THE LAKE COUNTRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 384, 14 March 1863, Page 5

THE LAKE COUNTRY.

(FttOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

March IDLIi, ]BS3,

After ai absence nf some duration I revisited the Arrow or Fox's portion of the district. The town showed no signs of improvement, and presented the same poor appearance sn when fii-st sketched. Every oue appears contented to drug on "us they weiv.' 'I his is a great drawback, for the Arrow is so excellent a centre that had the dear anJ nasty pack hora c system not been the only resource through which supplies could be obtained, it must huve taken a much higher position, and its buildings improved in a proportionate ratio. The evils a pack hor.se means of comruunicition solely, does to tlu enterprise of a commercial depot, is seen there protrayed. Th c whole time and energy of the traders seems to be devoted in finding th<; horde first, -nd then afterwards in getting iv supplies with the greatest expenditure of time and labour. Business U therefore done on 1 lie roughest system, and the stores pre always only partially stoske.l and very rough. Neither hive tlie hotels improved, the exception being the New Orleans Hotel, to which bed rooni-t, and a billiard table, brought iv at a frightful expenditure of time und money has been added. livery t1 ing is still rough, beds on the ttble or floor beinsr the general rule so for as 1 have observed. _ The tables (ire little better, and the viands both uninviting and ill served— tinwarj being the " plate" in use. Atided to this there is a want of "tone," and the miners visiting the town follow the examp'e before them and study little ceremony in th>-.ir expressions and conduct. While (jucenstowu has advanced, the Arrow has remainf d stationary. The road now cutting frnui Frnnkton to the Arrow Township will in another mouth open up dray traffic, when it is to be expected some changes will take place. Some of the leading traders at Queenstown and Frankton will have to put up branch houses, and with a superior class of bnildings, better stocked stoivs, aud nn infusion of fresb blood, an improvement may be looked for. It cannot arrive too soon. The formation of a new mining district, with an independent Warden, will tend to another beneiicial change, and. perhaps before long the picture that may be presented through your columns will be one of an entirely different aspect—the changes on a gold field being so rapid. In mining news, this quarter presents very little novelty', the gold conies in more slowly, and many are leaving for other rushes, but the prosperity is still good. On the flat several companies are at work, with water wlieJs going day aud night. Very little of the real bottom lias yet been obtained, but most are washing from 16 to 26 f^et of stuff. A few ii' thesa companies are doing well, and a large one is in course of formation. Before six months are over a much greater space of ground will be in work, as the prices of goods are falling sufficiently low to induce raeu to cuter into co-operative as3< cifttions on a larger scale than heretofore, and the richer ground being well occupied also helps to the working of ground at first neglected. Tunnelling operations and terrace working* are rapidly advancing and increasing in number, and my earlier anticipaiims regarding their value and productiveness are already in course of verilication. Tlie terracas and made hills arc so numerous and extensive throughout the district, that now the first mania is pa-it, they will be constantly employing a large population. They present this one feature, that if not ; so valuable aa the ii:h bar and beach workings of the rivers and c. eeks, they are more permanent, and not so rapidly worked out, and give a steady and certain return. These returns range from LI to 10s a man per day for those at present iv work. The other portions of the district remain as before. Tlie Arrow still contributes two-thirds of the gold to the escort, though a good deal of it belongs to the Shotover, the Twelve Miles, Stoney. and Skipper's Creeks,—to which places the roads are better than from Queenstown. I have not been able lately to obtain the averages of the miners' deposits, which, though smaller in amounts, arising trom frequent periodical deposits, siill comprise the bulk of the gol.l forwarded by escort. On the whole, the Arrow portion still wears a promising appearance, and is pro during a large amount of gold. Mauy miners are selling pretty freely, however, for the purpose of laying in stocks of provisions preparatory to being locked in for the winter on the rivers and creeks.

