NOTES AND QUERIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 46

NOTES AND QUERIES.

Questions for reply in coming issue to be received not later than MONDAY nighl.

West Coast. — " One Who Was There " writes m answer to "Rover's" query in our issue of 30th ult. as follows:— (1) The nearest route by horse from Oamaiu to Jamestown, Martin's Buy, is from Oaniaru to Naseby, Cromwell, Queensiown, or via Lindis Saddle to Albertown, Cardrona, Queenstown. The former route is to be preferred. Make local inquiries as to most direct route from. Oamaru to Naseby and from Naseby to Cromwell. The shortest route from Naseby to Cromwell for a horseman is via Drybread and Tinkers. From Queenstown the steamer for Elfin Bay (Ilncle John's) must be taken. The steamers take horse at owner's risk. From Uncle John's take the Greenstone track to Pyke Creek, where you will have to leave your horse, as the track along Lake M'Kerrow is impassable for horses. The "distance from Pyke Creek to Lake M'Kerrow is seven miles, the track along the lake about 10 miles. These 17 miles will have to be performed on foot, the journey being a hard and long day's work. (2) The population of Jamestown is 0. No one is living there permanently. Two or three families are settled at Martin's Bay, near the sea coast — i.e., Mr Webb's and Mr il'Kenzie's families, and I think one or two oi the sons of tho late Mr Robertson are located upon their old selections. Their settlements are about four miles farther on pnst Jamestown. The settlers rear cattle, grow their own produce, and generally live a sort of Robinson Crusoe existence. Steamers call at the offing off Martin's Bay, and have to be boarded by means of boats, which can only be done in fine, calm weather. If the weather is rough the steamers pass on without lying by. Supv>lie3 are chiefly obtained by steamer from Wellington. The climate, like that of the whole of the We.=t Coast, is moist — that is to say, very wet. Land for settlement is limited. Most of the best land near Jamestown, near the foot of Lake M'Kerrow, and that on the opposite side of the lake has been surveyed and sold, and is allowed to Ho idle. The chief resources of the district are timber and cattle-raising. No regular timber trade has been established. Wild cattle in the bush are increasing rapidly, and before long preserved meat factories may perhaps be established. Wild cattle are killed wantonly to keep down the increase. Anyone contemplating settling at Martin's Bay or Jamestown had-iMUch better go and see for himself before going to any expense over the business. B. P. — Harper's, 45 Albemarle street, London; Scribner's, St. Dunstan'a House, Fetter Lane, London, E.C. ; St. Nicholas, 8 Regent street, Waterloo Place, London, S.W. We do not know Griffith and Farran's address, but '' Publishers, London," would reach them. Anxious. — It is safe to regard all consultations as swindles, and not to be surprised at any course the promoters may adopt. It looks very much as if you had drawn a horse and they were trying to bluff you. Possibly a line to the local C'ommis&icner of Police might prove more effective than your letter. J. S., Enfield. — Mr Zander, of Ashbunon, is tho only person we know of capable of appraising their value. The address of the great London firm which makes a specialty of selling curios is Christie, Manson, and Woods, art auctioneers, London, S.W. Inquirer. — Arsenic is an accumulative poison, and taking it m e% - en " minute doses " will do you an injury and probably cause your death in the end. Some foolish wonien a r e said to lake it for the comp'exion, but the lesu'.t is to impart an unwholesome appearance to the face, and once the habit of taking it is acquired it is almost impossible to leave it off. J. L. S. — Wine making is an intricate process which cannot be adequately described in a short paragraph. Briefly, the grapes are trodden or acted on by machinery in the press, and nut with their stalks into the vuts, when the fermentation takes place naturally. About a foot of the vat ia nofcJLUed

to allow space for fermentation. The vats are lightly covered, and in from a week to a fortnight the wine is ready for drawing off. The casks are left unbunged for about a week, the bung hole being in the meantime covered with a brick or piece of wood. They are filled up every two days, and after bunging at least once a week till the wine is in a state to allow the cask to rest with the bung hole at the side, which is not till after a year and a-half. ,