The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Wednesday, December 7, 1864.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 168, 7 December 1864, Page 2

The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Wednesday, December 7, 1864.

The district has been favored by the presence of two live ministers. One of these gentlemen was the Provincial Treasurer, Mr Clapcott, member for the Wakatip district; and the other, Mr John Cargill, Acting Provincial Secretary. We do not think we should be representing public opinion by offering any eulogy upon the visit of these members of only a division of the Colony of New Zealand. Honorable members in office should, as a matter of justice, make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the wants and wishes of the country they agree to govern under a responsible constitution. Lord Palmerston, a statesman of some importance in this era, does not hesitate to visit continually the country, and whether at the entertainments of the lofty and the lowly, or of the sporting interests, uses his best endeavors to encourage and promote general harmony, and the interests of all classes. Other members do the same, and test the feelings of the people they represent. That hard, aspiring, and shrewd politician, Lord Stanley, after exhausting the Indies and puzzling railway companies, as chairman of a hard worked committee, takes his recreation, testing the extreme range of Irish opinions and notions, in the well known county of Tipperary. Australia in its various colonies follows the example of the mother country. Members there think a constituency something more than a bauble. In New Zealand we are sadly behind in public spirit. Establish a name in some way or another in private affairs and that is the standard. Be a good fellow as the lordly owner of thousands of acres of grazing country at a nominal rental, and ostentatiously spend a little of the money that so freely comes into the pouch and your political credit is good. Both New South Wales and Victoria— thanks to the ballot box —have rejected this spurious and false claim. The successful merchant and storekeeper play parts of equal prominence ; and perhaps in many cases a deserved one. The ballot pure ct simple, as in Australia, the more frequent intercourse of representatives and constituents, an enlightened policy, and an exchange of ideas, are the matters that should claim the attention of New Zealand councillors. Without these principles—comprising honesty, integrity, and knowledge—are carried out, we can hardly expect the land to prosper. While therefore gladly welcoming the presence of Messrs Cargill and Clapcott, we yet think with many others that our own member's visit might have been made more public. Mr Clapcott says he only made a tour of inspection unofficially. Perhaps he depended for his strength upon the five members in the Popotunoa district. Whether or not, the reasons he assigns are vague, and at the least unsatisfactory. We do not mean to say this gentleman intends to play with the electoral roll, but it would be more srtisfactory to see more than five names on the Wakatip electoral list. Otherwise the visit is satisfactory; and, apart from the general custom we have quoted, we hail with pleasure the favor of this visit, and shall criticise under the sentiment that must prevail when the astonishing phenomena is exhibited of the presence of the hon. the member for the Wakatip, and the hon. the Acting Provincial Secretary

amongst us. We to-day finish the report of the proceedings arising from a deputation that waited upon the above-named gentlemen. The result, upon the whole, is most satisfactory. The promises made, after a personal inspection of the district, should satisfy all parties. They are given so definitely that no future mistakes ought to occur. We have assu-

ranees repeated over and over again. The Arrow is to have its road, the Shotover a road, also Skipper's, and the importance of Queenstown is recognised. All portions of the district should be contented, so far as the road question is concerned; that is, if we can place implicit faith on the word of ministers. No one part of the district has been unfairly favored. Good roads are so absolutely essential for the welfare and progress of any community that we have given prominence to the subject. We now turn to the Supreme Court and Gaol question, which does not appear with so satisfactory an aspect as the other. We have conditional promises only. Mr John Cargill, with his breadth of views and liberality, enunciated two good reasons in favor of a Supreme Court here ; one was that such an institution exercised a very beneficial influence on the minds of jurymen and the community generally, and the other our special and unrivalled claims to a beautiful climate. But it seems the Judges are to issue the decree, and their fiat will be law. Ministers, however, can control the expenditure of any vote of money if they think its outlay would be injurious. A fictitious claim granted in ignorance can be rescinded on the Government assigning to the House a satisfactory reason for so doing, The vote for a Gaol and Supreme Court on the goldfields, fortunately, does not specify any particular place for its erection; therefore we look forward with confidence to a decision favorable to the Wakatip. If a personal examination of the condition and important position of this district is not sufficient, then we may despair, and leave to the future the proof that the Wakatip is, taken altogether, one of the most prosperous, promising, and withal, permanent districts in the Province. With regard to the Land question and the promise of a land office, we heard the ministers say that the five and ten-acre system was a mistake, and that farms from 50 acres and upwards were the disideratum. Our guests find that this is a really magnificent wheat country — a land of top alluvial soil and beds of clay — a land of " milk and honey." Thus far is established another point we have contended for. The opinions expressed on the present unjust operation of the Licensing system are worthy of Mr John Cargill, and bear out the remarks we made about him as far back as the time when the first bill was introduced and defeated, that he appeared to be one of those rare men that are in advance of contracted and selfish notions, and who deprecate special and oppressive taxation in any form or on any class. We forbear touching upon the other minor subjects for want of space. In conclusion, our advice is to farm and grow wheat: we are hardly on the first step of the ladder. Let our agricultural resources be developed simultaneously with the mineral, and let the two interests become consolidated. If the people of the district determine to do this they will never find cause of regret. Freehold property will soon rise in value, and bona-fide settlers come amongst us. We should be sorry to see those who have toiled through " the heat of the day" sell their privileges for a song. Apart from all these promises, better days are beaming, and the resources of this district are already attracting attention.