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Lake County Press, Issue 62, 9 August 1872, Page 2

As might have been expected, the Chinese petition against Mr Beetham has turned out a very hollow piece of business, and has fallen hack on the heads of its originators. Not only does the gentleman impeached come ont of the enquiry unblemished, but he receives at the hands of the authorities a high testimony of his worth and integrity as a Magistrate and Warden. This is just what might hive been looked for, and is the only satisfactory feature in an affair which has co>t more m mey and ♦ rouble than its importance warranted. We are indebted to our contemporarv the Dunedin Evening Star for *h« sequel to this attempt to injure a public officer in his official capacity. After briefly introducing the subject of the Report of the Commission, it {.o s on to say: —Their leport has, we believe, been forwarded to the Provincial Government, and enough has t anspired conceruing its contents to warrant us in saving that there was not the slightest ground i'or the allegations used against Mr Warden Beetham. In fact, that the wliole evidence shows he has been st: ictly impartial in his decisions as a Magistrate and in the Warden's Court. The mode of working amongst the Chinese is curious. They work together in large companies under head men, who appear to exert great influence over them. The so-called petition was, in reality, a statement of fancied grievances put into the shape of a petition for presenta ion to the Provincial Council. Of necessity it embodied a translation of their statement, and appears to have contained a list of grievances very much more strongly expressed than the original. We learn it originated at a meeting held at the Arrow on the 21st February, at which twenty Chinamen were present. Apparently the meeting was convened byletter ; several Chinese were present at it, the statement of grievances were agreed upon ; copies of it were inserted in books, which were sent round to the various working parties ; the purport of the statement was explained to Mr G. B. Bakton, who from memory, drew up the petition presented by Mr Macassey. The only share that gentleman had in it was that two of the promoters of the movement, through Mr "Barton, asked

him to present it to the Council, which he consented to do. With regard to the signatures being genuine there is some doqbt, as .one. party, numbering about forty, examined by the Commissioners, whose names were appended, asserted the signatures were not theirs, nor had they authorised any person to sign on their behalf. The European inhabitants of the district were in total ignorance of what was going on. The alleged cases of injustice to the Chinese were, we are informed, thoroughly investigated. Mr G. B. Barton conducted the proceedings on behalf of the Chinese, and Mr W. Torton assisted Mr Bertram. The inquiry occupied five days. Seven witnesses, Chinese, were examined in support of the allegations, and sixteen, including four Chinese, were called for Mr Beetham. Analyses of the cases pointed to as evidences of partiality towards Europeans were laid before the Commissioners, and throughout the whole of the transactions there was no evidence of injustice having been done to the Chinese or excessive damages or costs awarded. One of the principal decisions was appealed against, but the Judge of the district Court confirmed it. The Commissioners are said to have concluded their report by stating that those gentlemen who have been associated with Mr Beetham on the Bench speak most highly to his character as a Magistrate, and especially as to his patient hearing and attention to the investigation of cases in which the Chinese are concerned. On receipt of the report, the Provincial Government caused a letter to be writen to Mr Beetham, expressive of their gratification at the result of the inquiry, aud their perfect satisfaction with his administration as a Warden aud a Magistrate.