Local News and Notes.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 43, 26 September 1863, Page 4

Local News and Notes.

The unfortunate man M'ilroy, who met with the accident from a gun on the iShotover, reported in our last, has since died. He was admitted to the Hospital on the 12. h instant, suffering from a gun-shot wound above the elbow-joint The man was extremely weak from loss of blood. Dr. Pelley sent on Wednesday tor Dr. Douglas, from the Arrow, and Dr. Croft, from Quecnstown, fur their assistance. It was not deemed safe to perform an operation on the Wednesday, and on the Thursday the poor fellow died " from secondary haemorrhage." We believe that the chief blame rests with tine surgeon who was first called to attend on the suffeier, he not having properly taken up the artery. An inquest will be heid to-day. 1/ there should be doubts of the resources of Otago as an agricultural country, it would seem that none can be reasonably entertained of ihe value of her mineral riches. Of the goldfields we shall say nothing, tor nothing is necessary ; but there is another metal of value—copper—the exbtence of which, though for some time known, has never yet been disccveied in sufficient quantities to warrant the name of a mine. We have, however, recived information concerning the deposit, lattly lound at Moke Creek, which would seem to e.stabiish a belief that a valuable discovery has been made. The scene of the discovery is a guily, the reef cropping out on each side, and passing under the bed of the creek which flows between. The percentage of copper we understand to be estimated at from 25 to 30 per cent. The chief cafliculty that will have to be contended against is the carriage, packing being at present the only mode of conveyance, which we need hardly state is out of the question when anything inferior to gold itself is concerned. To request the Government to make a road passable tor drays, is a mere waste of time; for when they grudge a track to the Silden Shotover, the residents of Moke aud oonlight may rest assured they will not grant them such a road—even a pack track being one of the things of the future for that rich and populous district. However, fortunately in the present case, it is possible to do without our Provincial Macgrabs, the construction of a tramway to the Lake being easy. Should a few energetic and determined individuals combinesuch, for example, as those who are engaged in the gigantic task of turning the Shotover—we have no doubt that the result would be alike advantageous to the district aud the proprietors. We indulged in the hope—not unreasonably perhaps—that after the promise of the Government and Mr. Pyke, relative to roads, that when they were taken in hand something would be produced that would entitle them to the thanks of the community they had so long neglected, and which would be a credit to the contractor and to the district. We are sorry to say, however, that the parsimony which has so long been the disgrace of Otago prevailed over tae oftreiterated appeals, remonstrances aud demands of our people; and they have only succeeded in effecting a bungle in what they have undertaken, while half of their promises have shared the fate of that notable simile—a pie-crust. In the category of the first may be mentioned the road from Queeustownto Skipper's, the characteristic of the new track is bog, morass, and quagmire; and that not from any shortcoming on the part of the contractor or surveyor, but from the stinginess of our rulers. Fancy the munificent grant of £7OO to accomplish thirty miles of a

mountain road! Why, in a level country such a sum would not be sufficient; and how far can we expect it to go in forming even an ordinary passable track through this rugged and difficult country? God knows we do not ask Lr much, but this is very like asking for bread and receiving a stone. As we said before— we do not blame the contractor; he has done his best, but the cheese-paring economy of Government has nullified all his exertions. Then, again, j from Qui e;;stown to Aithur's Point, what < should we think of £4OO for a road? No one ! can gainsay that what has been done, has been j done well, but half the track is unfinished for I want of funds. Action must be taken in the j matter, or we shall be left in the present plight j till doomsday. And where is the promised dray j road to Frankton f Echo answers—where it j will be till the Government are forced by an j unanimous appeal from the miners to the General Assembly to grant some attention to our most necessary requirements. j The visit of Mr. Tom Fawcett to Dunedin has I not been without beneficial results, if we may judge by the names ho has submitted to the i public as comprising his company. The firtt | instalment of the artistes engaged having now j arrived, the opening of the dramatic " season" j is announced for this evening, when will be per- j formed the comedietta < f " Delicate Ground," and the farces of the " Hough Diamond," and "the Spectre Bridegroom." Our readers will j perceive that the characteristic of these pieces is ! •• lightness"— nothing heavy or sensational beiug J attempted. In this we think Mr. Fawcett has ! shown commendable discrimination, for, though j such trifles are scarcely calculated to show his | company off to any great. advantage, yet the j gratification of the audience will surely be better i attained by a side-splitting farce or sparkling I comedy, than by condemning them to yawn I through some lumbering five-act tragedy or drama. Not that we would condemn either the i one or the other, but time is essentially necessary j for the satisfactory production of such pieces; and we have no doubt that when the multitudinous preparations incidental to establishing a j theatre are verging towards completion, the lovers of the heavier drama will have their wishes fully gratified by Mr. Fawcett, who deserves the best support, the township can render him for his exertions and enterprise. An accident which might have been attended with serious consequences occurred on the evening of Thursday last, which was, as our readers may recollect, very stormy and cold. The boat ''Royal Bride," from Kingston, had arrived to within five hundred yards of the buoy, when, in the act of jibing, a sudden and violent gust of wind laid her on her beam ends, and precipitated her occupants into the Lake. They managed to scramble to the boat again, and.clung for their lives, cooeying ali the while, The disagreeable and perilous position of the three men, thus immersed in the icy water of the lake, and night drawing on apace, was first observed by some ; men on the terrace behind Beach-street, who ! gave the alarm. The Young America and the | police boat dashed out to the rescue, and speedily ] relieved the sufferers, whose exertions to sustain j themselves were almost paralysed by the cold. J The boat was afterwards towed in by the Young America. She had a heavy cargo of flour, to acoo And other goods, and we understand her loss is limitid to two boxes of tobacco. Mr. Cook of Kingston, was a passenger at the time of the accident. Thursday was a day appointed for the final meeting of the present Hospital Committee at i Frankton, before the assumption of office of the | gentlemen who may be legally elected, according . to the Ordinance, at the meeting appointed byij the Government to take place iu this town on the Ist proximo. Owing, doubtless, to the stata of the weather, there was at the time appointed a " beggar.y account of empty benches," the only j gentlemen present being Mr. Healy, from the j Twi lve-mile, Arrow, and Dr. Douglas, from the ' Arrow township. Keally, while making every allowance on the scoie of rain, wind, and snow, we certainly must condemn the apathy displayed by those members of the committee resident in i Queenstown, as compared with the conduct of j Messrs. Healy and Douglas, the former of whom walked to Frankton in spite of the weather for j this especial purpose. By the bye, the Arrow ; folks are greatly put out and scandalized at, Queenstown being the place of meeting appoint-1 ed by the Government, and truth to say they have reason to grumble ; as Frankton would be nearly as well for us as Queenstown itse f, and would cut off eight miles in the journey of the Arrowites—going and returning. We must beg the Government, in addition, not to appoint' Queenstown again as the locale for a district meeting, especially if it be intended as a compliment, for it is all laid on our shoulders—and tl undorhand work " is coupled with the names of our townspeople in a matter far more emphatic than flattering. This announcement has "sot , their hacks up," and we should not be surprised ( if mutual ill-feeling were the results or this trifling faux pas.