PETITION FOR REMOVAL OF MR. WARDEN BEETHAM.

Lake County Press, Issue 50, 17 May 1872, Page 2

PETITION FOR REMOVAL OF MR. WARDEN BEETHAM.

In reply to a request for full information regarding the Chinese petition for the removal of Mr Beetham, we have received the following telegrams from Mr Innes, M.P.C. The first refers to the grounds on which the request is based. The second to the action taken hy the Select Committee appointed to enquire into the matter.

The petitioners say they suffer great hardship and injustice from the Warden, whose decisions in mining and other cases are animated by violent prejudice, and consequently oppressive and ruinous. From injustice doue, the petitioners are compelled to regard the law as an instrument of oppression against them, instead of a source of protection. Advantage is taken by Europeans of the Warden's notorious prejudice to inflict injuries by excessive damages and costs awarded against them ; and that Chinese complaints are unjustly dismissed.—Select Committee appointed, consisting of Mes-rs Riadshaw, Innes, Bastings, Tolmie, M'Lean, and Macassey.

In Select Committer, Macassey presented a petition for the removal of Wurden Beetham, .signed by 827 Chinese. Innes said he was surprised he had heard nothing about the petition seing he had left the district quite recently. He thought he should have heard of a petition bearing so many signatures. Had therefore telegraphed to Queenstown for information. Read replies, stating that European residents there knew nothing of the petition. They said it was a disgraceful underhand piece of business, and the public were highly indignant; also that the Chinese Interpreter, who was intimately acquainted with everything going on in the Chinese camps only knew of it through MrG. B. Barton.—The Speaker said the petition was informal.—Mervyn moved its withdrawal.—Holmes thought an inquiry should be made.—Browne moved that it be referred to the Gold Fields committee.—M'Lean was favorable to this, on account of the prejudice against the Chinese. Several members took part in the discussion.—Macassey deprecated the hon. member for the Lakes reading telegrams over which the Council had no control.—Browne's motion that the matter be referred to the Gold Fields Committee was carried.