The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Wednesday, May 6, 1863.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 2, 6 May 1863, Page 4

The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Wednesday, May 6, 1863.

Frequently disease in a limb of the human body is so severe as to yield to no remedial measure less serious than the actual cautery or the knife. A diseased limb requires to be occasionally lopped off when a sufferance of its presence endangers the healthy working of the general body. In our last issue, we took occasion to call the attention of the Province to a serious disease existing in the machinery of the Provincial Government. We allude to the actions of Mr. Harris and his Vicegferent Mr. Brannigan.

The public interest compels us to return to this subject, inasmuch as a new element has presented itself to us after mature consideration of the report of a Public Meeting held in Quecnstown, and published in our ,last We shall endeavour to make plain the enigma of that meeting, and to show that it momentously affects the interests of the inhabitants of Quecnstown, and generally of the Province. No (Edipus is required for its solution. Mr. Rees, the chairman of that meeting, stated that Mr. BnANNiGAN,in virtue of the " full powers" vested in him, had already completed a contract for the formation of a road between the Dunstan and Frankton, and modestly added, that the Government were prepared to give an equal sum to that which might be subscribed by the inhabitants of Queenstown to form a road between that place and Frankton. When we consider that the last monthly return showed a benefit of revenue from the Wakatip district to the extent of £9OOO, and that the inhabitants of Queenstown contribute a larger share of that revenue than any other township on the field, we cannot but be grateful for this demand for eleemosynary aid. We hope that there is not a settler in Queenstown who will be insane enough to put his hand into his pocket and give a single cent to this suicidal scheme. It is the duty of the Government to make all the roads necessary, and particularly for this important and remunerative community. We have already paid enough, and more than enough, to allow of everything necessary being done, not only in the way of roads but otherwise. Mr. Rees further stated that in the event of his gaining the lawsuit at present pending with the Government, he would not sell but lease the sites of the township. Seeing that in all proliability Mr. Rees will have his claim of pre-emption allowed, it is easy to believe that Queenstown will be the best place for the Government township—at all events the best for him. From the statement of Mr. Rees it was, and is, plain to every observer, that he was speaking after conversation with Mr. Beannigan, and we cannot come to any other conclusion than that the interests of the inhabitants of Queenstown are to be sacrificed to those of a squatter. We are aware that Mr. Harris is a squatter, but he is also Chief Officer of the Executive of this Province, and his primary duty is to the public- Will the inhabitants of Queenstown for one moment permit their buildings to be handed over to Mr. Rees, and like the sheep before his shearer, remain dumb ? If they make their election to do so, then we will wash our hands of the matter, and let such supineness meet the reward it merits. We do not think that this will be the case, however, and we urge them immediately to press the motion of Mr. Luscombe upon the attention of the Government. Let a deputation for this purpose be appointed to wait upon the Superintendent personally, if necessary, but in any case let it be done, and that speedily. To return to the matter of Mr. Beanxigan's novel position and its anomaly, we

deem it necessary, in the interests of the public, to urge that it also be immediately and unmistakcably denned. It is the duty of the Superintendent to call upon Mr. Brvnfigan cither immediately to resign his position as Chief of the Police, or to cease interfering with matters that indirectly affect the administration of finance. It is still more his duty to call upon him to resign his position as a Magistrate. This disease must be eradicated even by the lopping off the limb if necessary. We trust, however, as he is doubtless an able and zealous officer, that the necessity will be seen for his returning to his position under the late Government, and leaving other departments in the hands of officers, equally active and zealous as himself.