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Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 68, 23 December 1863, Page 4

Two meetings—viz., the Church of England Committee and the Wakatip Kegatta— both lapsed on Monday last. The Jockey Club held a protracted meeting, lasting till 2 a.m., arranged a programme (which will be foui.d in full in our adverti>ing co u uns) and arranged all the necessary preliminaries. It was agreed to write to his Hoimr ihe -Superintendent to intimate the d-i'e of the race m < (W'h and 15 h January), and invite hiui to pulronize it by hi* pro icaoe.

The late rush to the Nevis seems to be a thorough failure, and all who have returned stigmatize it in the most emphatic manner as a shicer of the first class. On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, strings of heavily-swagged diggers were steadily plodding here from Frankton, and from these we learn that none but the pros* pectors were doing any good, and their success may be attributed merely to their dropping on to a patch. It is with pleasure that we notice the continued and increasing efficiency of the " Alexandra" steamer, sue being now without a doubt the swiftest and best craft on the Lake. None who did not actually behold the transformation could believe that tlie present powerful, smart, and comfortable steamer bore any relationship to the slow and wheezy 41 Nugget" of former days* with ail her mishaps and discomforts. On the score i f punctuality, tuo, commendation is well deserved, that being the chief drawback to the efficiency of the other steamers. As an instance of the improved speed of the " Alexaudra," we may note that she steamed from Kingston to Queenstown on Monday last, against a head wind, in two hours and forty minutes—the shortest time, we uelieve in which the journey has yet been accomplished. We sincerely hope that, as she increases in public favor, as she must do, the enterprise and energy of her proprietors will meet with their deserved reward.

The preseut season of festivity seems not to be entirely forgotten up here, despite the dulness of trade and the de pressing influences of the bad weather and consequent floods with which we have been lately so plentifully treated. The regatta has been postponed, the races have shared the same fate, and the Caledonian gatherings (that veritable "Thistle Nuisance," as an irreverent Victorian once remarked) seem to be conhncd to Dunedin and Invercargill—but yet we shall not be without some sport to honor old Christmas with. The proprietors of the " Royal' 1 and •'Commercial" have both issued programmes, by which it appears that Old English Games will take piace at their respective houses, which will be at least productive of enough laughter and amusement.

We are informed that a delay has arisen in granting the site of the race course to the Wakatip Jockey Club, in consequence of Mr. Beetham, the R.M., considering the site too near the Hospital. The Grand Stand and booths are about a .mile distant, and the course about a quarter of a mile from the building. Under such circumstances it is difficult to understand why obstacles should be thrown in ihe way, par. ticulany when the limited time for the races taking place is considered, and that the Provincial Secretary has, according to the minutes and correspondence, given a piece of land. On Monday two diggers were sitting in their lent, situate near the Big Beach, eating their dinner, when a large piece of rock fell from the hill above, dashing the tent to pieces. Providentially the men escaped uninjured. We beg to call the attention of our readers to the communication of Mr. Manders relative to the discovery ot limestone at the Lake; as should such turn out to be a fact, its importance to this district is undoubtedly very great. Mr Thomas Fawcett, with that liberality which has characterised his management of the Theatre Royal, has offered a Benefit to the Wakatip Jockey Ciub. The evening appointed for the performance is New Year's Eve, the 31st Dec. Amateurs connected with the Ciub, who will assist in the entertainment, are requested to send in their names either to Mr Fawcett or the hon. secretary, Mr Manders. In another column will be found a report in extenso, of a case interesting to our commercial community. some pains in this case to publish the full evidence, as it affects the commercial interests at large. Opinions upon the subject are divided, and certainly the decision given by Mr Beetham places very heavy responsibilit'es upon carrying agents who undertake to deliver goods in Queenstown. The evidence given by the plaintiff's agent for Messrs Pickford and Co, it will be seen, establishes the fact of the Lake freightage, in good order, of goods, and upon safe delivery being ensured, though nothing is said in the carrier's way-bill about the same We commend the perusal of our report to those in the habit of receiving goods. An accident happened last night to the s.s. «' Expert," which might have entailed seiious consequences, had we been favored with one of those furious gales that have been so prevalent of late. When off Half-way Bay, the shaft of her screw bioke, and it was with great diffi that she got up to Qjeenstow arriving off toe buoy about midnight. Finding she cou.d not enter the bay, tin; whistle was sounded, but some time e.apsed before any assistance was rendered, nothing of her real ond.tion being surmised. At length Captain Ponting, of the "Wakatip" rowed out iu a dingy, and eventually succeeded in bringing her safely to Queenstown.

The Daily Telegraph, on the subject of cricket in a recent issue, says—"We have been privately informed of a tremendous score recently made in Sydney, by Mr Gilbert, the total being 118! It was obtained in a match with the Prince Albert Club, and against good bowling. This acknowledged best gentleman player in New South Wales, is a cousin of the well known Otago settler, Mr Rees, of Wakatip, himself no mean performer with the " leather and willow." We understand that a reply has been returned to the Petition of the miners of the Upper Shotover for the re-appointment of Mr Wardtn Williamson to that ft Id, to the effect that previous to the receipt of the Petition the Government had made arrangements for the return of that officer to the Upper Shotover as soon as he f could be released from his duties at the West Taieri goldfield. We have been informed on excellent authority of an instance of the richness of some of the claims on the Shotover. Out of Campbell's claim at Maori Point, oir informant says a billyful of gold was taken—the result of three days' work. While instances of success such as this are adduced, there can be no doubt in any sane person's mind of the eminence of the Wakatip as a goidfield. We have been requested to draw attention to the sale of spirits by Mr Harris, this day, at the Commercial Sale Rooms. We notice that the " Wakatip" steamer is advertised for charter during the Christmas Holidays, and in the absence of any arrangements for a public excursion on the Lake, we think it advisable to hint at the desirability of securing this roomy and comfortable vessel for a pleasure trip—a purpose for which she is so well auapted. It is gratifying to observe that the ,l Wakatip" has at length fallen into hands that seem qualified to manage her to advantage, for it is a great pity that the pubiic should lose the services of such a useful boat.