LAKE WANAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2006, 4 August 1892, Page 20

LAKE WANAKA.

Albertown, August I.— We have abundant evidence of the approach of spring. The sun is getting stronger, the birds are beginning to pair and to sing, and the black-headed tern has arrived. At Tarras the skylarks are in much greater numbers than they are here. As an off-set to all this the nights are exceedingly frosty— nearly as bad as in midwinter— and this is retarding ploughing operations.

Musical. — The Hawea residents are going in for a brass band, and are to be congratulated on their ambition. On a recent occasion they gave an enjoyable entertainment in aid of the funds, but as I was unable to be present I cannot give particulars.

The Recent Find of Maori Relics.— l saw Mr Robert Boyd atTarras the other day, and from him I gathered fuller particulars concerning the recent finding of the Maori relics in that region. It was not Mr James Davis that found them, but Mr Boyd, who was one of a party of rabbiters. The find was under an overhanging ledge of rock in a dry gully, situated near Thomson's gorge, between Tarras and Bendigo. There were two chisels, one greenstone and highly worked, the other a black stone like turkey-stone, and not so well worked. There was also from 151b to 201b weight of dressed flax, which is used in the camp to tie up the rabbitskins. Mr F. Trevathen kindly gave me a piece, wKich I send to the editor to show interested persons before sending it to the museum. There were strips 'of dog's hide and a kitful of feathers of variouskinds, including moa feathers," but probably they wore kiwi feathers. There was a| kitful of native cotton plant leaves, used for tinder. There were bone needles, and the upper arm-bone of a man which was saved to make needles. The whole was covered up with the usual kind of limy dust found in these places, only a corner of a kit being visible. It is to be regretted that the museum did not benefit by this find, instead of the curios being distributed all round. Mr Boyd is a' very careful observer of the face of Nature and of everything within his reach. He told me that the native weka on the Auckland Islands is only the size of a small pigeon, and that a number were taken over from Invercargill and placed there. It is satisfactory to notice that these interesting birds are likely by these means to remain in existence a while longer and escape •the destructive hands of the white man, whose lust for the blood of an innocent creature (which is called sport) is proverbial. In the back country any wekas that escape the rapacious jaws of the imported vermin are invariably promptly consigned to the rabbiters' flesh-pots, notwithstanding the heavy penalties that are in existence for killing them. Lake Traffic. — The p.s. Theodore is in tip-top condition, having been repaired and newlypainted throughout. Under the charge of Captain Matheson, of Dunedin, but who comes from Norway originally ,'and Engineer D.Mochan, from Port Chalmers, she went up to the head of the lake in three hours, but could have done it in half an hour less, and came back against a strong southerly wind in four hours. This is regarded as remarkably good time. No vibration was felt, everything going as smooth and as steady as possible. Mr William Allan is still sailing his schooner The Surprise, and in conjunction with Mr Allan, Mr William Monteith delivers his goods free of costs to the lake dwellers. . W.J.C.— The Wanaka Jockey Club held its annual meeting at Pembroke last Saturday evening, but I have not heard particulars. I have heard, however, that there is likely to be only one day's racing this year, as the district is unable to find the L2OO necessary for two days' sport. The rules of the Dunedin Jockey Club do not allow any less sum to be given for two days' racing. At Cromwell there are a larger number of entries than usual for the Derby. In discussing the question in reference to throwing open the Derby to Otago, th* prolific resources of the English language and the flowery eloquence of the stewards failed them, and they found it necessary to shake : their fists under each other's nose in order to properly emphasise their arguments.