THE LAKE DISTRICT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 669, 9 February 1864, Page 6

THE LAKE DISTRICT.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDS!?!!.) - His Honor the Superintendent, accompanied ,; ''D'ythe Commissioner of Police, arrived at the - "\V Arrow townshig on tie evening of the Ist in3t., ." ■'"- andwwars r entertained at a sumptuous banquet, X given i)y-thß principal inhabitants, at Ihe New , Orleans Hotel. Owing to some misunderstand- >'"' ing of the usual eti'/ueUe in these matters, the ■'.<, . compliment of a ticket was not extended to the ''■ press. It is only in my power therefore to state that the proceedings went off mas? agree ably, and that His Honor expressedf^nfmself greatly pleased with the cordiality of his reception In the township. Early on the m rning of the 2nd February, his Honor received the dep^itatiun from the' Twelve Mile, consisting of ■* Messrs "SeanJan, Canoonan, and M'Dougall, ;' - - who presented and read the following address : — ■ fTp His Honor the Superintendent of the \<;-,. '"i,. Province of Otago. ■jl. " We, the undersigned miners an! residents on the Tyelva Mile Creek, Arrow district, availing ' ourselves of the opportunity of your presence in '~ , the district,'beg respectfully to briag under your notice r; some of our most urgent requirements, - as, embodied in the following memorial, and ' '/i , which we trust will obtain your favorable con--1 \ ,L:. sideration, and also that of yeur Honor's Govern- ," " menti As the miners and inhibitantsof one of the

most important gold producing districts in this Province, we submit that we hive a right to '_ -expect that your Honor's. Government should ■£'.*' adopt some measures tor making more easily acgjji cessiblfi our commun:cation&with the other and ]f.'.'-\ more central gold fields. We regret that -we are U.V;-compelled to express our disappointment that ' " hitherto all our moderate demands on your '•. . 'Bailor's Government have met with no res- '; ,\-ponse save a few vague and unsatisfactory -%s . promises; even our most urgent requirement, , ' namely, the formation of a bridle track between this place and the Arrow has not been commenced, and the continual expense entailed on us bjgthe high rate of carriage on our dangerous mountain tracks, is burthensoma and excessive, more than we as harcfworHog■ miners cught to bear. We therefore most earnestly request that you will see the necessity of at once commenoing the formation of a good bridle track between this place and the Arrow township, for the following reasons :— *' In a few months, it may be only creeks, the - season will have passed away in which the work can be oheaply and efficiently done, and if not done before the approach of winter it will.then be: v impossible thaVlt can'be done; the surface of the country in the mountainous distiict being deeply covered with snow and hardened by the severe frosts which prevail at that season of the %/t, year many of us, having great ji>-V faith in the resources of the district, will, through the high rate of carriage on the necessaries of ' life, be compelled to leave it for a more genial and favored country. Also the important and gigantic works now completed and in course of construction in this locality, we consider have a right to be fostered by your Honor's Government ; and likewise we consider that the inhabitants of the district have for the last 12 months contributed an equal if not a largeramount to the revenue of this province than any other gold producing district of equal area on the gold fields of Otaeo, and on which there has not been yet a shilling expended. We also consider that the connection of the road by way of the Kawaiau, which is to connect Queenstown with Dunediu without coming by way of the Arrow, will be a aerious loss and injustice to us and to all the residents and miners on the Upper Shotover and Arrow dis rictsj we having to pay Li to L6 a ton additional on all goods required, which would be avoided were our supplies landed at the Ar row instead of being taken on to Queenstown and then carried back to the Arrow again. In conclusion, we beg to express a hope that you will, as a'so your Honor's Government, favorably consider and promptly grant the request of your humble petitioners as mentioned above.'"

