LAKE WANAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 34

LAKE WANAKA.

I Albertown, August 2. — We can now safely conclude that the winter is over, and the weather still continues very mild, with sunny days. We had two unusually hard frosts early in July, and, according to past experiences, expected equally hard frosts to last for a fortnight more, and then to break with a rainstorm; but the three nights' frost simply ended without any break in the weather. During the last few days there were hard frosts. The farmers will soon start their spring ploughing, and there appears to be every indication of an early spring. When there are hoar frosts the stock does not fair Very well, as then the grass is covered with ice.

Amusements. — We are doing very ■well in the mt of festivities. Mr Andrew M'Kay, head shepherd on the Wanaka Station, and also chairman of the School Committee, lately gave a very enjoyable birthday party in the Olympic Hall at Pembroke, to celebrate his daughter Mena's fourteenth birthday. Dancing was kept up till an early hour. Mr A. Bremaer acted as M.C,, and Messrs M'Laren, .Robert Millar, and Allan Millar supplied the music, while Messrs A. G. Thomson and Nicholson, from the Luggate, played the piano accompaniments. The refreshments were in abundance, and served at a reasonably etxly hour. Sometimes these are served towards the small hours, which is too late, especially for the people who come a long distance. Changes. — Some more of our residents have been leaving. Some time back, when Mr Duncan MacPherson resigned office as puntman at Lowburn, Mr uonald M'Lean, who was a, xiawea resident of nearly 30 years' standing, was appointed in his place, and the other week his sister, Miss Mary M'Lean, and his family shifted down as soon aa he got a house purchased and ready for occupation. Donald was one of the first farmers on the Hawea, and latterly was in possession of Mr' Morris Curran's farm at Lagoon Valley, which has many natural advantages, including a fine stream of water, but he sold out to Mrs William Patterson and family. Donald will be much missed on the Hawea. He always gave a helping hand at festivities, and his little girls are very clever at step-dancing and recitations, and are quite unassuming, too. Wedding. — W*e had a very popular wedding on the 17th ult., when Mr Jeremiah John O'Connor, master of the Lafrancfai dredge at Cardrpna, was married to Miss Annie Howejohns, daughter of Mr Wm. Howejohns, for many years puntman in the service of the Vincent County Council. The ceremony was performed in the Roman Catholic Church at Hawea by the Rev. Father Hurst, of Cromwell. Mr Andrew Walerh, of Cardrona, was best man, and Miss M. E. BaJantyne was bridesmaid. After the ceremony was over the party came back to Albertown and partook of the wedding breakfast. Many happy little speeches were made, and. Mrs Howejohns was praised for the excellent arrangements and her capital cookery, and everyone looked uncommonly pleased and happy. The farming visitors then mostly went home, as this is the time of the year when the stock requires a lot of attention. Further relays of visitors came in the evening, and after more refreshments in Mr iiowejohn's house dancing began in the new schoolroom, and was kept up till an early hour, Mr A. Perry supplying the music (vio-in). The newly-married couple were the recipients of many good wishes, and also a number of handsome presents, including a couple of cheques. A Sad Occurrence. — The joy and happiness of the wedding celebrations had hardly died away when we were plunged into sorrow and mourning by hearing that Miss Marion .Swing, eldest daughter of Jdr J. B. Ewing, proprietor of the Makarora sawmill, had been bo badly burnt that it was declared impossible for her to live. She has been in failing health for a long time past, and was subject to fits. It appears she was left sitting before the fire, and when one of her brothers came in a few minutes afterwards he found her in the fire ablaze. With considerab.e presence of mind ho threw a couple of buckets of water over her to put the fire out and enable him to rescue her; but it was found that she was so badly burned that it was impossible fox her to live. Mr Ewing wes down in Pembroke on business at the time, and. one of his sons at once rode down to apprise hiiii of the fatality, and a sad and lonely ride it was through a dark and bleak night. Mr Ewing at once chartered the s.s. Makaroxa, and went back, taking Dr Waddejl, and also Mr 'X. Temp .e ton, the undertaker, and on arriving home he ascertained that the unfortunate girl had died four, hours after the occurrence, never regaining consciousness. An invalid is always missed in the house, and the sorrow is ever so much greater when the end is so tragic, and the family and relations had the profoundes't sympathy of . everyone. The body was brought down on the return voyage of the Makarora, and the funeral took place in the Pembroke Cemetery, Mr Hunt, the Presbyterian divinity student, reading the service.

