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Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1515, 15 January 1886, Page 2

News was received iu town this afternoon that a Chinaman sluicing at the 12-mile, Lake, was smothered by a fall of earth. Poor John's two mates never attempted to extricate him, but came ami information to the police. We hear that the Church of England (Arrow) picnic at Mr John Butel's farm to-morrow promises to be a great success (weather permitting). The committee have issued a larue number of invitations.

Dr Douglas purposes taking a trip to Stewart Island on Monday for the henctit of his health. During his absence (about ten days) Dr Donaldson, of the Arrow, has consented to act as his locum tenem.

Some rather cold and rainy weather on Monday is the only break that has occurred in the present hot season Yesterday the thermometer was !2odeg. Fahrenheit in the sun and over 90 in shade. The last portion of material (some belting) for the elective works of the Phcenix mine was despatched from here on Wednesday, and it is stated that the machinery will be completed and formally started in about a fortnight. Duriug the week Mr Ranger Mackin has turned out in the Town Creek about 90,000 trout fry. Mr Mackenzie, a fisherman and settler, has also turned out in creeks at Sunnyside Station some 7000 from the hatching ponds. About 30,000 young fry still remain for Southland or other wants. The Lake Society has thus dme some good. Fortunately, they cannot poison fish for the sake of a pound of wool, but singing birds, quail, hares, etc., have been almost exterminated by our sheep farmers, but without putting down " bunny." On Friday last, Queenstown had a provideutal escape from what would probably have been a most disastrous fire. It appears that, at about 1 p.m., Mr S. Bone saw smoke issuing from the back stalls of Mr Mullis' Harp of Erin livery stables. He gave the alarm immediately to Mr Mullis, living near, who rushed into the stables and temporarily checked the flames by throwing some horse covers over the burning Btraw, whilst Bone screwed on the hose, which was soon brought into play aud the fire put out. Mr Mullis states that had the accident been discovered a few minutes Liter—or the water supply been unavailable—it would have lieen impossible to prevent the destruction of the stables, . and with them must have gone that large block, ! the Harp of Erin Hotel and other wooden buildings, j as half the town was deserted by pleasure-seekers at the races. There is no accounting for the acci- j dent, except on the supposition that some person on leaving the closet close by bad thrown a lighted i ousch into U» stable. 1