Original Correspondence.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 28, 5 August 1863, Page 6

Original Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Lake Wakatip Mail. Sir, —I trust you will allow me, as a subscriber to the Delegation Fund, to say publicly a word or two regarding the conduct of a certain clique existing in this township, which, if not speedily checked in its uctings, will bring discredit upon us all. lam not in the habit of writing for public journals, and, if you print this, it will be my first and last. " 'Tis pleasant sure to see one's name in print and pleasanter it must be for lovers of notoriety—either stupid speakers or stump orators —to see their dreary or bombastic lucubrations clipped and improved under the hand of a clever reporter. This pleasure, I-suspect, Sir, is the motive power with some of the gentlemen to whom I refer. I allude to the conduct of Messrs. Harris and Co., in reference to Mr. Bradshaw's disposal of the money subscribed for the delegates' expenses. It was a disputed question amongst several of us who subscribed to the fund as to whether Mr. Bradshaw should be requested to reply to the impertinence of Mr. Harris and his colleagues ; bat the pertinacity with which the fellow has v continued to throw dirt at our much respected and clever delegate, led us latterly to the conclusion that the proper course for Mr. Bradshaw to pui-sue was to remain silent. A persistent throwing of mud, however, will always end in some of it sticking; and I deem it a matter of duty to come forward and ask the public to " Mark how a plain tale will put the down."

At a public meeting it was resolved to send delegates to represent the necessity of redressing many grievances. At a public meeting Messrs. Bradshaw and Gordon were appointed delegates for this purpose. In my hearing, and in that.of every one in the room, Mr. Bradshaw said that he would not go to Dunedin unless he received the sum of at least forty pounds to meet expenses. Mr. Gordon (who by the way should make less parade of his intentional Christian charity) stated, on the other hand, that he would take what might be given him, adding, unfortunately for comparison with his present line of conduct, that he could do business in Dunediu, and in fact would be going down at any rate. The sum of forty-six pounds was then collected and handed to Mr. Bradshaw, and he proceeded to Dunedin. During his absence, our worthy official Mr. Vincent Pyke (as an old Victorian, I have some recollection of his antecedents,) came up here and promised all and more than was demanded in the petition. He was immediately toadied and feasted by Government officials who • depended for their living upon his breath, and by a few of the clique 1 have referred to, who humbly 44 ate the leek," confessed that they had been impertinent in stating plain truths in plain words to his Honor the Superintendent; and for the sake of basking in the sun of official favor, shamefully and shamelessly deserted the more honorable portion of the inhabitants who did believe, and still believe, that their wants had been grossly overlooked. I am glad to say, for the credit of this community, that the only person who has had the audacity to say publicly that he believed our petition to be impertinent, and thus cast a slur upon us, is this very Mr. Harris, who has of late been so officious at public meetings. Upon his return, meetings were held for ostensibly other purposes, but they were made the vehicle for attacking Mr. Bradshaw. At the first meeting, Mr. Bradshaw offered to place the fortysix pounds in the hand of any one the meeting would nominate. Shortly after the meeting was adjourned. The following day, myself and others waited on Mr. Bradshaw, and told him that until the subscribers, and they only, gave authority regarding this money, he would be held responsible if he parted with it. At the subsequent meetings, therefore, held by persons led on for no other purpose than to make a masked attack upon Mr. Bradshaw, all that passed was absurd and unauthorized. With regard to the meeting of last night, 1 do think it hard that the residents should be made a laughing-stock for the diggers on the Shotover and the other inhabitants of the Province. When Mr. Harris takes a leading part in a public meeting, and in a manner, I venture to say, utterly unprecedented, harlequinades before that meeting with a display of ridiculous etymology, more ridiculous logic, and most ridiculous syntax, outsiders are apt to believe that he is a fair specimen of us all. Why should our much-respected townsman, Mr. Angus, for instance, receive at his hands the nickname of Mr. "Hang-us?" Why should poor Mr. Marks be for ever associated with the funny word " Globo f Verily, this man has much to answer for ! He not only declares the petitioners to have been insolent—he not only acts the part of a firebrand, and makes dispeace in the district, but he adds insult to injury, and himself fixes, and is otherwise the means of fixing, upon peaceable men nicknames that will cause them much future uneasiness. I am, Sir, yours, &e., Nunquam Dormio. Queenstown, July 31,1863. ♦