LAKE WAKATIP.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 286, 29 August 1874, Page 3

LAKE WAKATIP.

'(From our own correspondent.) i Augustf2otii'. The inhabitants of the Wakatip .district seem to have suddenly turned polite cians in earnent, from the highest official to the humblest "boots" and post-boy! All are enthusiastic about questions of public policy,'or the utility of certain schemes in the plan of public works, or the effect of some late revival or reformation (social), or the revenues of the Colony; although, judging from the share which the Wakatip lias had in the public works initiated, one would think there need not be much fuss made about anything which goes on in that line, for there is no fear of the Wakatip getting much of the spoil, unless it is for the same reason as that for which the goat gets a crust of" bread, viz., to keep her quiet while she is milked—the only purpose for which her masters—the General and Provincial Governments—sfeemvto preserve her, for, in all but the milking, they ignore her existence. What a change then would it be for the better if some of these sponges—the Provincial Governments —get upset, and New Zealand's Government governs its counties, cities, and'boroiighs, in a legitimate manner. If the Provincial Go-vernments—-taking our own as an example, and it is doubtless as good as the best—be not a farce, I know not the meaning of the word, and that such is the general opinion of this district, it is easy for any resident to hear; so the stated intentions of the Premier, in regard to Provincialism, were hailed with pleasure, in the hope that, it (Proviucialism) will cease to exist inthis otherwise blessed country. But the state of public feeling above alluded to is not all due to the hope for death of Provincialism, but many good anticipated in a district hitherto, so very .neglected thot we ai e fain to be pleased with hopes, however faint. There is some hopes that the Wakatip will claim its place as a county, under tlio Act, and so demand some right to tax herself, and spend the money, instead of being taxed by the country, and having the money spent there. Should this hope be realised, we would be in the position which the

Constitution Act was intended to place us in, by being privileged with, local expenditure—at least, so the new politicians say, and I suppose they must be right. Another hope of these " southern lights " is, that the Paternal Government will extend its blessings in the shape of a railway, connecting Greymouth with Invercargill. If this is carried into effect, why, Long live the Beetham-cum-Vogel policy of Works and Settlement! the meaning of which would fill your columns for one issue at least in only mentioning the cardinal points of the good which it would effect, not only to this district, but to the Province in general "We have been some time without a Resident Magistrate or Warden, and have been obliged to borrow occasionally Mr. Simpson, of Clyde ; but we have now Mr. Beetham back from the "land of the west," and we are promised another ere long. So we have suffered the winter of discontent, and it is now our spring of hope, and we wish for a glorious summer.