QUEENSTOWN.

October Isf. Queenstown was visited by a large number of Arrowites to-day, cs the flood here had gone down to below danger point, and work of all kind had been suspended. Horses, however, could no.t get through, and apart of the journey had to be performed on foot. The water ha:l risen considerably since yesterday, and the lower part of the town presented a deplorable sight. The water on -Beacb -street was about five or six feet deep, and Eichardt's Hotel was flooded throughout the basement, storey to a depth of four feet. Furniture of every descriptions was floating about in all directions. Mr Hotop. chemist, removed in time, and none too soon fofcpfa building was the first; to succumb, * pb's Tictorian Hotel was fast becoming a complete wreck, and the Prince of Wales Hotel followed - suit. Towards noon a breeze arose, blowing from (he north- west, beating right into Queenstown Bay. By this time the timber from the neighboring {yards had got afloat, and made sad havoc amongst the frail buildings. Being tossed about the -urf, the logs acted like so many battering-rams, beating in doors and windows everywhere. Attention was directed to Davis's stone brewery, which was not expected to weather out the storm ; and it was not long before it came down with a crash, hiding for a moment its downfall by a dense cloud of dust, which, on clearing off, revealed a barren island in a waste of water. The Masonic Hall, which was exposed to the fury of the waves and floating beams, had holes rammed through its s*ono walls, which are about eighteen inches th ick, Fears are entertained of Mr Eichardt's Queen's Arms Hotel, a substantial and magnificent two-storey buil.linsr, as tver margin between it and tlie Lake, at low water mark, is perilously small. Under the circumstances Mr Eichardt has removed to the family hotel lately occupid by Mr Powell. The Lake side of Beach-street may be pronounced as doomed, also the Queen's Arms stables, and other" similar buildings. The subsiding of th 3 waters of the lake is regulated by a veritable iron gate situated at the junction of the Arrow and Kawarau rivers, which is probably not more than 70 feet wide. It is this part of the river wLich causes lake Wakatip lo rise during rainfalls. All that portion between this point and the Lake is from 200 to 300 feet wide The surface area of the Lake is 120 square miles, and a depth of 12 feet over this extent means -about 300,000,000 gallons pf water to be discharged through a crooked gorge 70 feet wide. From that it will be seen that the Lake cannot but go down slowly. Landslips occurred to-day at Mr Scole's (l ft t.e Elliott's) farm, covering many acres, and Mr O'Kane's hotel at Frankton was threatened with demolition by a landslip. October 2nd. The flood in the Arrow and Shotover rivers is subsiding fast, but the water at Queenstown i 3 only very slowly going down. There are no disasters to report, except that the land about M»* Boyes's homa station i 3 showing sign a of slipping, and the residents have removed their furniture and valuables to situations of security. The destruction of property, whether pubic or private, is enormous. No los 3of life has, up to the present, been reported, and it is only fair to mention that Mr H. A. Stratford, E.M., the officer in charge of the district, has done all that lies in his power, either by his personal exertion or by the influence of his position, to relieve, the distress prevailing through the district.