THE ARROW.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 62, 2 December 1863, Page 6

THE ARROW.

(from our own correspondent.) November 27. The miners here have become somewhat un. settled of late in their movements, owing to the many yagre and contradictory reports in circulation as to the discovery of a new goldfield in or near this district. The left hand branch of the Shotover, Skipper's Gully, and Moke Creek have all been mentioned in turn as the scene of the alleged discovery; but up to the present date, very few individuals, if any, are in possession of reliable information as to its exact whereabouts ; the rumors have, however, caused excitement sufficient to induce several parties to leave this neighborhood on prospecting expeditions, the majority of them being well equipped and carrying two months' supply of provisions. The public generally seem sanguine as to the speedy opening up of new ground now the summer hat fairly set in, and even should the present reported discovery prove but a myth, it will have one good result in causing localities as yet untried to be fairly prospected. From Lake Wanaka, good accounts are stil* received, there being about 200 men at work who are reported as generally doing well. The nearest point of the diggings is about 15 miles from the Twelve-mile Gully, and may be easily reached by following the leading range towards the head of the Arrow River. Claims on the Arrow River are rapidly increasing in value ; another share in the Alabama claim has been sold for £l2O, and the purchaser has been offered a liberal advance for his bargain. A claim near Beales' store worked by four men, has yielded 2980z5. from four small paddocks, and on a sixteenth sleeping share in a neighboring claim the owner has realised £44 clear, as a dividend for the last month. The first claim up the River on the Big Beach was bottomed on Thursday, and yielded 41bs. weight of gold for half a day's work. At the New Chum and Eight-mile Gullies applications have been made for extended claims on ground partially worked at the commencement of the winter, but all abandoned on account of floods. The few miners at work on the Gentle Anni© are reported as making more than average • wages ; some splendid specimens of gold obtained in that neighborhood are now on view at Hetherington's store. December 1. Thursday last was a red letter day in the annals of our quiet little township, the usual every day dull routine being agreeably diversified by our newly formed cricket club playing their opening match between two elevens selected from the members of the club. The weather being beautifully fine and no particular business demands pressing on our townsmen, there was a numerous body of spectators on the ground who watched the progress of the game with untiring interest; a refreshment tent and room for the committee was erected and a capital attraction afforded the company by the presence of the Tourist brass band who enlivened the scene at intervals by discoursing really good music. The wickets were pitched about 1 p.m., and sides chosen by the captains, Messrs. Ferryman and C. Mace ; Perryman having won the toss went in with Harry Mace and they led off the game with a score of 12 and 15 runs respectively, Perryman being at last cleveriy caught out by Garforth. Some very fair practice was then shewn on both sides and the last wicket fell with a score of 73. C. Mace theu led off with a score of 5 and was seconded by Monaghan who was quickly bowled out by Perryman, who with H. Mace made short work of the remaining men, the wickets falling in rapid succession, Mason carrying out his bat; the total score for the innings being 30. In the second innings Perryman, H. Mace, and Preshaw again made a capital lead, Mace commencing his score with 4 runs and Preshaw with five runs off the bat, the innings closing with a score of 60 against which the other side only obtained 41 ; PeiTyman's side thus winning by their first innings with two runs to spare. C. Mace played at an evident disadvantage, bis team being nearly all colts ; the ground was by no means in good order, having become considerably baked by the intense beat of the last few days and many of the players on both sides being almost novices in the art of wielding the willow, the score can be hardly taken as affording a fair criterion of what the club will be able to do after a little more practice. At the Prince of Wales Theatre on Saturday evening, a so-called theatrical company gave a miscellaneous entertainment, in which an individual rejoicing in the grandiloquent nomdeguerre of Signor Dunvarni Barnetti essayed to play the leading characters. The audience good numouredly sat out the performance, apparently encouraged thereto by the efforts of the band in attendance, whose skilful rendering of many popular airs was the one redeeming feature of the evening's amusement. The room was well filled, and doubtless a series of entertainments of a better class would be liberally patronized. A decision has been given by J. S. Hickson, Esq., in the case of Rout v. Kerr, brought before the Arrow Court on the 21st October last for recovery of £2O for damage done to goods by capsizing of the boat Royal Bride on Lake Wakatip, and for value of certain articles lost whilst in defendant's possession. The plaintiff obtained a verdict for £l3 ss. 6d., and 10s. costs, value of goods lost, but failed to produce sufficient evidence to prove that the accident actually arose from any carelessness on the part of defendant.