Local News and Notes.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 64, 9 December 1863, Page 4

Local News and Notes.

The Ancient Order of Foresters opened their Court on Monday last at the Camp Hotel, when a goodly number of brethren assembled. Officers were elected, and the usual routine of business was conducted in a most orderly and praiseworthy manner: twenty-aix were proposed to become brethren of this ancient fraternity on their next Court night, viz: on .hursday, the 10th inst. We may remark that I)r Anderson wus duly initiated as an honorary member, being the first who has undergone the ceremony in this town.

The lay reader of the Church of England, R. Beethara, Esq., announced from the readingdesk, on Sunday evening last, that an authorised Minister of the Church would hold the services on the ensuing Sunday, the 13th instant, when those desirous of joiniug in the Communion Services, the baptism, &c., would find an opportunity of doing so. The Adjourned General Committee Meeting of the Wakatip Hospital did not take place yesterday, as a quorum could not be found. The next meeting is to be held on the 16th inst. The Stewards of the Wakatip Jockey Club met last evening. The business transacted was very trivial: Messrs. Elliot, Bracken, Allert and Callaghnn, with power to add to their numher, were appointed to select a suitable site for a race course between Frankton and the Shotover. The meeting was adjourned until the return of Mr W. M. Morton, or until such period as advices regarding the drawing up of a final programme were received.

A mct ting of gentlemen desirous of forming a Yacht Club is announced to be held at the Albion Hotel on Friday evening. It would be very superfluous to mention anything in favor of such a scheme, and we hope that this second attempt will meet with more success than the first. We have no doubt there are many in Queenstown who would williugly join a movement of this kind; but to ensure success it is absolutely necessary that the management should fall into active und energetic hands. Old Victorians will doubtless recognize the following portruit, drawn by the Dunstan correspondent of the Times 11 The township of the North Pole (Carriole Ranges), consists of five stores and some twenty or thirty tents. One bt >re is kept by an ex-member of the Victorian Legislature representing a mining constituency who at one time so prized his worth that they placed golden shoes on his horse's feet, but when he arrived here he had no horse at all, and boldly mounted the hills with his swag on his twok,"

The bridge lately erected by Messrs Ryan and Bond over the Shotover is another instance of private enterprise fulfilling 1 the duties of the Government in providing proper means of communication between Queenstown and the outlying districts, and is without doubt the finest work of its kind

on the Goldfields. Hitherto, the unsafe and uncerinin ferryboat has been the only means of transit across the rapid and dangerous river, for the bridges hitherto built have all—within a comparatively short period of their erection—been swept away by the resistless floods which have characterised that river during the past winter. Although the present erection is not so convenient for those working on the beach, and who are constantly crossing and re-crossing, still it possesses a greater advantage—that of complete security from floods; for, while those first built have always been situated on the low beach, and consequently exposed to any sudden rising of the rive**, the site of the present one is at the gorge between the Point and the Big Beach, elevated perhaps sixty feet above the usual water level. It is strongly and carefully built, and has a span of 57 feet by a width of 6* feet. It is to be hoped the enterprising proprietors will derive all the advantages they deserve from their spirited and successful exertions—for, if ever bridges have been wanted at all, they have been over the Shotover.

The news from up the river docs not possess any feature calling for especial mention. We hear repeatedly of parties meeting with a degree of success that may truly be called astonishing, but generally the height of the river has much impeded mining operations. The thorough inexplicability of the weather for the past week has tended to reduce everything to a very dull state ; but with the advent of steady weather a more satisfactory order of tilings may be looked for.

We beg to direct the attention of our readers to the announcement in another column of the publication on Saturday of our usual monthly Summary of current events. Our local " knights of the willow" will be gratified to notice that a match has been arranged to be placed between the Queenstown and Arrow Cricket clubs. The Arrow has thrown down the gauntlet, and it has been determined here that no exertion shall be wanting to keep them warm at their work. The pluyers at the Arrow compiise many nnmes well known in cricketing circhs, and this fact may make the Arrowites somewhat confident ; but we have no doubt that, judging from the late practice of the Queenstown cricketers, they will meet with a foe worthy of their steel in the forthcoming friendly tournament. The match will be played on Thursday, at Queenstown.