LAKE COUNTY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 973, 10 December 1880, Page 3

LAKE COUNTY.

(FROM OUP. OWN CORRESPONDENT ) The lato rainy weather has proved an immense boon to the farmers, who were begiiiing to view seriously the dried up appearance of their crops, especially upon thm and light soils. The harvest now may be expected to prove a fair average ons, any failures can only be iu the case of late sowings. ‘ The newly opened land at the Crown Terrace promisee to turn oat exceedingly well, some of the early sown wneat there is iu a highly flourishing condition, and the largest yields for that season will in all probability lie in this direction, at Erankton an-1 the hea l of the L ike as well as in the Kingston district at the foot of the Lake both wheat and out crops look highly promising, and the late ruins have pretty well assured a successful harvest. The principal difficulty for the farmers ■will he a market for their pro-luce and now that the demand for our breadstuff's is constantly decreasing down country owing to 100 d production, prices ruling in England will govern tho value of wheat here, a little exporting to England was indulged in by a few parties, hut 1 have not heard the re-ult of any of their ventures as yet. It is very clear that we shall have to export grain of all sorts this coming season. 11l horticulture thin is could not look better, tho fruit crop in all cases will prove a i abundant one, and like our cvrials we for must look to distant markets consumption. The local elections have passed off very -quietly. —The Chairman-hip of the County ' ouncil was a walk over—Tho Ch lirman is only to receive 1-160 per annum salary, hut as we have no Engineer the Chairman wakes up a tidy screw by superintending tho doings of the Road Overseer, for which he is said to draw large travelling expenses. Lake County Councillors appear to’ be imbued with the idea that the very fact of one of their number being elected to the dignity of Chairman as a natural consequence ho becomes a qualified Civil En-i----liver, hencc-follows the waste and extravagance peculiar to public works iu Lake 'County. At Queenstown there was no change in the mayoral chair, the old mayor doin'* duty again. At Arrowtown a new man was elected by tho narrow majority of one vote Of all the up country municipalities that of Arrowtown is the most lavish in its ■expenditure, a**d despite the protestations of ratepayers, the Councillors will not retrench, although it has been mimistakcahly proved that Hi e-sixths of tho total revenue is absorbed in salaiies, commissions, law, printing and advertising At the meeting of the i iouncil on Tuesday last with only a bare quorum present, and the mayor elect not having taken his sent, it was iesolve-1 and carried to increase the T ovn Clerk’s salary by L2B per annum, as he was required to collect the waterrate. LIOO per annum for a Town Clerk when the total names on the 801 l only amount to 94 inclusive of those twice and thrice on is rather heavy, and will repre sent 25 per cent, of the gross income of the Borough, As to the water-rate of which so much is said, I learn it cannot be legally collected for reasons that there is no water supply. The Athenaeum Committee will shortly come before the public with their doings, in the shape of the statutory annual meeting. This institution appears to have preserved a troubled existence since the death of Mr John Wright, the late librarian, some two years since. In the matter of progress it has made none, nor will such he possible unless new hloid is introduced into the management of affairs. There are some LI 15 in hand, the proceeds of an auction haz<ar, isadfe-LpQ subsidy from the ■County Council, wftw total represents an improvement fund, but whether any improvement will follow is a problem. In mining matters there is but little to report. In the shape of quartz crushing, three out of the nvo mills are busy reducing stone, and everything promises improved yields, more especially with the Homeward Bound Company, who are now busily erecting a four-foot six inch Berdan with all the latest improved contrivances for grinding, _ and which will doubtless effect the saving of a largo proportion of the gold, hitherto escaping with the tailineg. The mach nes idle are tho All Nations and the public battery. The former It is thought will make a start ere the season closes, and possibly the latter, if water becomes so short that some of the companies now crushing are unable to employ their full complement of stampers. The Lady Fayre Company have struck a promising run of stone, it is eighteen inches wide, | well defined, and shows gold in highly payable quantities. The Invincible Company, head of Lake Wakatip, have had a trial crushing at Kincaid and Company’s battery, Dunedin. The result was half-an- ! ounce to the ton. The Invincible shnnld 1 not, however ho east down, as with their 1 fioe nody of atone and facilities for work- , ing. they should ha able to do very well, j The Phoenix, Skippers, have discharged I fill hands find stopped the works. This mine, alter the most elaborate trials and ' lavish expenditure, cannot bo made remn-

j neralive. The proprietors and manager j hj i vo done all that was possible, and it is a ] sn'.ject for universal regret that their «!! i-rs bo wi-IJ dpvoted have proved unsne- | ccsaful. The Otago (Southberg and Co.), Skinners, are upon very good stone in their new reef, having traced it down fifty feet from the surface. The prospects of this mine are really excellent, and should yield something like two ounces to the ton. I The Mount Anruni, Shotover, are working away upon payable atone, and have plenty of it. Their Christmas washing should give a good account of itself. The Gallant Tipperary, on the Mount Annum line, looks as well as ever, and xMr Tom Hall is really in luck's way this time A company is starting to work the Butcher’s Creek reef, Shotover, and with every prospect of success. This reef has been several times tried, and there appears to be a well-de-fined body of gold-hearing stono. A systematic method of work will doubtless prove the ground to be payable, especially as there is plenty of timber, and water power easily available. The New Orleans Hotel, Arrowtown, has changed hands, Mr R. D. Owens, late of Morven Furry, and an old resident at Clyde, hug become mine host, -while the hostess is well and favourably known to Dnnstan residents. Under the management of a highly respectable couple like Mr and Mrs Owens, there is very little to doubt hut that the New Orleans Hostelry will find favour amongst the travelling public. The people at Queenstown have taken up racing matters with much spirit this season, and have established a Lake County Jockey Club. Their programme is a very liberal one, and there is little to doubt hut the Franktou course will retain Ds old prestige again. It is gratifying to find that we shall hare County races, in lieu of the publicans’ swindles which for the lost two or three years have been denominated races.