LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2923, 23 March 1910, Page 39

LAKE COUNTY.

March 19.—For the past week fine weather has been experienced. j Tennis Match.—On Thursday last (St. Patrick's Day) a team from the Queenstown Club journeyed to Arrowtown to try conclusions with a team from the Arrow i Club. After a keenly and evenly-contested game victory rested with the Queenstown j players by-"lO games. The Arrowtown | ladies provided afternoon tea, which was r greatly appreciated. j Social.—On St. Patrick's Night a most ' enjoyable social was held in the Athenseum Hall, Arrowtown. The social was in con- j nection with St. Patrick's Church, and j was largely attended. Yocal items,, which were greatly appreciated, were given by Misses Toil and Cotter, and Messrs W. Stevenson, F. Dunlop, and M. Hume; a pianoforte selection was played by Mr L. Jenkins, and a Highland fling was danced ! by Mr J. Cranna. Excellent music for the j dance was supplied bv Messrs S. and W. ( Stevenson (violins') and W. Graham (piano), | while Mr A. M'Bride made an efficient j M.C. A plentiful supply of. refreshments '< was provided by a committee of ladies. At , an interval the Rev. Father O'Donnell, on behalf of the committee, thanked all these i who had made the social a success. Mr | L. Jenkins acted as accompanist to the j singers. i Charitable Aid Board Election.—The elec- ] tion of a member to represent the com- I bined district of Lake County and Queens- j town and Arrowtown boroughs on the | 'Southland Hospital and Charitable Aid ! Board took place on Wednesday last. | There were two candidates for the position ' —namelv, Messrs H. Birley (the sitting member} and G.' D. Baird, of Bendemeer. Arrow. Although the contest was expected to be a close one it resulted in a very easy i victory for Mr Baird, who polled 320 votes ; to Mr Birley's 156. Mr Baird has been j chairman il the Arrow Hospital for many Years, and, besides being very popular | throughout the district, he is well -versed j in Hospital matters and the requirements j of the ' district, and the ratepayers have j made a good choice in electing him to j the position. Irrigation.—A public meeting, convened by Mr W. Reid, chairman of the Lake County Council, was held in Arrowtown on Monday I evening last to consider an irrigation scheme for the district. Mr H. M'Kibbin (Mayor of Arrowtown) presided, and there was an attendance of about 20. Mr Reid explained gbafc the last few dry #s»«ias had proved ■

the necessity' for an irrigation scheme. The proposal was tc lift the ArrOvv River at the Falls and pipe it down ':o distributing centres. The proposed main race would be 14 miles in length, and the distribution 50 miles. The race would be capable of carrying- 120 heads. He (Mr Reid) was confident that an irrigation scheme would be a great boon to the district. Mr Reid also mentioned that several Gibbston residents who were present, had suggested a scheme for their district, which they estimated would cost from £IOOO to £1500.' The latter" scheme was to bring in 16 heads from Doolan's, Creek, which, it was stated at the meeting, would irrigate from 4000 to 5000 acres. It was generally agreed that both schemes were good ones, and Ur was finally resolved that the following be a committee to inquire of farmers the amount of ground they would require irrigated if the Government could be induced to carry the scheme through : —Gibbston —Messrs Caithness, Cowan, and Resta; Arrow district—Messrs W. Reid, G. D. Baird, John Reid, M. Jenkins, J. T. M'Entyre, and G. H. Romans. Votes of thanks were oassod to the Mayor for presiding, and Mr W. Reid for convening the meeting. Lake County Council. —The monthly meeting was held in Queens-town on Tuesday last. The business transacted was of the ordinary routine nature. Cr Birley said the floods at _ the Head of the Lake were the highest since 1878. ind that both bridges at Routebum had been washed away. The cost of rebuilding the bridges would be about £l5O, and it was decided to write Mr W. Fraser, M.P., asking him to urge on the Government to make a grant to meet the expense. The Secretary of the Mines Department informed the council that the Minister of Mines had approved of a grant of £SO for the track to Watson, Birley. and Paulin's scheelite ; mines at the Head of the Lake. Regard- ; ing ':be request for telephone communica- ; tion between Glenorchy and Kinlock, the | Superintendent of Electric Lines wrote st-at- ! ing that the proposed line would be 10 miles and the estimated cost of construction £250. The interest, maintenance, and other charges were estimated at £29 per annum, ! and the revenue at £8 per annum, leaving ! a deficiency of £2l, for which the council was asked to grant a subsidy for five years. This the council considered rather too : much to pay unless the residents agreed to ! assist, and the matter was held over till I next meeting. After payment of accounts | (£667 12s 8d) it was stated that the over- | draft would be £1922, or about £I2OO under the limit. This j@ the best financial position the council has been in for some years, i Queenstown Regatta.—Good entries have been received for the regatta, to be held in Queenstown on Saturday next, and all that is now required is fine weather. Entries he**© been received from the following clubs:—Otago Rowing Club, Queen's Drive

(Port Chalmers), Amateur Boating Club (Dunedin), North End Boating Club (Dun-e-din), .Invercargill Rowing Club, Invercargill Railway Club, Awarau Club (Riverton), and Queenstown.