The Government officers have not their time so busily engaged as before, and Mr Wood is able to be away on leave of absence without creating serious contusion. With the Wnrden appointed for the Arrow on the spot, and the numerous other officials now on the ground, very little room for complaint will be found to exist. Except in the distant back diggings which cannot be worked without great trouble, order has generally prevailed, aud the contrast of the last fortnight with the previous two months is a most pleasing and satisfactory feature, to notice. At the Arrow Sergeant Lyuch anil his staff have done a great deal of good, and restored a disorganised district into peace and comparative security. The change is so perceptible that it is worthy of remark; though as a general rule, I do not believe that it is the proper sphere of a correspondent to take notice of the action of officials who simply perform the functions entrusted to them. Queens'town is also most orderly, and Sub-inspector Bayley has charge of the entire district. Two new rushes have taken place, one to a spot near the junction of the Kiwarau with the Arrow, but nothing very definite is known of it, or whether it is really payable. A good many parties are out prospecting on the Kawarau side of the Mount Remarkable Ranges, and probably before long something will be made known in this direction of a satisfactory nature. The other is a rush to the head of the Lake again, in two distinct places—one is a creek or river nearly as large as the Arrow, between the Twenty-five Miles and Rees' River; and the other is two miles from Mr llees' Out-Station, on his northern rum, and on this side of it. In both places the country is very precipitous, and presents many difficulties. Wood and game are plentiful, and though the gold lies very scattered and pa'chy it is exceedingly rich in places, and many are making pounds weight per day. In some spots the sinking is eighteen feet, and in others^ the gold is scraped from the rock. As observed in a previous communication there is no fine gold, and the tin- i dish, pick and shovel are the only articles the miner needs, except a rope to descend the almost perpendicular rocks, The gold is found chiefly in pockets'! and crevices on a slaty formation. Since my last visit to the head of the Lake this part has assumed so much importance that I intend to make another and mom complete examination of it in a few days. As anticipated, this locality is now being supplied with stores direct from Kingston, and several storekeepers have established themselves at the foot of the various workings near to the Lake. The district is also looked upon as a good winter diggings, aud it is stated that the snow does not here descend into the valleys to any amount, or block_ up communication. A large portion ot these diggings are upon what is known as Mr Ree's northern or winter run, which speaks for the assertion made about their being worked during the ensuing season. On the Rees, Dart and Greenstone rivers many nre working, and the accounts from the lar North-West as it is styled are good. Some of the reports are fabulous but require confirmation, but it will bo my object to personally obtain satisfactory assurances on these points during my visit to these several places. The people of Queeustown are quite jubilant at this constant extension in this direction, and as very few return of those who go up, a large amount of ground must be opened up since my last visit in this direction. • Mr M'iCerrow and his staff are here, continuing the survey of the Lake, aud are now camped with their boat at Franktou. Their report will be full ot interest to people here, but no information has been given on the Bpot. Vague and uncertain rumors about diggings, and fresh discoveries at Switzsrs, Te Anan Lake, Awarara River, and on Yon Templayman's run, are prevalent; but they are so indefinite, that it is impossible to make anything of them, though many parties are going in this direction. A meeting was held on the 7th for the purpose of getting up a Kegatta, and carrying out a series of athletic sports on the 17th and 18th March. Mr liees was chairman, and the following gentlemen were appointed as a committee : —Messrs Rees, Liiscasus, Helmsham, Bradshaw, Jackson, Bracken, Joyce, Brooke, and Menders. Mr Duncan was appointed hon. sec, and Mr Heeton treasurer. A hope was expressed that it would lead to the establishment of a Yachi Club. Subscriptions to the amount of L 55 were received in the room, and the greatest unanimity and enthusiasm about the affair was exhibit d. It promises to be a success iv all respects, and a dinner is also to be held. As Queeastown lias so much semi-maritime trade, a ship-chandler would find a good opening here, as many things are wanted not otherwise procurable except in an establishment of this kind. As the district is developed, the shipping or boating trade will increase. The steamer built on the Lake was launched yesterday, and tliis makes number two; the other one-.the Victoria—will shortly be realy. Freights have, with competition, fallen from L'l2 and Lj.s n ton to L 3, but the passenger traffic is very large. Amusements are a tljins tba people of Queenstown go in largely far, and in addition to those previously noted, Thatcher and Madame Vitelli commenced a campaign on Thursday. His local songs have taken exceedingly well, and he has already attacked two grievances irrespective of the persons concerned in the matter, viz;., the prioe given for gold^ advising the

miners to depo-it and take it away, and the other the meat monopoly. The Invereargill escort has also been mndc the wihj ofc of merriment, and has taken well. Mr Hei-s has cuu.e in for some hard hit», and the sohgi draw crowded houses nightly. He is singing at element's Tneatie ltoyal, and t >c house accommodates upwards of four hundred. Tim "All Nations" oj.ens next week with another company, so that c* cryUiing is very pray and lively. Tiie escort was to start to-day, find will take down about 9,000 ozs. It has been impossible lately to anticipate within a couple of thousand ounce* the amount. In one iustauc •I he escort closed leaving behind a Ir.rgo parcel uf 2,000 ovs, which reduced my estimate ; in the last case it remained open two dsiys linger than the usual time, which again increased the amount by an ejual &urn. All endeavours of your correspondent to correctly anticipate the last two esorts have for tlipsa reason* failed. The present escort is only the result of five days, the la-t one having encroached up in the present one.

The usual market's reports are enclosed, together with Mr Welsh's gold venort, & fine sample' of auriferous quartz, obtained from What the men state to be a defi.u-d rest", sirail :r in formation to those of Victoria, is herewith forwarded. The reef or leader is very narrow, about eight inches wide, but is represented to be auriferous throughout. The locality has not been made known.