A Sudden Death. — Immediately after the occurrence of which particulars are given in the preceding paragraph, we heard that Mr Charles F. Melton, aged 37 ypars, formerly master of the Lady Cardrona v aige, had died 'at Timaru, as the result of a o u.i accident; but some of his friends, who knew more about him, surmised that he died suddenly while stopping with a friend named Gunn, and we were left in much uncertainty for some days. The Daily Times and Witness were carefully looked through in the hope that a ray of light would be shed on the mystery. Then we ascertained that Mr Melton waa out hare shooting with some friends, one of them Dr Gunn, and while the party was walking up a small hill he sat down and expired at once. Mrs Melton was with her people at Win ton at the time, and a feature that makes the matter very pathetic is that she is left with three babies, the oldest three years of age and the youngest about a week old. A Drowning Fatality. — Another fatal accident happened a*. Makarora on the Monday that Miss Marion Ewing was buried. Mr Geo. Gsudin, the owner of ttie Wilkin River Sawmill, was taking a raft of timber down the river to the head of the lake, with his eldest son Albert, aged about 14, aboard with him. When the raft came to the place where the Wilkde meets the Makarora River, the current caught it and turned it over, and Albert was drowned, but fortunately Mr Gaudin got ashore. The body was found in an eddy near a bluff of rocks. Last Sunday Mr M'Daugall, J.P and acting-coroner, and Constable Marsh, ■went to MakarOTa in the steamer to hold an inquest, and the verdict returned was "Accidental drowning," with a rider to the effect that Albert was too young to go on a raft. I met Albert once or twice last November, and noticed that he was a smart, bright boy, with plenty of grit. In going on » raft. I fancy that he would be most likely a passenger, ao as to be able to help his father to unload, the raft at the end of the journey. Ii v always allowed

thai one man can manage a raft on the rivers^ without difficulty ; if they are made big enough for two men, then they would be too unwieldly, and possibly would be unable to float over the shallow bars in the river. If any help were required, Albert wa-s clear-headed enough to grasp the situation, and but for the unforeseen circumstance, everything would have gone all right. Some years ago, Mt Albert Xees, now of the Wakatipu. and the late Wm. Brown, were taking a raft down the Upper Clutha, and when they got opposite the Hawea River they got too far across, and the current caught the rait and turned it clean over, and the two men were instan/tly wet up to the neck. As they saw that one end of the raft was dipping down, they at once went to fche high side, and somehow got on to the opposite side as the raft righted itself. They had lost the oars "to guide the rait, but it went ashore itseli on the point across the river, and the voyagers were none the worse, while the raft was afterwards drawn ashore and saved. Neither of them could swim a. stroke. Mr Gaudin's son was buried in the cemetery at Makarora, which received rts first occupant about 30 years ago. Mush sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs Gaudin in their sore .ffliction.

Personal. — Mr John Scurr wag lately married at Cardrona to Miss Mary Enwright, and an enjoyab'e dance was held in the school house in the evening. Then they went to Dunedin to live. The Rev. Father O'Donnell, from Arrow, performed the ceremony.

Bachelors' Balls. — At Luggate and at Hawea lately, the bachelors held very enjoyable balls in the halls attached to the hotels in each place. There were plenty of provisions, and good music. Owing to the new licensing regulations at Luggate, the supper was held in the sohooihouse, and at Hawea. in Freweu'a buildings.

Hotels. — The only local changes in the hotels in the district are Mr S. Hans«n, holding the license of the Hawea Hotel ait Hawea Flat, while at Pembroke, Mr Wm. Monteith holds the license of the Wanaka Hotel, and Miss Mary Russell is manager.

Flourmill. — Mr Gillofct, who had charge of the Lsuggate Flourmill for some time, la-tely left, and Mr Robert Anderson, rfon of the former owner, now has charge. Mt Geo. Logan his charge of the books and the output department.

Sbeep. — Almost every week we read in the Witness of prosecutions for exposing lousy sheep for sale, which is somewhat of a surprise here, as sheep lice are quite unknown in this district. In fact, the only instance that was known to occur was » ram that wpb imported into the district, and everyone gathered round to examine him, to view the unique spectacle, which they had never seen before during half a lifetime, maybe, among sheep.