The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Wednesday Sept. 27, 1865.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 252, 27 September 1865, Page 2

The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Wednesday Sept. 27, 1865.

It is always a very desirable feature to witness the bead of a department visiting those whom he has been called upon to preside over, and canvassing their wants and requirements. We may almost say it always gives pleasure to the multitude. Latterly it has become the usual practice of high officials to lend eclat to their taking office by some grand tour of inspection. The once eagerly sought-for visits of inspection from the Admiralty Board are now matters of course at Sheerness and Plymouth. Sir Robert Peel set an excellent personal example which has been followed by other statesmen. In colonial circles the peregrinations of a Governor, Chief Secretary, Superintendent, or some other high official, have resolved themselves into common every day matters of fact. This would not be done had it not proved both desirable and useful, by enlarging the mind of the official and tending to the estoblishment of a more equitable and cosmopolitan policy. One hour's conversation has been over and over again declared by eminent statesmen to be equal in effect to many thousand written letters, and more valuable than routine departmental proceedings. Kings have pleaded for an interview. Perhaps in colonial circles the dread entailed by curt official answers (veritable enigmas) create a desire to meet the ruler face to face —at least, eo far as the general public is concerned. We believe this feeling on both sides to be correct, and hail with the same kindred satisfaction as'our more intelligent English contemporaries are doing the bond of union growing between the multitude and its organ and mouthpiece. The hearty reception his Honor Mr Superintendent Dick has met in his tour through the goldfields immediately after accepting office, may partly be traced, if not wholly, to these causes. Of course it is beyond our power, even if we desired, to refer to the various goldfields requirements submitted to his Honor's attention. Many of them have been asserted and brought before his notice on the principle, no doubt, " that it can do no harm." His Honor may, perhaps, be inclined to ascribe many of the requests or subjects thus publicly brought under his notice as displaying ignorance of his power and position. Perhaps too many cases—purely local affairs and antagonistic interests —nave been pressed upon his notice. Mr Dick is too old a colonist, too keen a judge, not to draw the line in these masters. He has won his spurs ; he has now to prove himself a true knight. He can hereafter no longer say postpone the electoral roll on the goldfields until we ascertain of the people resident cn them whether they are qualified to exercise the suffrage. He must now have seen sufficient to arrive at the conclusion that the goldfields populatior is industrious and fall of energy. We trust he has arrived at the conclusion also that in that class of New Zealand colonists is concentred a valuable

material, to know and appreciate which, and to turn to good advantage, should be high aim to the ruler of a Province—a valuable knowledge gained more than compensating for any untoward difficulties experienced on le grand tour of inspection. 1 It has been our lot both to condemn and to praise Mr Dick in two different Ministries. It will, however, give us extreme pleasure to applaud his action as a vigorous Superintendent, and, while not expecting any great favor, we desire to see him holding the balance injustice, whereby his visit will be rememb?red with pleasure.