Lake Wakatip Mail Queenstown, Wednesday, April 19, 1865.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 206, 19 April 1865, Page 2

Lake Wakatip Mail Queenstown, Wednesday, April 19, 1865.

The adverse vote passed on his Honor the Superintendent's address, is one that would be singularly welcome to any settled community possessing a desire to rid themselves of the incumbrance of a Ministry who had a single object in view. The Pateeson-Claf-cott Ministry have foundered upon a rock to which they thought no danger was attached. Elected for their financial qualifications, and to relieve the Province of a pressing necessity in that direction, they have succeeded, so far, as to disgust all those who hailed their advent to power as a new era. We will not go again into this matter. The regret of aU true colonists must be that the Province is a<*ain left in a greater depth of darkness than ever, and that we have also, as a community, again to grope our way to light. Their financing abilities, some way or another, failed them, for they put into the mouth of the Superintendent most doleful and unaccountable statements in regard to the pecuniary position of the Province. Indeed, we are almost told to leave the sinking ship, and the warnings uttered are no doubt meant for a purpose. That purpose is ably shown in the ' Daily Times' to be the Land and Pastoral Questions. It should be a source of satisfaction to our readers to see the views this journal has fought for and planted—we might almost say, recognised. The real rock was, therefore, the Land Question, and behind that loomed the pastoral system and it 3 extended leases.

Mr Vogel is not a representative of the people to whom we have lent any support generally. Our duty has rather led us to condemn that gentleman's proceedings, both in the Provincial Council and Assembly. We are now glad to be able to point out that the member for Waikouaiti expressed himself liberally, and without those refining reservations he has been so fond of tacking on to his opinions. On this occasion he led the van, but voted with the retiring Ministers. He certainly took up the cudgels for the goldfields townships deprived of their votes, and strongly condemned the policy of Ministers upon the Land Act advertisement and the Debenture Sales. This brings us to a consideration of the changes that have taken place in members' opinions, and the future prospect before us. One or two spoke and voted consistently; other members voted without speaking against the Executive. It is, therefore, very certain that the Government must have lost supporters very freely, but how few had informed the " responsibles " of their deflection. Some deception must have taken place, for we find the Government forcing through with large majorities that da-serous and subversive Bill the abrogation of the "Duuedin Town Hoard's powors. Then corner following upon this, jaunty Mr Clap-

cott's remarks—lf you vote the reply to the address, the Government will test the opinion of the House at the proper time upon the Land policy. The Executive was excessively recticent, and refused to voluntarily answer questions. The Paterson-Clapcott-Car-gill Ministry is therefore non est through wrong-headedness. A Province like Otago should have no policy but the one of the settlement of the people on the soil and the opening up of roads; all J other things will follow upon this grand and simple policyThe goldfields can, with the adjuncts of wise legislation, thoroughly* develope themselves. They only ask fair play and seek no aggrand ag influence. The Province can also hold its own, and may become a valuable integral part of a colony or an empire, under a system of <rood Government, and the establishment of aound principles. Disagreeable as a ministerial crisis must ever be to all well wishers of the country, the fall of the Paterson Ministry affords, nevertheless, a matter of congratulation in the insurances that a law, once passed by the people's representatives, whether for good or evil, cannot be tampered with autocratically ant recklessly, and that Ministers cannot playlfor their own gains and ends with the lancjllaws, and carry out a policy simply supported by two interests, to the injury of the well being of the Province and the colony at large. A better opportunity than the present one for the laying down of a judicious policy never existed. That opportunity ean be taken advantage of, if the people will only express their views and opinions freely.

A piece, or rather a slab of quartz was brought down lately by Mr Warden Aylmer from the Scandinavian Reef, Skipper's, which was forwarded on by escort to the Dunedin Exhibition. It was thickly studded with gold, and during the last days of this peep-show will no doubt attract what attention there is to be caught. This piece of quartz was broken out of one of the top leaders or reefs, and fairly represents some of the richest of the quartz of the claim we have mentioned. It is quartz of the blue-greyish description, containing iron pyrites and sulphurets. The slab weighs about ten pounds, and contains about one and a-half ounces of gold very beautifully distributed throughout the stone, which is a very gem in its way.

Serious complaints are being made about the trespass of cattle upon agricultural lands. The cold nights—though they are not yet frosty—seem to create an appetite for enoimous consumption, and the turnip crop and mangel-wurzel become attractions not to be resisted, and consequently, down come the best of fences, "by hook or by crook;" for the cows have a way of their own, and manage to grub down these obstacles with their horns. The law is to be invoked seriously; but we would much rather have seen district boards and well defined rules and regulations made by the people themselves, and sanctioned by the Assembly and his Excellency Few know how matters stand—what the law really is—whether a fence or a ditch is necessary ; besides other puzzling questions. Mr Wilson Gray is promised a little extra work, as suits are threatened far and wide. Equity would say, let the agriculturists cultivate and prosper; let their greatest enemy be the blight; and let the owners of horses, cows, calves, pigs, sheep, lambs, goats, &c, look to their live stock, and remember the commandment, "Do as thou wouldst be done unto by others." The reef discoverel at the Head of the Lake, or rather, at or near Precipice Creek, is evidently a continuation of the Scandinavian Reef, Skipper's. The gold there will probably be found deeper in the reef. We are informed that the New Channel Company have nearly finished their gigantic wheel, and that very shortly practical operations will be commenced. Such extensive works as these should command the good wishes of all for their success. As a proof that the Arrow Quartz Reef bids fair to be vigorously worked, we call attention to an advertisement for tenders for sinking a shaft, which appears in another column. We wish the new proprietary every success.

