LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2402, 15 March 1900, Page 29

LAKE COUNTY.

March 10. — Harvesting, favoured by fine weather, is. coming on apace. Though there is scarcely a week without a shower or two, the rain does not amount to much, and in point o£ fact does as much good as harm. The quantity of machinery now in the district renders harvesting a very simple work, so that the number of men employed hardly makes an impression on business, though the money they spend may do so in a few instances. A heated discussion is going on as to whether the summer now closing was a wet or a dry one. There can be no doubt but that it was a dry one, so far as the farming portion of the Wakatipu is concerned. On the hills there was a good average rainfall, but this did not reach the low lands. What made the season &o much drier was those terrific winds, that dried up ground and vegetation alike, lasting during December, •January, and February. It was perhaps in consequence of those winds that poplars began to shed their leaves in the end of Febiuary, which is fully a month before the ordinary time.

Black Diamonds. — Coal is looking up. Coal mines are likely to become very valuable property in the Wakatipvi in the near future, and owners begin to see something in their possessions. Hitherto local mines have been worked in a haphazard, from hand to "mouth sort of a system, giving little indication of their real capability of output. It will remain for dredging to show what can be done in coal mining. • Scholastic. — The settlers at Crown Terrace, who a few years ago clubbed together to build a school for their children, have now had the satisfaction of seeing their status recognised by the Southland Education -Board, which has recently refunded the cost of the school building, £135. Already the ■> accommodation *is growing too small for the constantly increasing number of pupils, and the Education Board has consented to make the necessary additions at an early date. In this connec-* tion it may be mentioned that Miss Florence Healey, the teacher at the Crown Terrace school, passed the E examination at the recent teachers' examinations, while Miss Maggie M'Donnell passed the D stage. Both young ladies are natives of the district.

A Growl. — Quito a storm of indignation was caused at Arrowtown when it became known that the three volunteers sent from that place to the Otago and Southland Contingent had been refused, after they had passed all the examinations with credit, and been fully approved by the examining officers. The grievance comes in when it is considered that other places were allowed to contribute five, six, and more volunteers, while the Arrow was refused even one. Two of the three sent from Arrowtown went to Wellington to join the general contingent, while one returned home, not very well pleased with the treatment meted out to him.

In a Tight Place. — What might very easily have become a fatal accident happened on Monday last at the Moonlight No. 2 race cutting. Two young men, sons of Mr Josiah Beal, Macetown, were engaged in blasting rock for the race platform. Having fired a shot, they returned to the scene of tnefr work, when a piece of rock, loosened by the blast, gave way, striking one of the brothers on the back of the head, causing, besides a frightful wound, the

loss of the use of his limbs. The ledge where the accident occurred -was only in course of formation, and above a precipice considerably over 100 ft in height. No assistance was at hand, and the injured man could not be left by himself in a semi-conscious state. There was nothing else for it but to carry him to where help could be procured. As it happened the injured man was by far the heavier of the two, but the lighter brother took bravely to the work. Staggering along the rough and- narrow track, where a false step meant a certain and a cruel death for both, young Beal managed to land his brother in a spot of safety. Deeds of heroism are sometimes performed in other places than the battlefield. Help was soon procured, and Mr Alex. Paterson, with his usual kindness, provided horses to convey the sufferer to the Frankton Hospital, where, under the care of Dr Douglas, young Beal is slowly but surely recovering from a very serious injury.

Another Accident. — "While on his way to Skippers Point, Mr Thos. Flyn fell over one of the narrow tracks in the neighbourhood, sustaining a severe shaking, bu"t luckily escaping without breaking any bones. The fall happening in an isolated part, and rendering the unfortunate man unconscious, he lay for a time exposed to the heat, but coming to, he managed with some difficulty to reach Skippers Point, where at Mrs Johnston's hostelry he received every attention. On the first opportunity the sufferer was brought to the 'Arrow Hospital, where, under the care of T)r M'Brearty, he is progressing favourably.