LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2389, 14 December 1899, Page 29

LAKE COUNTY.

December 9.— There have been some grand showers of rain during the week, thoroughly saturating tho ground, and pushing on growth wonderfully, but, aa is-so frequently the case at this time of the year, high and continuous winds dry up the moisture in a few days, and before long we could do with another downpour. The flood on Monday last was the biggest wo have had in that line this year.

TJie Shotover ran bank high, overflowing the breakwatei at the lower bridge, where several roadsters had a rather awkward experience. The overflow cut out a channel close to the Frankton end of the bridge, and, as is generally the case, the banks of such a channel are as steep as a wall. Mr Craig, the driver of the Dunedin mail coach, plunged through as best he could, and later on, when the flood had risen higher still, Mr George Heller, returning with his trap from Queenstown, had a rough time of it. After getting into the channel referred to, he, with the trap and horses, was washed down stream some distance, when the horses again got a footing on some shallow ground on the right side of the channel. The difficulty now was how to get on to the bridge. After a good deal of trouble and no small risk this was accomplished, and the anxiety was over. The overflow at the breakwater, is a standing danger, and it is purely owing to chance that no serious or fatal accident has occurred at this spot. Perhaps the nuisance cannot be done away with altogether, until a new bridge has been built, but something should be done at once to advise people about to start for the river, either from the Queenstown or Arrowtown side of the bridge, of the state of the river, and of any danger there may be in crossing it, in which case the Arthur's Point road could be taken, where there is no danger. At a cost of a few pounds telephonic communication could bo established between Mr Dickson'a Ferry Hotel and Queenstown and Arrowtown, which would be a safeguard against accident.

After tho Battle, Mother. — Happily, we have got over the election contest. right end up, and no heads broken. Mr Fraser has been securely launched upon a third term of Parliamentary duties, . which,- when -■ all the cii> cumstances are considered, is no small credit to . that gentleman, for it must be borne in mind that though as a member of Parliament Mr Fraser has a high jmd even commanding worth, as a candidate he is about the most unpromising subject imaginable. A certain stand-ofi manner, with, as things go in New Zealand politics at present, perhaps an exaggerated notion of campaigning honour and lectitude make Mr Fraser anything but a taking candidate. The majority he has carried off, therefore, if numerically small, is still a significant cne, redounding equally to the credit of elected and electors. Mr Fraser has been returned upon his own merits in a stricter sense of the term than any other member of the new House, and that, too, against strong influences whicji were exerted to keep him out. Both Mr Seddon and Mr J. G. Ward tried their level best to discredit Opposition members, and Mr Fraser in particular, with all sorts of vague innuendoa, the former descending -to tricks- that would be in an ordinary individual contemptible, but in the Premier of a so-called Liberal Government sink beneath contempt, and become pitiable: However, it was shown that the electors of the Lakes can see through trickery that is really nothing short of foul play, and know how to rebut it. Mr Fraser has the proud satisfaction of knowing that in spite of varying fortunes in other parts of his electorate, Queenstown, Arrowtown, and neighbourhood, whence originated, now more than six years ago, the requisition asking him to come forward as a candidate, have always been, and are still, his most consistent and staunchest supporters, having never had any occasion to regret their choice, nor qualms to wish for a change. There are many and weighty moral lessons to be drawn froir the recent contest, but they' jnay be held over until things and feelings have settled down a- little, when .the "lessons will be better' "urderstanded of the people." - A word of praise must, however, be added regarding the manner in which messages were interchanged between Queenstown and Arrowtown. On an average the messages took from four to six minutes in being sent, leceived, and delivered — quite a record in its way. When longer delays occurred, which was not often, it was owing to a block upon tho single wire between the two places, Mr Dewar at Queenstown and Mr Algie at Arrowtown doing their iitmost to send as fast as possible. The latter gentleman worked under the disadvantage of having to do without his assistant, Mr Graham, through sudden illness. Mr Graham has been in the office for upwards of three years. Mr Algie had thus to do the work single-handed, except for the aid of a message boy, pressed into the service for the occasion. An analysis of the election shows that of 4776 persons on the roll only 357 -t voted effectively ; tho number of informal votes has not been made known. The effect of Mr Ward's speech at Queenstown was that Mr Fraser'e majority, which last election was 15, rose to 32, and at Arrowtown, where Mr Ward also spoke two days before the election, Mr Fraser's majority rose from 27 to 83, so that Mr Ward failed signally in his endeavoui to oust Mr Fraser.

Tempestuous Weather. — On Wednesday evening, when the district was agitated by the election fever, a storm of exceptional violence raged upon tho lake. The weather experienced by the Mountaineer was the worst uuon record", the breakers dashing over the saloon deck, drenching the passengers, and tossing the boat about roughly. The Antrim, heavily laden with timber, also had a bad time of it, and reached port aftei a protracted journey.