LAKE WAKATIP.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 448, 17 November 1877, Page 3

LAKE WAKATIP.

(From our own correspondent.) As is well known, the people who inhabit these regions are a most industrious people as far as porseveraucein the search of national prosperity can earn for them that character, but they are not so persevering in the pursuit of that knowledge of the doings of their representatives as their known habi s of industry in other depart merits would lead one to expect them to be. Probably this apathy may be partly accounted for by the over exertion put forth in material pursuits, as well as the difficulty, notwithstanding the immense press staff of the Colony, ol obtaining thoroughly reliable information as to the doings of the said representatives; but there are other reasons at work in producing an appearance of apathy in this district which deserve to be noticed, if only for the purpose of showing that appearances are not in this case thoroughly reliable, and. in fact, establish an exception to the rule that "silence gives consent." Certainly the silence of the residents of the Lake district as to the doings of its representative does not by auy means give consent to them. The inrlu ence of the M.H.R. for the Wakatip district over the local press is used in every conceivable way to shield him from blame aud to trumpet his praises. Were he the proprietor of the ' Wakatip Mail' this state of thiugs would be easily accounted for, but as one of the staff it is not so easy to see why an independent (?) journal should pander to the interests of even a member of the House of .Representatives. When Henry Manders stumped the Wakatip for the position of distinction which he now holds he boasted of his tirin allegiance to Sir George Gr»y, "who," said the aspirant, " had ever been the working man's friend." And now what the lion, member has done when the tug of war came is just to break the promises which sustained his own polilical plat tbrni, and left him a notorious example of broken promises. Of this the local press seems ignoraiit. But let not your readers imagine that the people of this district are either ignorant or apathetic about the introduction of an improved policy, such as has been promised by the present Government. If the question j s sent to the country to decide between the respective policies of the late and present Governments, no man would be returned for this district who refined to pledge himself to the support of the Grej policy, nor would the present member have been returned if like promises had not been made by him. Probably we shall not have long to wait to see this problem put to the proof. The importance of the difference between the honest policy clearly promised and defined by Sir George Grey admits of no hesitation on the part ot an elector. It is the first time that any genileman seems to have dared to state that he and his colleagues had determined to lighten the taxation upon the working classes, and it needs no prophet to see the eff cts of such a policy upon settlement, industry, and immigration, in fact, upon all that goes to make a Colony great. It is difficult to see how any independentminded Colonist could refu«e to support such a policy in preference to that which has hitherto obtained. An appeal to the electors of the Wakatip will show that, though handicapped by the silence of the Press, they will know how to choose be tween a supporter of Sir George Grey and one of Major Atki.isoi.'s type. The sub jeet of this communication need not be excused to those of your readers who are anxious to know how far the public sympathies of the electors here may be depended upon to support the praiseworthy endeavors of those philanthropists who have, during the last two sessions of the New Zealand Parliament, spared no pains to cleanse the Angean stable of public acc iunts and policy of the obnoxious accu mulatioDß which have defiled and degraded it.

The weather hero gives more snowdrops than crocuses. The late storms of snow and rain have very severe, but. hope is strong in the breasts of the hardy mountaineers of Otago, and amidst the pelting snow their tigures itiay he seen toiling away at their several occupations, the plough, the sheepfold, and the mine. Lambs are plentiful on the hills, and the liberal supply of moisture which has fallen during the hist fortnight gives a good guarantee of plenty of herbage. The Arrow fair, or market, as it was called, did not prove a success on the last occasion. I suppose the farmers of the district are not so short of a market as to be glad of the opportunity, but it-is surprising that they do not see it to their interest to encourage such a salutary accommodation as these occasional reunions afford.

Old residents of the Wakalip will hear with regret of the death of R. Anderson, so long.landlord of the Frankton Hotel—and late of the Prince of Wales Hotcl-r-Qurenstown. A fatal accident occurred at Franktown Flat a little time back, whereby a man rumed- Grant was killed through b.-ing dragged some distance by the gear of a runaway team of horses.