LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2105, 28 June 1894, Page 22

LAKE COUNTY.

June 23.— 1n past years we used to look upon the dictum of astronomers that the shortest day was the beginning of spring as an exquisite piece of scientific fooling. At best it was always considered a3 a very bad beginning. Fancy a man running about in an overcoat, fur cap, and fur gloves, on a shortest day, trying his best to believe it was the beginning of spring. But now we have changed all this. Tho days, though short, are delightfully fine ; in fact, for the closing week the heat at noontide was so great that had it been any warmer it would have been positively disagreeable. Jurt now the daya are so fine and warm that very little scientific assurance would sufflco to make us believe that the shortest day is the beginning of summer. Truly the capabilities of science are immense.

Death. — Another old settler in nor'-west Otago has joined the majority. Mr Alexander Murray, well known at Cromwell and Queenatown, died last Sunday morning a Moke Creek Flat of a combined attack of fever, delirium, and diarrhcea. The deceased was a native of Perthshire, Scotland, and had reached the age of 69 years. He leaves a widow and three children. The deceased being of a kindly disposition, he was much esteemed by all who knew him, as was testified by tho large attendance at the funeral, which took place at Queenstown, the Rev. T. Paulin (Presbyterian) conducting the obsequies in an impressive manner.

Fruitgrowing.— Struggles with the various pests that infest fruit trees are still going on with a few orcbardists, but the battle is an uphill one, and not until a united effort is made can anything like a check upon the spread of insects of all kinds be expected. As it is, their name is legion, and in addition new arrivals are heard of from time to time.

The Cause oi> All Mischief.— There were some great doings at the Chinese camp at Arrowtown last week. It appears that a Chinaman, who was married to a Maori halfcaste some time ago, finding that he occupied a a false position, resigned in haste. Ever since this unfortunate spare rib has been a bone of contention amongst the Chinese in these parts. Stung by jealousy three of the almond-eyed swains waylaid and beat a favoured one the other night. The following day a friend of the beaten party appeared upon the scene and denounced the attacking party as cowards and low curs, and challenged them to single combat. But unfortunately the first of the trio who entered the list lambed the champion down rather badly, and the sympathy of the crowd being with him, there was a general commotion compared with which pandemonium or a flock of geese— moatlv gandera — was insipid nonsense. Coats flew off in all directions, and fists flew around like flails at a threshing, when, to the disappointment of the performers and that of spectators, Constable Bowman appeared upon the scene and spoiled the fun by stopping it. Looking Backward.— During the last few. Aveeks two incidents recalling the long past have occurred that deserve a little more than a passing notice. The first was the laying of the foundation stone of the new St. Peter's Church at Auckland, at which Mr W. Mason, an old and respected resident of these parts, played an important r6le, having been the architect of the old St. Peter's Church, built so far back as 1841. The second incident was the visit of Mr W. G. Rees, the father of the Wakatipu " country." Mr Rees was the discoverer of Lake Wakatipu and the golden valleys that surround it in 1860. Pastures and not gold were the objects of his search. What Mr Rees's feelings must nave been upon his recent visit can be better imagined than described. When he first came here the Wakatipu country was in the true sense of the word a terra incognita, even the existence of Lake Wakatipu not being known to the white man, and at most fabled about by the Maoris. Upon his first visit Mr Rees had to make his way as best he could through a barren wilderness, laboriously climbing up mountain » spurs and over mountain tops, crossing raging rivers at the risk of his life. Now a railway, winding its hundreds of miles of length through smiling farms and busy towns, takes him to the foot of the lake, where an iron steamer awaits to bring him to Queenstown, where he may eat his supper in an elegant hotel lighted by the electric light ; where 34 or 35 years ago strutted and shrieked the weka, now majestically stalks enfranchised woman in the reformed dress ; costly bridges span the rivers ; roller mills grind the flour, the wheat for which early settlers were in doubt about being able to grow ; dray roads lead over our highest mountain saddles and through our most rugged valleys. But enough has been said about the changes that have come over the dis trict in the last 34 years. It is, however, pleasing to know that time has treated Mr Rees kindly, and that despite his early hardships he is still hale and hearty, and bears his age well.

Sunday Football and Sundat Fighting. — When people take to naughty ways there is never any knowing when or where they are going to stop in their journey from bad to worse. It has been the habit of some Skippers footballers to indulge in a friendly game on the Sabbath, just to keep them from doing something worse, there being no church to go to. This desecration of the Sabbath very properly offended the finer instincts of a correspondent to a local paper, and in his wrath he gave expression to his injured feelings in ink— i c, printer's ink. A paper war then ensued, in which, though many words were fired, no one was hurt. Last Sunday the offence was repeated, with the result that a real battle between the said correspondent and the captain of the football team ensued, but friends interfering, an armistice was arranged without aDy final decision being arrived at, and so much blood was shed in vain. While I sincerely sympathise with my brother scribe, I make so free as to point out that to put down Sunday football by Sunday fighting is a mistake— unless, indeed, we can whack the enemy.