LAKE COUNTY. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1503, 4 September 1880, Page 14

LAKE COUNTY. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

August 26th. Being now near about to bid farewell to the month of August, with which in the general course of things our winter ends, I may place upon record that in 1880 there was no winter to end— none having set in. Although last Friday asd Saturday were wet, cold, and boisteroue, we would be doing the clerk of the weather an Id justice by growling at the weather he made for us ; but nevertheless it would have been ever so much more gracious of him had he sent us timely notice of his good intentions ; for had he done so we might have turned, the opportunity to good account, whereas now everybody excuses himself for his idleness because it is winter. However, the reason of that excuse has now passed away, and nature leads the way to activity aud life. The grass is shooting, trees are budding, bleating lambs are making their feeble voices heard, birds are animated with new life, and our corn-fields look green and promitdng, so that lingering humanity must needa follow suit. The rains last week were notvery heavy id this district, and except soma iojory done to the Dunedin road between Arrowtowa and Cromwell, neither public nor private property sustained any damage worth speaking of. But the non arrival of the mail on Saturday last, on account of the collapse of the Danedin road, caused widespread disappointment on account of the failure in arrival of tbe Witness, which constitutes to a large number in this district the only connecting link with the outside world and society, and unfortunately upon the above occasion it was the missing link.

A telegram from Wellington, which appeared in last Friday's Wakatip Mail, has caused much discussion here. The telegram stated that the Warden for Wakatipu cost the country L 750 per annum (and it was hinted that the amount was even mach larger), and tbat the Clerk of the Court at Arrowtown, who kept a horse of bis own, charged the Government 15s per day every time the horse was used in its service. In the same telegram something similarly vituperous waa said of the Warden for Mount Ida. The above statements must, I am afraid, be ranked with tbat giving the cost of the fortnightly prisoner at Arrowtown Gaol at L 2837 per annum. In explanation of these and such like sensational statements, it may be mentioned that they emanate from and are launched into publicity by men who voted agaioßt the reduction of their own honorarium, and are actuated by private spleen, dragging into the mire names of unoffending gentlemen to mantle their disgraceful display of aoimesity, dealing in all that is low and contemptible to gratify their own unworthy personal feeling?. The sender of the Wakatip Mail Wellington telegrams is understood to be a member of the House of Representatives, who previously made a Royal Commission attempt— in which he failed— on the Warden for Wakatipu, and now makes clandestine use of another Commission to wreak his vengeance on the whole of the Otago Wardens, thereby showing that he does not ca«e for tbe public weal so long a3 he can satisfy his private spleen.

Mr James Webb, of Arrowtown, who is a clever taxidermist, has just completed a Bplendid scene, representing Californian quail and a pheasant. The pose of the birds is life- like and natural, and this arrangement produces a splendid effect, while the mosses and ferns adorning the fore and back grounds display much taste. The whole forms an exceedingly pleasing picture, and proves Mr Webb to be a close student of nature. If psrties who come into the possession of exceptionally fine specimens of game would forward the skins of such animal* to Mr Webb, they would, by the assistance of tbat gentleman's skilful manipulation, render valuable Feivices to natural history, illustrating the improvement or other changes which imported game may undergo under our New Zealand skies.

Mr Owens, the proprietor of the Deep Creek coal-pit, contemplates making some thoroughgoing changes in the manner of working bis valuable pit. Mr Owens lately had an opportunity of submitting samples of his coal to high authorities in such matters, and their verdict was exceedingly favourable as to its quality. One particular sample was described as in quality above what was generally classed as lignite, and closely approximating a lowclass cannei coal. With the completion of the Kawarau Bridge, and the improvements in working the mine contemplated by the proprietor, the property will be much enhanced by extending the market for the article. We are again in the midst of a mild kind of dissioation. Gill's Combination Company aud the Raphael Troupe have enlivened our dulnes3 and lightened our pockets — but not much ; and the Jennie Nye Oddities, including two Zulu giants, are to follow.