LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2231, 3 December 1896, Page 24

LAKE COUNTY.

November 28. — "No rain" is a cry that is becoming a serious matter with farmers and miners alike, and is about the only question that obtrudes for discussion except of course election pabulum. Crops in the field*, vegetables in the garden, and grass upon the hills are all alike in need of moisture, and plenty of it. However, so far no htivm has been done, and as the recent warm weather has brought on things very well, with a good and I timely downpour we should havo nothing to com1 plain of. Perhaps the election will bring us the I wi3hed-for rain. i Lake County Council. —Thi3 body h«-ld a meeting for tho election of chairman and other business on Wednesday last. Mr James Fox was once more elected chairman for the ensuing term. ! For Cardrona Riding Mr Rofcert M'Dougall was < returned, so that the personnel of the council was changed only so far as the Arrow Riding is concerned, (Hr James Reid .being elected in place of jMr H. Graham, who was unseated Taking Lake County all through the piece, it cannot bo said to have been a body that has done much for local self-government. j The Tourist Season.— The tourist season has ! now opened, and steamers and coaches are running 1 their summer, time tables, and the weather is all that can be desired. There is yet sufficient «now i visible upon the second grade mountains to lend a peculiar charm to the scenery, while tho smile of early summer is still upon bush and forest. Elrctoral.— Election excitement runs pretty high, and of tricks that are r*ark there is a goodly crop. The W»katipu hao always b<seu a more than average lively electorate, but it appears that tho civilising effect of the ladies is reducing the auimua below the broken heads' mark. The num. ber» on the roll already exceeds (latest date) 4000 and it is p>obable that a couple of hundred may be added to this number. What with its 40 polling pooths and double returns, Mr H. N. firth, tho returning officer at Quceostown, will have a lively time of it for the next week or so. Three candidates have been nominated—viz., Mr W. Fraeer (late member), Mr James George, and Mr Henry Graham. Shai.li Bird Pest.— Like many another pest, the small birds have been allowed to increase until they have grown almoab beyond control, and now promise to bscomo a barre3t for the youngsters, since Like County Council has offered 6d per dozen eggs and a price for heads. The boys about Frankton and Speargrass Flat, where quickset hedges abound, h>.ve bean particularly busy, and will no doubt keep up the activity. While on the subject it may be mentioned that the last wet season and the present late aad cold one seem to have had a diminishing effect upon the bumble bees, which are not nearly so much in evidence as th*y used to be. Found Dead.— Next to drowning " found dead" is perhaps the most frequent form of death heard of in New Zealand. One of these sad cases occurre-i kat week in a lonely part of the Arrow River, in its upper roaches, above Macetown, where an elderly miner, John Molloy by name, had been working for some considerable time. It was his custom to come to Macetown every Saturday for his weekly supplies, and missing last Saturday, a messenger (A. Austin) was sent to iaquire the cause last Sunday, when tho dead body of Molloy was discovered in an advanced stage of decomposition. It was also found that the provisions deceased bad brought home on his last trip had not b«en opened or tou -hed in any way, and the presumption is that the unfortunate man must hays died shortly after his return, and consequently had been dead for about a week when found. Information was given to the police at Arrowtown, and Constable Bowman at once took the nece-sary steps for holding an inquest. Coroner Hotop proceeded to Macetown on Monday morning for the puypos?, when a verdict of " Death from natural causes " was returned. The body waß then convi-yed to the j Arrow Cemetery, whevo the Bey. Father Keenan officiated at the grave. Constable Bowman and Messrs Thomson Brothers, P. Henderson, R. Carr, and T. Reid deserve a special meed of praise for the readinesi and efficient manner in which they ' performed an unpleasant duty, carrying the dead body over two miles of as bad, narrow, and crooked a track as can well be imagined, showing i that the good spirit of companionship that { animated the miners of old is not dead. The same men also sat at the inquest afterwards, and acquitted themselves in a businesslike manner.