THE QUEENSTOWN DEPUTATION.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 24, 22 July 1863, Page 6

THE QUEENSTOWN DEPUTATION.

A public meeting was held on Saturday evening, at Bracken's Hotel, to receive the report of the delegates who were sent to Dunedin in the beginning of June last, to lay a petition before his Honor the Superintendent, and to take into consideration the establishment of a Court of Mines.

Mr. Cass having been called to the chair, in a few words requested the attention of the meeting to the subject before them. Mr. Bradshaw (one of the deputation) said —Some five weeks ago we were appointed to wait upon his Honor the Superintendent with certain resolutions passed at a meeting held in Queenstown, embodied in a memorial signed by about sixty of the residents. We presented the memorial, when his Honor objected to the folio Ting passage in the first resolution, declining to receive the petition unless it was amended or withdrawn:—" That the most important town in the Lake country being without the means of protecting the interests and progress of the district and rights of its residents, ' betrays on the part of the Government an ignorance of our mining and commercial pursuits, unparalleled in the management of the goldfieldV" This we considered ourselves not qualified to do, it having been unanimously passed at a public meeting. It was suggested by Mr. Commissioner Worthington that we should withdraw the petition; and in the course of the discussion the Wakatip Mail was referred to—l think it was stated that it was conducted in a manner not calculated to further those ends which the people of the district were desirous of obtaining. However, as we did not go there to discuss the merits or demerits of our local paper, we withdrew the petition and were received as delegates. [The report of the "Daily Telegraph was here read/] This was written by myself, and furnished to the editor of that paper, and is, in substance, what took place at that interview ; if there are inaccuracies in it, they are comparatively trivial, and traceable to the exclusion of the Press. In the course of conversation as to whether it would be necessary to form two -camps, we impressed upon his Honor the absolute necessity of Queenstown having a Magistrate. The Superintendent said he knew nothing of any previous petition, but I hold in my hand the copy of a letter received in answer thereto from the Provincial Secretary, and read before you on the 23rd May, which bears out the fact that such a memorial had been received by the Government. The question is, whether the injury inflicted on the inhabitants of the district is equal to the passing of such indignant protest. Mr. Vincent Pyke informed the deputation who waited ■upon him — Mr. Harris —I rise to order; we are met here this evening to hear the report of the • deputation, and not to enter into any discussion concerning Mr. Pyke. Mr. Bradshaw —I wish to show that the words used are not an insult to the Superintendent.

The Chairman—l do not see that Mr. Bradshaw is out of order-

Mr. Harris (interrupting)— Perhaps Mr. Bradshaw will tell us whether the deputation were received courteously. The Chairman —It does not appear to me that Mr. Bradshaw is going into any lengthened statement, and he should be heard without interruption. Mr. Harris —I wish to correct what I conaider to be a false impression existing in this township—that the deputation were not received courteously. Mr. Bradshaw -As there is existing a belief that I am the writer of the articles that have appeared in the Wakatip Mail, I considered that the reference to that paper was a gratuitous insult directed towards me. The report contained in the " Daily Telegraph" is correct so far as my memory serves me. If there's any mistake in it, it is entirely the fault of those who will not allow a reporter to be present. I will not guarantee that those were his exact words, but to the best of my recollection he said " it was conducted in a manner likely to bring discredit on the township, and not at all likely to benefit the district. But what occasion was there for the paper being mentioned at all ?—we were not there to discuss its merits. Mr. Harris—What if Mr. Gordon and Mr. Bergen deny that it was mentioned ? Mr. Bradshaw—Then they will deny anything. Mr. M'Gaw object*! to Mr. Harris putting such questions to Mr. Bradshaw. Mr. Cass was sorry to see any personal feeling. Mr. Harris was wrong to conjecture events. When those gentlemen did deny, it would be time enough. Mr. M'Gaw understood that the meeting was called to receive the report of the delegates, but it seemed to him more like a deadset at one gentleman. Before any strictures were made, all parties should be heard. (Mr. Manders, Mr. M'Gaw, and Captain