It is not an age ago since the * Oamaru Times' had something to say on the evils of transportation, but we find the Oamaru people are desirous on a small scale to promote an influx of the felon population. The local paper says:—" A memorial Oamaru, as to the erection of a convict prison, has been extensively signed here and forwarded. The following are its terms:—" To his Honor the Superintendent of Otago—The memorial of the undersigned, inhabitants of Oamaru, sheweth—That certain works connected with the improvement of tbe port being urgently required, and it having been suggested that convict labor might be employed with great advantage, it appears to your memorialists that from the facilities offered by the stone and lime of Oamaru for building a cheap and substantial gaol, the prisoners employed in which could be engaged in forming the Breakwater and Jetty, that this matter should have the earliest conm>ralion of the Government, with a view of at o:>ce benefitting the district and providing em-

ployment for long service criminals."

An understanding between the wages men and their employers, belonging to the Criterion Company, Butcher's Point, has been lately come to; and, as shewing the value of mining labor in this district, the subject is worth noticing. The company, under their present system ot working the whole of their claim—good, bad and indifferent —have gone through some very poor ground the last few days, and £5 per week for labor, considering the late broken weather, has pressed rather heavily upon the shareholders. An offer was, therefore, made to the men for their acceptance, whether they would continue to work at I the rate of £5 a-week, on the principle of being paid only for the days they were able to work; or be paid £4 per week, wet or dry. The majority agreed to the £5 a-week proposition, and work now proceeds under that arrangement.

One day last week, Contable Fleming, of Arthur's Point, succeeded in arresting a man named Con. Murphy, alias Conroy, alias Ginger. It is stated that this distinguished individual has been pursuing his avocations upon the "grand tour" principle. He started on his trip, it is supposed, from the Dunstan district, where he succeeded in cutting into several stores. The place becoming too warm for him, he was next heard of at the Arrow, and then at the Twelve, mile, as surmised by our Arrow correspondent in his letter of the 11th. Not being very successful there he next "tried it on" at Frankton,and cut into Mr Chapman's hotel, but only succeeded in obtaining two sixpences, one of which, found on the prisoner, can, it is said, be identified. Disgusted, probably, at finding so little cash, the accused loaded himself with some of the good things of this life, and started for the Shotover On Wednesday morning a miner informed Constable Fleming, in charge at Arthur's Point, that a stranger had broken into the Pack-horse Hotel recently in occupution of Mr J. B. Netherwood, and now vacant. The constable having a suspicion that this was the very man " wanted," invited the miner—Henley—to go with him. Upon reaching the place the bird had flown ; but after a chase of five miles the prisoner, who was walking very fast, was overtaken and arrested, answering to the name of Murphy at firsti and then denying it. Great credit is due to the constable for cutting short the career of this notorious character. The conduct of Henley in assisting Constable Fleming also deserves to be noticed. The prisoner is to be brought up tomorrow for the robbery at Frankton.

During the gales, and early on Saturday morning last, the Wakatip paddle-steamer, 40 tons, sank at her moorings. This vessel - which has been lying at anchor in our bay for some months, almost unused, though not uncared for—seemed almost part and parcel of Queenstown. She was built out of colonial timber on one of the islands up the Lake, was excellently formed for comfort and capacity, and for a long time was a favorite, though rather a slow-going boat. She fell into the hands of the Bank of New South Wales, upon the failure of. a large firm in Invercargill, and has been little used since. Several have nibbled at her, but the great expense of bringing a new and more powerful engine up, putting her on the gridiron, and re-bolting and kneeing her have, with dull times, deterred speculators. However, it had lately been proposed to purchase her, take out the machinery, and turn her into a sailing craft. She sank owing to the bilge water, which had flowed into her pretty freely during the gales. We believe an offer of £2 had been made by the bank a day or two before to some parties to pump her out, but they demanded £3. The bank resisted this charge on the grounds that it was exorbitant, and that advantage was attempted to be taken of the rush to the Grey to increase the demand unfairly. Through the Grey rush this system of excessive charges has been, unfortunately, too common, and injurious to individuals and, of necessity, to the district at large. While both sides were standing out, this fine and large inland lake steamer settled the difference, by sinking in eight-fathom water. She is much missed from her old mooring spot, and bathers boatmen and others have lost, for a time at least, one of the "Old Identities" of Lake Wakatip, now only to be seen in some of the photographs of Queenstown. The following paragraphs are culled from the Bill to reserve certain Waste Lands of the Crown for Public Cemeteries. The schedule attached to the Bill specifies the reserves. The Act confirms the powers of local trustee managers such as the Queenstown board : Queenstown.— All that area containing by admeasurement Twelve (12) acres more or less together with all that area containing by admeasurement One (1) acre and Thirty-eight (38) poles more or less and marked Cemetery Reserves as delineated on the Record Map of the said town deposited in the office aforesaid.

Arrowtown.—All that area containing by admeasurement One (1) acre and Two (2) roods more or less and marked Cemetery Reserve as delineated on the Record Map of the said town deposited as aforesaid. FRANKTON.—AII that area containing by admeasurement Nine (9) acres Two (2) roods and Nineteen (19) poles more or less together with all that area containing by admeasurement Three (3) roods and Eight (8) poles more or less and marked Cemetery Reserves as delineated on the Record Map of the said town deposited in the office fiTOF6S2LI(I KINGSTON.—AII that area containing by admeasurement Four (4) acres more or less and marked Cemetery Reserve as delineated on the Record Map of the said town deposited as aforesaid.