LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1418, 25 January 1879, Page 18

LAKE COUNTY.

(mOM OUR OWN CORHE3PONDENT.) Were it not that from time to time incidents occur reminding us of tho late floods, we would have almost forgotten them, even while in the very act of repairing damages. Oue of those incidents happened lately to our worthy il'Lculapius, DrDougl-ts, iv tho Shofcover river, near the bite ot: the old foid. Siuce the floods, the river has shifted its bed several times, and where there is a good hard bottom to-day, tomorrow a lloe of drift saud may be found. The doctor, it ap[ ears, got into one of these, when his horse began to plunge and threw his rider. It was only with some difficulty that man and horse were got out of the river. Daring the past week we have parted with an old friend, who has long formed one of the principal joints in our commercial, social, political, and mo al backbones. Mr D. M. Mackay, who has filled the position of Manager of the Arrow branch of the Bank of New Zealand for about eight years, has left the district on leave of absence, having enjoyed 01 late but indifferent health. Mr Mackay has during his stay here, endeared himself by his urbanity and gentlemanly manners to all who came under the influence of his genial temper. The idea of a presentation having been mooted, the sum of about £120 was collected in a few days, one half of which was expended on a gold watch and chain for Mr Mackay, and a purse conbainiug the other half was presented to Mrs Mackay, to buy herself some memento according to her own choice. The presentations were made the means of highly enjoyable festivities. Mr Mackay received a handsomely illuminated address from the local Volunteers, of which he was Major, and also a like memento from the Committee of the Athenaeum, to which Mr Mackay has acted as Treasurer for many years. To these testimonies of the esteem in which he was held, there is to be added a gold locket presented by the Cadet Corps, and a beautiful regalia from the local Lodge of 1.0.0. F. We have scarcely recovered froaa the turmoil of one election, when we are threatened with another. Unhappily the state of the roll for Arrow Riding and the Local Elections Act are such, that this sorb of thing may go on until an improvement has been effected in both. Up to the present there are three applications lodged to have the second election of Arrow Riding Councillors upset. Two of these are lodged by Mr A. H. Douglas and one by Mr Wi Jenkins, and the objections to the validity of the last election are so grave that there can be little doubt that the election will be declared null and void. Much sympathy is felt for Mr M'Cracken, who has been returned twice, and riow, without any fault of his own, is dragged into a third contest. Considerable dissatisfaction is also expressed at the action of the contending parties, as by this action the Arrow Riding is virtually disfranchised, by being left without representatives in the County Council, which meet 3 every month. We are promised a musical treat of a very high order shortly. Several gentlemen, of considerable musical abilities, intend to form a Philharmonic Socieby, and are promised the assistance of a number of ladies, who have already established themselves as favourite vocalists There is plenty of talent for such |a society in this district, and it will require only some funds and a little organisation to form a very creditable combination of amateur voealisbs. That such a socieby will be a greab acquisition to our educational means, and smooth the way to the pockets of residents, when their assistance is required for some charitable or other purpose is as clear as D sharp. The [proceeds of the first concert, which is to take place about the end of the month, will bo devote - to the purchase of new music and other requisites ; it is therefore to be hoped that a good muster will respond to the call, and rally round a cause that is as pleasing as ib is useful. The lato splendid ripening weather has had a beneficial iufluence on the crops, and all those sidelings and slopes which gave no harbouring places to bhe labe rains will produce prodigiously, be ib wheab, or oabd, or grass. Bub all low lying parts of this district which have been soured by bhe unwonbed drenching, will remain barren or nearly so for bhis season ab least. I have been shown a sample of silver ore taken from a well-defined vein about four miles from Queenstown. The ore bears a close rosemblance to bhab of the Rangibobo nnue of bhe West Coast ; the find may lead up to something bangible if prosecubed. Ib 13 cerbainly well worbh looking after.