Budd here began to speak together, but what they said was drowned in a burst of laughter.) Mr. Cass requested that the delegates should be heard before any remarks were made. Mr. Gordon—"What Mr. Bradshaw has stated concerning what passed, are facts. With regard to the Wakatip Mail, there's one thing in which I do not agree with him, and I think he is under a wroLg impression. At the same time, I believe that he is conscientiously of opinion that what he has stated is the truth. What I understood in reference to the Mail, was, that we should write to the Superintendent instead of seeking the advocacy of the paper—that we should get on faster. Now, as to being received courteously, I think we were. There is one thing I would remark—we ought to present a petition in very respectful language, and I think his Honor was quite right in objecting to the resolution. Mr. Bergen—l am a representative of the Shotover miners, and was sent down to Dunedin to lay their petition before his Honor the Superintendent, who received us in a most gentlemanly manner. With regard to the Mail, I never heard anything mentioned about it. His Honor said he never took up a paper. What took place in the chamber I published in the " Daily Times." [Mr. Bergen here read the report in that paper.] Captain Budd here remarked that if he were Superintendent, he would have done exactly the same as Mr. Harris. (Laughter.) Mr. Harris said he wished to correct an error in the local paper. It was there stated that his Honor's " chief theme was the Wakatip Mail." Was that correct ? Mr. Bradshaw—l have before stated what took place. I will give you the words again. [The speaker again read from the "Daily Telegraph.] Mr. Harris—" His chief theme"—is that correct ? Mr. Bradshaw—Are we here for the purpose of holding a discussion on the Wakatip Mail ? Perhaps that sentence is not strictly correct. Mr. Bergen (to the delegates)— Had we any reporters present, gentlemen ? Mr. Gordon—No. Mr. Bradshaw —No. It is in consequence of there being none that these inaccuracies have taken place. Mr. Whyte—The Wakatip Mail is not in the petition, and I don't see what the business we have met here upon has to do with it—it is out of order. Mr. Webster concurred. Mr. Bergen began to speak on the subject of a dray road to Arthur's Point, when Mr. M'Gaw objected to it as irrelevant. They were met to receive the deputation, and about a Court of Mines. (Cheers.) The Chairman said the meeting was called for a special purpose, and it should be adhered to. Mr. Whyte —The road question has already been discussed. A considerable amount of cross-firing, and some rather personal remarks here took place, despite the efforts of the chairman; after which, Mr. Manders wished to ask—leaving Mr. Bergen entirely out of the question—if Mr. Bradshaw was satisfied with the amount of remuneration he had received, and if Mr. Gordon was also. Mr. Gordon—For my part I have received nothing; but I was informed on leaving that something was to be collected to cover our expenses. Mr. Bradshaw—l received £46 from Mr. Bracken just before I left for Dunedin. Mr. Bracken—On the morning Mr. Bradshaw was going to town, I gave him the money, which was collected by Mr. Powell and myself, telling him that was all. Mr. Bradshaw said —"Whatabout Gordon?" and I told him that Mr. Gordon said he had business in town, and would wait on the Superintendent while there. Mr. Gash—Did you understand that Mr. Gordon was to get some of the money if he wanted it ? Mr. Bracken—Yes. Mr. Powell—l remember that Mr. Bradshaw stated he would not go to town under £4o—little enough, too, to pay his expenses. He said so to many whom I now see in this room. Mr. Gordon said he did not want anything; he was going down on business. I assisted in collecting the money. Mr. Gordon—l do not want my expenses, but I think it hard that one should be paid, and the other get nothing. Let the money go to the Hospital. A scene very much like the meeting of a board of guardians, or a bear garden, here took place, several gentlemen rising and speaking at once, and gesticulating in an excited manner —the chairman vainly endeavoring to restore order. Mr. M'Gaw said it seemed to him that the feeling that actuated the parties present was

£B. d. The delegate who received the money said he was willing to account for it.

