LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2690, 4 October 1905, Page 39

LAKE COUNTY.

©eptembex 30. — During the week the weather has boen abominable through the whole district. In soi»& parts aware so than others, but ldifferw.ce was one of quantity only. The quality was tho some everywhere — cold winds acoroipaniod by rain, hail, and snow prevaaled the first few) days of the week, and though •warmer now, it looks by no means settled, and the glass is low. At the head ol Lake Wakatipu and along the mountains past Skippers, Macetown, and to the Head of Wana.ka it was perhaps worse "than in other places and uhe BL'-cwfall was very considerable. _Qn th© Ca-r-d-rona- Saddle, on the road to Pembroke, there is almost a &ob *oif- J snow. The rivers at 'Uie Head of the Lake- rose considerably, and tbe labe in consequence rose -a-little, but not-mucih. Fiwious to this the lake had boen vary low. 3*he snowfall on the hills -pro-vides a supply of water -for the -hydTaulio sluicer.9, but for the rurfliolders, whose Jambs are out in these untoward circumstances, the storm will not be profitable. •Entertainments*. — The Skippers ball, which was fixed for last "night, was postponed owing to the bad weather. On Wednesday nighi' in Quonstown a concert and dance was- given in aid 1 of the fundis' of Queens-town Public School. The night was a wretched one. The rain, whicih had fallen intermittently throughout iho day" continued steadily at night, co that th-e attendance -was not so large as nugh't have been expected. The concert was an- enjoyablo one. .The items by the children showed that much time and care had bean bestowed ■upon, their preparation. The dance was kept up until an early "hour of the morning.

Earing. — Some little delay in the announcetnent of the dates for tho Jockey Club meeting at •Arrowtown is -being caused by the fact that tho Alexandra Glub objected to the proposed dales. The Dunedin Jockey 'Club, however, nave approved of the "dates, and made a recommendation to-, i-he' Racing Con£e-rence, wiho-se president is also "in favoui of the dates inentieied. .This being so, it may be concluded that there -will not be- any difficulty in finally arranging the matter. Chinaman Assault. — The two young men opr.ceTned..-i«cen i bly;_ in a brutal assault- upon, two ojd and decrepit Ghinamen were haled before the. magistrate: last Tuesday, when they ■were dealt with in a manner whidh they have every reason to consider very lenient. Owing no.- doubt to the interpreter, who apparently was not a. very competent one, the state of .. tb.ir.gs disclosed at ■ the court did not seem__; nearly, so serious, as. they in. actual fact -were. One'of :the defendants was discharged and the other -one fined; The victims appeared to 'bo very -old, 'and apparently ''laimiless enough , aliens. - .

Wedding.— At Dunedin this week Mr F. Y. Milnes Miss Beck were united in. the bends of, holy matrimony. The wedding is of interest locally Mr Milnes being a nephew of Mr H. G-. Youngman, postmaster at -Arrowiown/ and also a -nephew of Mr T. J. Milnes, of Queenstown. Tennis. — The Arrowtown Club held? its annual meeting last Tuesday night, when the various office-bearers and committees were^ elected, Malt. H. O'Kane being appointed secretary. Wednesday next was fixed for the opening. On that day also the Queenstown Club opens the season. A (match, between these two clubs has been arranged for the 9th November, to be played upon the Arrow Club's ground. Political. — Mr. M. G-ilfedder has announced in the local papers his -canddda.twre ior the. Wakatipu -seat, and himself visited the district this week. He was unfortunate in arriving the very week of such bad weather, whan travelling'was anything but pleasant. But in politics one gets used to breezes and storms. Qteenstown Electric* Lighting. — The result of the inspection made by Mr Stark. eVctrioal engineer, with the view of ascertaining the power in the streams around Quenstown and the feasibility of lighting .the town by electricity must be gratifying to the townspeople. Mr ©tark reported fully to the Borough Council yesterday week, the tenor of his report being that the One-mile Creek, tbf source of the present water supply, would not give sufficient power far electric lighting and also for water rpower. In other words, that in order to gey, light, the water supply would require to be cut off at night. This source of supply was, ■therefore, obviously out of the question. The Brewery Greek, however, one of the sources of the creek which intersects the town, was found to give ample power, provided a dam be erected at a point about a mil© from the town aoi undertaking which, might be carried out cheaply, since the natural conformation lends itself to the plan. Tlhe power available hearo twordd, according- to Mr Stark, gave 700 lights and 25 street ares. This proposal was adopted by the council »s the one upon which Mr Stark should make a further report and estimate. At present, therefore, it seems as if the scheme could be carried* out, and that tho cost to taxpayers will not be out of the •way.

Obituary. — There is a- great deal of sympathy locallj for thai relatives <xf Mr C. H. Arndt, ■vdwsse sudden death at Stratford has been announced. Deceased's parents foi many years xesided at Thuxlby Domain, near Amrowtown, now the property of Mr John Allan. Deceased himself spent his boyhood here, but later removed to Dunedin,, then to Wellington, and finally to Stratford, where he resided at the time of his death.

Mining. — The quartz claimj on the find mado fey B»lch at Mace-town are reported to be doing very well. In the Premier mme — the oonipany which a few months ago announced its ipcoperty fox sale — another rich reef has been struck.