His Honor, in roply, thanked the deputation for tho candor nnd good feeling which characterised their address, demands urged with such eood sense and courtesy would always meet his earnest attention. With regard to the bridle track to the Arrow township, he siw the necessity of its immediate formation, and had already issued instructions to Mr Wright, the surveyor, to at once put the matter in hand. ■ ■ Mr Scoula'r observed that-as a oona fide miner he could assure his Honor that they thought him the ri°-ht man inthe right place, and fully appre dated his coming and seeing for himself what they (the miners) wanted He was a good fellow, and they were thoroughly pleased with him. Mr M'Poueall would tel his Honor that the news he should take ba"k as to the bidle track would be very welcome indeed to the residents at the Twelve Mile. He begged to thank his Honor foigthe groat courtesy with whioh the deputation had been received, and for the attention which had been paid to their statements. The deputation then withdrew, and his Honor left almost immediately for the Dunstan, having won golden opinions from all the inhabitants of the district. Information has reached me this evening (3rd FehruaryWhat a lead ot gold has been discovered in tljpSardrona Valley, at Butcher's Creek, a distance of squie eighteen miles from the township.|lNoiirfj^nggnews of importance from the Arroflfpireat %f&iety is manifested to test the ground above the Falls, and seMral parties .havefien invifed to assist in bottonffi|£a paddock iiunKifcy the Perseverance Company, who were Ithe pioneers of this part of the river •• if gold is struckUfat-all payable quantities there will be a i,revivatWgood earnest in the district, someIthing'like&xush to this partiojl||lDeKlity. # ' On SatuWay morning his Htttftfr the Superintendent, accompanied by Mr Warden and an escort of police, arrived at Arthur's Point *en route to the Upper Shotover. The address IcommuDicated already tv your columns was presented and read by Mr Charles Harris. His Honor returned the following reply : - :■&;■ " Gentlemen—l accept and reciprocate your expressions of congratulation on this my first visit to your district lam aware that many of yourselves and of the residents in th-s district some time since signed and forwarded to his_Excellency the Governor a memorial setting forth the inconvj|||lce to which you have been subjected, as aJ^pSrtain grievances which you considered entitled you to demand that the administration of the gold fields should be transferred to the General Government of New Zealand. _ It is neither my business nor my intention to dispute your perfect right to adopt that particular, mo'e of procedure, although I may be permitted to remark that I doubt very much the efficacy of the remedy you propose for. past and existing evils, even if that remedy '.could be applied. To the Superintendent of this Province indmduallj, the transfer of Gold Fields' Administration to the General Government would be a release from much anxiety and responsibility; but whether those immediately interested in that administra < tion .waHldJlicperierice \a corresponding relief, or be oefffntteffby. being governed from Auckland; |rathe^&ix■', DuneliL is an undetermined fues?tion^^PlSouid'Bail.been silent on the subject hadlnot"allusloa- been made to it in the address which you have done me the honor to present; and all I would wish further to say is, that the action you have taken will not prevent me from using ray best endeavors to promote, by every means in my power, ihe interests and prosperity of this and the other mining districts of the Province. . . ■■.■'■"■'

" It is the intention of the Government to proceed with all possible despatch with the trunk road from Dunedin to the Lakes. The precise direction which the road, will in many places take must, of course, depend to a greatexlent oa the recommendation of competent engineers. At the same time, my own opinion inclines me to think that'however necessiry a road from Queenstown to Frankton mny be, it will be pssential that the main road itself should, if possible, bs carried to Queenstown by way of the Arrow aud Arthur's Point.;.. '.. ..-..; .', ,; ■■: ■: ■ : -:: .-.* ■

"Steps are being taken to procure approxi niate estimates of the cost of contructing available bridle tracks to the XTpper SHotover and other localities, in order Ithat these works may be proceeded with, should it be found that they can be constructedwiththe means at the disposal of the Government. , - ;

i -"It will probably be satisfactory to you to i learn that,l haye,determined,to appoint an additional: Warden for the district, in order that the inconvenience which arises from so much of the 1 time of the present, Warden being taken up with ! magisterial case 9 may be removed. "The attention of .the General Government was called several months ago to the necessity of ■establishing for the gold fields Judicial^ Courts, • with extended jurisdiction j and I am informed that the appointment of an additional Judge will jshortly be made.; ! "In order to ascertain to what extent an ■amendment of the present mining rules and regulations is desirable, I propose to commission a duly qualified officer to proceed to the different gold :fields of the Province, to confer with the miners, or with such delegates as Ithey may choose to represent them on the subject. ■ , : •' The Dropriefcy of appointing a responsible : minister for the gold' fields was discussed by the. Provincial Council during its last session, and decided against. Should the question be again jraised in this ensuing session, and should the jprincipal objections which present themselves to such sn appointment app.eac capable of re,moval,; I shall urge no objection to its being" made.--'' -\ :: '-'-■. ■■' t ' '"" -.." ; ' : .",.'. -' ' " With rference to pecuniary rewards for the discoVery of extensive gild fields, the Government have on more than one occasion recognised the claims of tho->e who have discovered and opened up new and important workiogs, and. there is e»ery reason, to believe that any future well, founded'claim will be respected. : " In conclusion, allow me to assure you that the Government desire to distribute the revenue of the Province with justice and equity, and to see,, aa the result of. their lab^or and yours, the prosperity and advancement of the Province.

" J. Hydh Harris, " Superintendent."