Mr. Bradshaw —I will make no more explanations. Let the committee inform me what is their determination, and I will submit to it. I will pay the money I have received into the hands of anybody appointed by the meeting. Mr. Whyte—lt is a committee affair, and is no business to be brought before a public meeting. Let the committee prepare a report of what they have done. The Chairman saw no reason why the question should be deferred. They had heard that the committee had had nothing to do with handing over the money; and that though Mr. Gordon did not care about it then, he was open to receive it now—(laughter and uproar.) Mr. Gordon—l object to these insinuations, and I don't see why one should be paid and not another. Mr. Powell—Why did you not ask for it in the first instance r Mr. Gordon—l was not going to stipulate for the money; I don't want it now—let it go to the hovspital Mr. Powell—lt's well you are so independent, but another man may not have your means. Mr. Harris moved the following resolution —" That this meeting is of opinion that the delegates appointed to wait on his Honor the Superintendent on behalf of the inhabitants of Queenstown, were received courteously." Seconded by Mr. Whyte, and carried. Mr. Harris then proposed that the money subscribed should be divided between the delegates. Mr. Mandcrs seconded. Mr. Webster said he recollected Mr. Bradshaw said he would not go down under £4O, and they had no right to back out of their arrangement. He gave £1 towards the last subscription, and he would give another to a separate subscription for Mr. Gordon. After a hot discussion, the Chairman said the question was the duty of the committee; the present discussion was out of order Mr. M'Gaw said they were not met for the purpose of considering a financial statement. Mr. Harris—When money is collected by means of a hole-and-corner meeting— Mr. Powell—l like your style! Hole-and-corner meeting as it was, you were Chairman of it. (Laughter and uproar.) Mr. Webster said that such proceedings would bring discredit on the township. After some trouble, the Chairman succeeded in restoring the semblance of order, and brought forward the second subject for which they were assembled—viz., the establishment of a Court of Mines, and pointed out the advantages that would accrue from it. Mr. Gordon, in consideration of the late hour moved the adjournment of the meeting till Monday evening which was carried. After a vote of thanks to the Chair, which was certainly well-deserved, the meeting, after as stormy a three hours' discussion as we remember to have witnessed, separated.

POLICE COURT, QUEENSTOWN. (Before Richmond Beetham, Esq.) Friday, July 17,1863. John Birt wss charged with breaking into the tent of Professor Parker, with intent to commit a felony. George Parker, sworn, said he was a fencingmaster residing in Queenstown. About one o'clock this morning he was awoke by the barking of his dog, and saw prisoner standing inside the tent. Prisoner threatened to rip him open if he did not lie still. Prosecutor said " Don't hurt me, old fellow," and while saying this felt for his sword, keeping his eye on the prisoner. Prisoner then turned round and whistled, beckoning at the same time with his hand, when prosecutor sprang on him and knocked him out of the tent. As he struck him, prisoner kicked him on the leg. Closed the door of the tent when prisoner was out, who called out to his mates—" Come on, you ." Thrust the sword through the tent by the door, and heard prisoner jump back, calling him a wretch, &c. Prosecutor was calling for the police all the time, and held the sword over prisoner until one came and took him into custody. James Daly said he was a police constable, stationed in Queenstown. About twothismorning, he was going down Beach-street, near the All Nations Hotel, when he heard shouting, and proceeded in the direction of the sound. When near Mr. Parker's tent, he met the prisoner, and asked him where he was going. He said he was looking for a lodging. Took him to Mr. Parker's tent, who accused him of breaking into his tent, with intent to commit a felony. Took him then to the lock-up. He appeared to have been drinking, but was not so much under the influence of liquor as he pretended to be. The prisoner, in defence, said he had no recollection of it, and was very sorry it had occurred. He had been working till dark putting up a house in Beach-street, when he was treated to liquor by a friend. Had been working for four months at the Big Beach, Shotover, as a miner. Sergeant Naydon s?id the prisoner was not known to the police. His Worship sentenced the prisoner to a fine of £lO, or two months' imprisonment in Queenstown gaol.