Wanaka Notes.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 2209, 22 August 1910, Page 5

Wanaka Notes.

• (From Oub Own Correspondent.) Weather conditions here are erratic and very uncertain, frosts, fog, and rain. We want a good change now to clear out all the microbes and kill all the colds. Mr Henry McKay senr. recently left Wanaka for down south to look after a farm, before leaving Pembroke, he was presented with a travelling rug by his friends. The presentation was made by Mr A. McDougall in a humorous and fitting style, wishing Mr McKay would not stay too long away, and that " the Laird of Cockpen" would soon again be amongst us, lookiug after his high offices and estates. The flax mill is again about to be started by Messrs Hunt and Miller, and we hope, seeing the good it is to the district, that it will continue all the season, a lot of men are employed and a lot of money circulated. Poating matters are engaging attention, and a company talks of putting on a new boat 50 feet long 11 feet i> inch beam and 5 feet 0 inches deep. The Elswick will be on, and the Tilikum is to be altered to accommodate 12 to 18 passengers, by having a raised forecastle, new bulwarks, flush deck for either cargo space or deck passengers. May the coining tourist traffic justify all this expenditure. In reading the Altars November loth, lilOy, the new boat was to be on in four or five months. I think from the present outlook the promoters were wise in prolonging the building, The runs around Wanaka are fully occupied and at 'Makarora under present conditions, closer settlement is impossible, being too far removed from a railway. The boat question on Wanaka Lake has been a topic of interest for many years The only solution for those advocating an up-to-date and large boat, to put a few hundred in it themselves, and see how the divy pans out.

In the football rnatch Tarras v. Pembroke, a very interesting game was played, Wanaka winning by 0 to 3. The Tarras players played well but the uniformity of the Wanaka backs was very noticeable and helped much to their sucess. The game was very friendly and we will always welcome the Tarras players at any future time. It appears new boats and new stores arc the topic of our small community. Neither were justifiable in the interests of the promoters years ago, when Pembroke was practically booming, as a deduction they cannot be now. We wish the promoters in both schemes all success, but I am afraid after a very short time shares will he procurable much below par. The conclusion may be, we are too pessimistic. This I am sorry to say is not so. We take our natural location to other parts of the community on one hand, our possible exports, natural advantages and competition on the other. In the first place we find we are far removed from an easy means of output, we find our products chiefly timber and flax, also tlr2 competition existing against us regarding timber, up to as far as Cromwell, too strong to profitably compete against. We also find flax produced at a market value, payable close to a railway, of no use to us here where cartage is strictly prohibitory to a profit. We find tourists travelling on pleasure, where there are so many pleasure resorts within easy access to and from, are not going to do 50 miles coaching which is interesting to many, but slow, and regarding the latter we know the human disposition, as forced and developed at the present day, a bundle of nerves to men of means, it is not money but speed, combined with all the little perquisites of comfort, which they are always too pleased to pay for, as a logical conclusion from all these points, no matter how good our air. our scenery, our accommodation, both on land and water.

We cannot at the present time look for a large trade commercially, nor for a large tourist trade for the reasons above given. The railway must give us the desired improvement, but when ? Take our present Government. Instead of even encouraging present unfinished lines, they deprecate projected new lines. Take our last Financial Statement, is there the least outlook for a continuance of the present (Hugo Central —none. Go further and take the tourist trade. We have Rotorua on which no end of money has been spent to make artificially what nature never intended naturally. Take Manapouri, To Anau. Hamner, Mt Cook and Wakatipu, where the Government have spent in the aggregate many thousands of pounds. As caretakers of our estates are they going to allow us (their employers) to say they spent money foolishly—no, they will divert as fully as they can to these different centres all the tourist traffic possible, to justify the already expenditure, as being justifiable in the eyes of the country. Wanaka, no matter how this small community has fought, they have fought in vain for the railway, and as a natural accessory, the tourist traffic, the majority, even in politics always wins. Our small community is unfortunately-—very unfortunately, in the great minority. Tt is better for us then to be purely selfsupporting as we were many years ago. Let what we produce keep us as it did in years gone by, and well too. We have practically discarded mining, which in the first place made us. The Government have been assisting lately in small ways the development of mining. Why too, cannot we get a little for ike same purpose. Our sheep farming is now really good, but will it alwas remain so. In years past sheep farming here was carried on, but only with foreign capital, result was a Joss. If we have to revert now to the same thing, caused by the reasons then existing, our community would be very poor indeed, but even in those tjincs things were more buoyant because we were then more self dependent, The products of the soil, is the wealth of a community, and to compete in the open market <e mu,.st have better means of transport —the railway, For that we must fight. Then the wealth of the district will come on it unawares to itself. It is futile for our Torys and our members saying ( the "Railway won't pay. The present cokd/'tions don't justify its paying; its ;>\teusu>u would guarantee it beyond measut'O. A man i.J/jlds a boat. During its building it is all outlay, bu/. after it is I built it pays and well, otherwise he would not build it. Wo arc satisfied from the larg,e asya of country to open up the railway would pay. May next election much alter the possibilities of I fairer treatment to us.

Our library concert took place last Thursday, and despite sickness and bad weather the receipts? were very goodsome £7. The concert opened with a graphophone selection. The chairman, Rev. A. D. Mitchell, gave a fitting address on the needs of the institution and its goodness for the education of the young. A pianoforte selection by Miss Turnbull was played with brilliancy, after which Rev Mr Chandler sang, 'A Little Child shall lead them,' with fine effect. A monologue by Miss Murdoch, 4 Game of Life.' was excellently rendered. A song, ' The Sergeant of the Line,' by Mr Turnbull was really good and surprised even his admirers. Mr Rofe ' His day's Work is done,' was as one would expect —done to life. Mr Stewart, ' Garden of Poses,' has a fine voice and was loudly applauded. Mr T. Anderson in ' She is Far from the Land.' was higlily appreciated. A duct ' Onward,' by Rev Mr Chandler and Miss Burns was very nicely rendered. Mrs D. Anderson, ' Why left I my Harue,' was as is usual with this genial lady, perfect. The duet by Messrs R. M. and M. Turnbull, 'Watchman what of the Night,' was magnificently rendered, and Mr R. M'Dougall, senr., in ' Umbrella Courtship,' was characteristic of this worthy old young gentleman, and he displayed natural traits of his youthful volatility, which has evidently been dormant for many years. ' Larboard Watch,' Messrs Anderson and Bovett was well rendered. Tn all cases encores were given but time would not allow. The concert was a really good one and thoroughly commends the promoters to try again. Misses Turnbull and Murdoch and Mr F. Thomson were the accompanists, and the members of committee were a working committee, who did all necessary to make things go smoothly. A dance followed the concert, Messrs A. and R. Miller (violins), Mr A. M'Dougall and Mr F. Thomson (piano) providing music, and baskets were provided by tbe ladies, for which the committee return thanks, also to Miss Russell for tables, tea, etc. We arc now eagerly anticipating our annual school concert which, I believe, promises to be good. I regret having to report the death of the twins of Mr and Mrs Walker, of Pembroke. Mr Walker is our respected coach driver, Cromwell to Pembroke. To Mr Walker and his respected wife the sympathy of the community goes out and may there be a silver lining behind the many dark clouds which have recently passed over them. Apropos of an article in the " County Press" last week, and one in country news in the " Otago Witness " of the 17th, re new boat, commenting on the elysium of bliss Wanaka will be with the advent of the new boat, it is always wise for newspaper writers to express impartially public opinion generally, not the opinion of one partic.'ar clique. We always welcome anything that is going to improve a district. This can be done in the truly journaltstic manner. More I need not say.