The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Saturday, August 1, 1863.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 27, 1 August 1863, Page 4

The Lake Wakatip Mail. Queenstown, Saturday, August 1, 1863.

Queenstown has every reason to be proud of the enterprise displayed by its inhabitants. We venture to affirm that no other township on the diggings ia able to show forth to the world such talent as has been lately displayed here at the public meetings held regarding the formation of a Town Board. We believe that the Dunstan, and the Arrow River, and other townships are terribly envious of our citizens in this matter. No one cares, however, for their envy; and however loudly they may cry " sour grapes," they need not think that the inhabitants of this township will be deterred from forming their Town Board. We ask, is it likely,when a public meeting, held on Thursday night in this place, elected thirteen men to form a Town Board, regardless of the fact that they have no power to form such a body, that the same men will be deterred from proceeding in the matter by the envy or ridicule of other townships, who want the courage to go and do likewise ? If there are any such sceptics amongst us, they must yield to the overwhelming evidence of Queenstown politics supplied in our reports of the meetings held here lately. If this is not real politics, we don't know what is. We were furnished with motions and counter motions; chairmen elected and deposed ; insinuations as to the truth of " gentlemen opposite;" the tu quoque references to former and future horsewhippings; suggestions to form a ring, and all tne other ac-

cessories which give so much zest to the proceedings of men met in solemn conclave to discuss matters gravely affecting the public weal.

Some allowance must be made for all this, however, when we consider the novelty of the position in which goldfields communities are always placed. It must be rather aweinspiring when a number of butchers, auctioneers, retired diggers, ai.d hotelkeepers awake some morning and find that they are called to provide a district suddenly with Municipal institutions. Each naturally looks askance at his neighbor, and speculates as to who is likely to put himself forward for Mayor. Number one thinks himself as good as any other, and perhaps better; and can't see why number two should be so deucedly active all of a sudden; and number two wonders within himself if that stupid shopman, Number one, will have the conscience to put himself forward. Then the quiet conversations over business transactions—the snug reunions over hotel stoves, or at the bars, when every man declaims with patriotic unction upon what he considers the requisite for the various offices—never for a moment hinting that he has the least conception that he is himself qualified in any way whatever. All these things must be taken into account, and duly weighed, in judging of this matter. And when the frailty of man (particularly of very small men) is taken into account, we are sure that, instead of trying to throw obstacles in the way of this object, the other digging townships of Otago will not only sympathise with the people of Queenstown, but step forward and lend a helping hand. In the meeting of Thursday, at the eleventh hour, a genius enunciated the startling fact that, although they formed themselves into a Town Board, still it would not be a Town Board ! ! Evil genius! why thus rudely dispel the dream of our prospective mayors and aldermen, and insist upon its being named an " Improvement Committee ?" Why did the more silly part of the meeting adopt this suggestion ? and, still more, why did the meeting stupidly elect only the unknown, silent men of the community ? Shame upon that meeting, to turn tail at the end, and desert several men who have roared to you, and spoken at you, and in every possible way offered you disinterested service! They have piped and ye have not danced. Oh! ungrateful people ! We are in hopes that the silly, silent ones will, however, do some work which may result in good; and notwithstanding the grumblings of the knowing ones, we would rather see one thinker and worker than a dozen chatterers and spouters at any time. We are in hopes that they will watch with jealousy, and see that merit and real thought is promoted to the office bearing departments, and not be imposed upon by spouting and speechmaking.