosecution disclosed perjury, and that a defence was therefore unnecessary.
Our young contemporary, the Mansfield Guardian, alias "the Doctor's paper," begins to think that is is "some pumpkins," and talks big - even gets cheeky, and would not only advise but bounce the people of Alexandra, and the Alexandra Times in particular. Hitherto we have thrown our protecting wing over this young bantling; and saved it from severe pecking, but the ungrateful half fledged bird begins to crow and show fight before it has the power or strength to hurt. If the Mansfield Guardian represented; our neighbours of Mansfield, it no doubt would be a useful organ in that extensive district, but as it has been got up for the purpose of proclaiming that the owner of Mount Battery is not only the discoverer of the lime and sulphur cure, but that there is but one man in the district of Mansfield who is a true prophet and servant of the people, and that on his head lone must rest all the honor and glory of curing scabby sheep, then we question whether the people of Mansfield might not have been as Well represented through their Benalla cum-Mansfield organ.
The Mansfield coach, via Alexandra, has been stopped, as our neighbours prefer going to Melbourne and receiving their letters by any other road rather than through Alexandra. This is strange-very. We are informed that the coach would have been kept on the road if the people of Mansfield had applied for a mail by that route. Some one is to blame for this suicidal conduct. We cannot believe that our neighbors have been properly represented in this matter.
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