QUEENSTOWN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4169, 29 June 1875, Page 3

QUEENSTOWN.

(from our own correspondent. ) An old saying has it "that when things come to their worst, they must mend." This is about the state of affairs here at present, the bad times have come to an end, and something like a gleam of our ancient sunshine is forcing its way through the thick overhanging clouds of adverse circumstances that have for many months past overshadowed us. The cheering news from the reefs, together with the favourable results of some of the alluvial companies, especially in the direction of Moke Creek, has accomplished a very great deal towards in creasing public confidence, and even the most inveterate croakers are beginning to acknowledge that there ie hope for the dis trict yet. A public company for working the .Race Course Terrace, at Arthur's Point, has started into existence, and among its directory I find the names of men who. hitherto, always shrugged up their.shoulders and buttoned up their pockets, when asked to invest in a mining venture. Sterling honest names are these, not those of men who suffer themselves to appear on a prospectus for a consideration of so many paid up shares. This looks healthy, and is the best evidence of increasing confidence in the resources of the district that I e;>n offer. The farmers are also in butter spirits, their produce is fetching a better price, although there might be a further improvement; sti'l this is in some measure compensate! for in that there exists a more ready market. Likewise, with the goldminers, I should say that the star of the farmers is in the ascendant. Some few of the poor delvers in mother earth have, however, been very scurvily usid, as act;ons and threats of actions for small amounts of overdue interests, have bten levelled against them by flinty-hearted money grubbers, who, however, have not earned much respect from their fe'low-rnen for kicking the poor fellows when they were down. In wool-growing there exists almost universal prosperity, and it is a pleasure to ■ record that a considerable number of really hard-workinp, deserving men, hsvebeen very fortunate in their speculations in sheep; even in the case of the large run-holders, no one begrudges them their prosperity. We all manage to live upon very good terms with each other up here; not in the district, as yit, has there been nny rabid opposition to the squat ters, a conciliatory spirit has saved much illfeeling. In fact, when, some few years ago, it was proposed to cut up a large portion of Messrs Boyes Bros. 1 Run for settkment, it was very generally opposed by a petition to the Government, signed by all classes of society. Writing about the Messrs Boyes, it reminds me that the Kawarau Falls Station is now the sole property of Mr Charles Boyes. Mr Frank Boyes left on Tuesday last on his way to England, and a very good and accommodating neighbour is thus lost to us. A very amusing case was heard before His Honour .Judge Harvey. It was a claim made by a Queenstown wheelwright, for £72 16s 3d, for repairs to a coach which was damaged by being overturned in March last soaiowhere on theAirowFlafc, whenthedriver, MrPaisons of the firm of Ord and Parsons, was seriously injured. The plaintiff, aMrC. E. Price, who appeared through his sol'c:lor, Mr Wesley Turton, had made out .1 most ingenious list of charges, which Mr Hugh J. Finn, who

appeared for the defendant, stigmatised as a ; "swindle," but stood corrected by His1 Honour, who suggested that Mr Finn should ] substitute the word "unreasonable." The defendants paid into Court the sum of £32 j Mr Wesley Turton's case was a very >wak i one, and it tumbled to pieces before 11nvigorous onslaught of Mr Finn—lik« a liriuls wall when overthrown by an earthquake. Mr Price, after charging for all the m-ttuials, j and for working up 471b of i>on and liurnino 4 ;wt of coal over the job, then proceeded to charge 30s per day for himself and a boy. then proportionate sums for the services of a blacksm fi, other boys, apprentices, &c., until the sum total was arrived at, and at which, it is superfluous to say, Messrs Ord and Parsons took exception, although it apprared that rather than go into Court they had offered the plaintiff £50 to settle the claim A skilled witness, Mr Peter Doyle, of Frankton, estimated the full value of the repairs at £25. His Honour gave a verdict for the amount paid into Court, with £21 costs to defendants. Mr Price had so far overreached himself that, after squaring accounts with his attorney, he had os Gd lelt to himself. The fable of the oyster was almost worse than realised. Mr Henry Manders's persecution of poor bunny is causing much amusement. !"Jo one that I can find is awar« of any rabbit nuisance at all, and our M.P.C.'s conduct is therefore mysterious. There were a few rabbit* some months ago at Lake Hayes and at Frankton, but they are almost all shot now, and you may go a long while before yen can find on<\ I should fancy that there is no cha-icg of any increase now, as what are left will upon the return of Mr M and era to his home and to his constituent--, with all possible speed seek out fresh fields and pastures new. Our representative, Mr Manders, has given pretty set eral satisfaction ; both himself and Mr Hallenstein appear to have been very successful in getting money voted for the district, and if they are only as successful in procuring its being expended, we shall say tltey have done well. The coming municipal elections are beginning to excite very general at t<ntion. Mr Tims. Betts, o'ir present Mayor, will, I fanev, be the favourite. He is a thorough good business man, methodical in what he does, and a gentleman in whom the public have C'tuiMence. If he has not accomplished much, it is because he never had the opp -rtunity, as, when he took office, the tide of misfortune turned against Queenstown, and all Mr Bi-tts could do was to stem the current of events with an cmi ty exchequer Given another year, 1 thiuk he will be able to pull thn place out of the mud. If Mr J. W. Robertson comes down with his mandamus from the Supreme Court, ordering a special rate to be , struck for the repayment of his £1200. re the One Mile Creek water supply affair, it will create a little bit of confusion, as this special rate will amount to something like 3< Gd or 4s in the pound, a rather hnavy tax fir the poorer clisses of the community. There is. however, one little pirce of grim satisfaction in tlr's affair, and that is, tint Mr Robertson is the largest pro-perty-holder in the town, and h:s £1200 will buffer a vi ry serious discount. The changes of officers in the Police force Lave nffe. tfd this district, Sctgeant Pittllen, for nearly four years in charge, of this station, has been removid to Paltiurston, and is replaced by Serjeant Morton, from Clyde. The latter gentleman is an old Queenstown favourite, end was stationed here in the early part of IS<>2. Sergeant Rullen was very generally respected ; if he possessed any fault, it was that he did his dutyfaithfuily. The changes made in the distribution of officers may have certainly produced a considerable amount of inconvenience to the oiiicers themselves, who might have been permitted to shift their quarters during the summer months ; still, the exigencies of the public service must be complied with, and it is satisfactory to find carried out the recommendation of the Goldfields Committee which" sat some three or four years since in Dunedin, and which reported very strongly upon the necessity of the periodical removal of Government officials. It may appear very hard upon individuals to make these changes, but in small and isolated communities a man can be too long in them. Another thing, by periodical removals a public officer gains experience, and the country is benefited, while when he r< mains in one place he only growa rusty, and his services consequently are of less value. Parties, or cliques, as they are termed in up country districts, are difficult to avoid, or, at least, their influences are, and this makes it the more necessary that officers of the Govornmeut should not remain too long in one place. While regretting that an old and tried officer has left us, we mnst find consolation in the knowledge that the head's of the Police Department are only carrying out a system highly necessary for the well-being of the public.