QUEENSTOWN NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22164, 18 January 1934, Page 13

QUEENSTOWN NOTES

I From Odr Own Correspondent, j QUEENSTOWN, January 16. THE WEATHER. The weather in Queenstown during the past week has been fine, with occasional light showers. There has not yet been a return to the summer heat that marked' the six or seven weeks preceding Christmas, but to-day has been warmer than it has been for some time, and there are indications of hot weather. There are still large numbers of visitors, in Queenstown, with new arrivals every day. The overseas tourists are now beginning to arrive in the district, The following are the readings taken at the Queenstown meteorological station for the seven days ended January 14.

Ost& Bar. (corrected) Dry bulb Ther. Wet bulb Tber. .Max, Ther. Min. Ther. Grass min. Ther. Rain. Sun his

ASCENT OF EARNSLAW. ' Miss Kate Gardiner, the . well-known English alpine climber, arrived in Queenstown from the Head of the Lake yesterday after an ascent of Mount Earnslaw. Miss Gardiner, in company with guides V. Williams and F. Alack, left the Earnslaw Hut in the Rees Valley at 2 a.m. on Sunday and climbed by a route slightly off the usual. Conditions were very’bad owing to the iced rocks and fresh snow, and the summit -was reached at 8.30 a.m. A severe wind was blowing and the climbers could not remain long on the top,- and by .1 o’clock they had regained tile.hut. After a two-hour spell there they set off for the hostel at Paradise—a -distance of 19 miles —carrying heavy swags, and reaching the hostel at 11 p.m. Miss Gardiner is paying her sixth visit to New Zealand, and has done a great deal of climbing in other parts of the world ‘as well as New Zealand. •• AUSTRALIAN SCOTS. The Scottish Victorian tourists,; numbering about 42, arrived in Queenstown by the Earnslaw from Kingston on Friday last and were welcomed at the wharf by the Mayor (Mr W. H. Overton) and Captain G. A. Herbert, officer-in-charge of the steamer service. Queenstown was unable to muster a pipe band, but Piper Angus Smith, of Lower Shotover, led them to their hotel, playing appropriate Scottish airs. On Saturday the delegation enjoyed a, cruise up to Elfin Bay and the Head of the Lake, palling at Walter Peak' and the islands, where the boat stopped for an hour while luncheon was served. During the luncheon hour Senator Plain expressed on behalf of his associates their warm appreciation of the hospitality that had been extended to them and of the magnificent scenery they had seen on the lake and elsewhere. Mr Overton, extended a formal, welcome to the visitors, and Mr W. M. M'llyvrick, a noted Melbourne lawyer, also spoke. The party left by'service cars-on Sunday morning for Dunedin. GOLD MINING. Three Government surveyors have arrived in Queenstown, and went up to the Branches yesterday to examine the location of the projected Branches dam on the Shotover. and to ascertain the depth of the ground. The three hydraulic claims on the Arrow River have been a good proposition for the town, and must be highly remunerative to the shareholders. The Golden Arrow had another wash-up yesterday, and for three weeks’ work had a return of over 50 ounces. It ie a nice sample of gold, some of the nuggets being nearly an ounce in weight. This claim is working just above the mouth of the Arrow Gorge. The other' two claims further up the river have also been doing well. ,

It is understood that another hydraulic claim will be starting shortly up Bush Creek from the Golden Arrow’s claim. This party has the last available water right from the irrigation pipes. Messrs J. Angelo and G. Oxenbndge, two local young men, left for Australia, early in the month for the purpose of embarking on a mining enterprise at a spot near New England, biew South Wales. This field was partly worked many years ago by Mr E. Oxenbridge, and it is believed that as a hydrauheking, proposition the prospects are good. A syndicate has been formfid to work the field. PERSONAL.

Mr and Mrs Mondy, of Dunedin, are among visitors to Queenstown. Mr H. Davies went to Dunedin yesterday . , , Misses Fitchett and Ernngton are among Dunedin visitox'S to Queenstown. Mr and Mrs. Frank Reid (Dunedin) are visiting. Queenstown. Mrs Brunton, Miss Violet Brunton, and Miss Russell, of Dunedin, are spending their holidays in Queenstown. Mr F. C. Smith, of the staff of the Christian Brothers School, Dunedin, is the guest of Mr and Mrs J. J. M Bride. Mr H. Greenwood, librarian of the Dunedin Athenaeum, and his wife and family are camping in Queenstown Mr and Mrs D. H. Cockbnrn. of Wliareliuauui, motored to Mount Cook last week and thence to Dunedin' and InvercarMr and Mrs C. Pattillo and their daughter, of Dunedin, have taken a cottage on the Eastern Terrace. . Miss Margaret Samuel, principal of the Christchurch Girls’ High School, axid Mrs Earwaker, of the Southland Girls Hign School, are visiting Queenstown. Mr and Mrs Alex. Mackenzie, Mount Nicholas Station, left for Dunedin this morning. Miss hi. Mackenzie returned from Walter Peak Station yesterday and proceeded to the south this morning. The Rev. Canon Button, vicar of St. Peter’s Church, Caversham, arrived here early in the week on holiday. He is accompanied by Mrs Button and her mother, Mrs Spedding.

Mrs J. W. M'Lean, of Coronet Peak Station, and Miss Miller M'Lean are spending a couple of weeks at St. Clair. Mr S. Craramond and J. C. Stevenson, of Dunedin, and Mr Russell Stevenson, of Waiwera, have been camping here during the holidays. Part of the time was spent at the Eglinton Valley and at Lake Wanaka

Jan. 8 30.010 54.2 50.0 74.2 42.8 34.2 12.0 9 29.050 57.0 53.4 74.8 47,6 38.4 , 12.0 11 20.880 61.0 54.8 72.8 65.0 47.8 .02 ■ 2.3 . 11 29.770 03.4 00.2 71.2 55.2 50.2 .01 6.1 12 29.558 G2.2 58.1! 71.4 54.2 48.2 .01 0.2 13 20.790 48. S 458 01.4 44.0 30.0 — 6.5 14 20.880 51.2 47.4 65.0 41.2 32.0 0.8