LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1927, 29 January 1891, Page 19

LAKE COUNTY.

January 24.— The crops and everything connected with them form the excitement of the hour. The time when in ordinary seasons the harvest is about to begin is approaching, and so far only few crops In favoured positions show any signs of ripeness. In the meantime the weather is very unsettled, heat and cold and wet relieving one another in quick succession. From present appearances 16 in pretty plain that there will be a late but abundant harvest. . A Caninb Case.— The question of where to register a dog was made the subject of inquiry at the magistrate's' Court at Arrowtown Jast week, before Mr Warden Wood. The case was preferred against a ■ettler, who sometimes resides at Arrowtown and sometimes upon his land a short distance from Arrowtown, by the collector of the dog tax for that borough. The Counties Act provides that dogs " shall " be registered where the owner has a place of business, and this was brought as a test case, the owner of the dog having a place of business in Arrowtown, while his dog was registered in Lake County. The defendant ia his evidence stated that he had two places of business— one in Arrowtewn consisting of a Bhop, and another upon his land— and that it was there where the dog was required and not in the shop. The magistrate held that the defendant had two places of business, and that he had registered his-dog in connection with that place of business where the dog's services were required. The case was therefore dismissed.

Fatal Accident.— On Monday last one of those sad accidents in which mining is unfortunately so prolific occurred at Moke Creek, by which Mr Thomas Lynch lost his life. The, deceased 'was bringing up a deep tail race to a paddock, and had two of his Sons (James and Owen) working with him. The three men were abont knocking off on Monday for the dinner hour, the father lingering behind inspecting the work while the two young men had left the- tail race. While, ttill in the tail race a fall of earth and stones came down, completely covering Mr Lynch, several large stones being piled about his head. James went at once to rescue bis father, sending his younger brother for assistance. By the united efforts of the neighbours the imprisoned man was released after an hour's hard work, and taken to a temporary hut close to the "work, where in two hours' afterwards he breathed his last. The formality of an inquest was gone through, find the verdict of ',' Accidental death" returned. The deceased was one of the pioneers of the district, having been located about Moke Creek for upwards of a quarter of a century. There he made bis home, got married, and reared a fine family of boys and girls, pearly all of whom are grown up His wife lurvives him, and the deceased being well known and universally respected much sympathy is felt with his widow and family. The body was buried in the Queenstown Cemetery, the Rev. Father Lynch conducting the burial rites of the Roman Catholic Ohurch at the grave.. Valedictory.- Great preparations are being made for the valedictory ceremonies on the occasion of the Rev. Donald Boss, minister of the local Presbyterian congregation, dosing a 23 years' service as the paatorof his flock Both Queenstown and Arrowtown are doing their best to make the affair a success, and the preparations in progress show the esteem in which Mr Ross is held not only by the members of his flock but also by the residents generally. Death. — Another of the early mining invaders of tiiis district has dropped off during (he past week in the person of Willlim Lawreuc. batter l<Lown as 11 Liverpool Bill," .who died on Monday last; at the Arrow Hoepibal after lingering for several mouths in a general decline. The deceased made Mftcetown his home, and there he is supposed to have worked some of the best ground ever known in the locality. Deceased leaves a married daughter in Victoria.

Presentation.— Sergeant M'Leod, stationed, for five years at Queenstown, was presented by the residents with a purte of some 40 sovereigns last week on the occasion of his leaving that town for Invercargill. A number of the leading townspeople spoke in highly eulogistic terms of the services rendered the community by the sergeant. Telephonic— Communication between Queenstown and Glenorchy is now opened, and tor the short time which has elapsed since the opening day (Monday last) a very encouraging amount of business has been done. Whether this is accounted for by the fact that at the far end of the telephone there is a fair telephonist " depoupnt knoweth not.

Musical Qukenstown.— Queenstown has always been well to the fore in musical matters, and besides possessing a very efficient brass band is now about to organise a fife and drum band. To a call for recruits 25 youths responded. Lake County Jockey Club.— U his body, after squaring up the business of a very successful meetirg in every seme, found itself with £5i on the right eUle of the ledger. The club is one of the best managed of our pu'iiio institution".

AOCXimai isatio.y.— The loc.il society has been so far unsuccessful in procurirg deer for'tbis district, but they have tte p-omise ot some fallow deer next season. However, the society contluues to b9b 9 very successful with the habch'ng of trout, about a q-iarter of a nri'-lbn of young fry being either distributed or rfadv for distribution.

Another ■'•trikk — At a ? bed close to Arrowtown a strike of very limited dimensions occurred the other rtay. Some diffe ence arose over the breakfast which had been prepared by «n unfortunate Chinaman, who was threatened with bndlly violence, Jle picked, up an old shovel iq self -di fence la

case the threat should be carried out. When after a while ha put down the weapon he was assailed by two of the " noble white men," and mercilessly beaten about the face and head. Then there was a strike, the conditions being that either the Chinaman was to be sacked upon the tpot or the men would leave. The settler, however, proved equal to the occasion, and told the men to leave as soon as they liked, with the result that four of theai out of 14 left the shed, and the strike ended.