QUEENSTOWN.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 164, 31 December 1872, Page 6

QUEENSTOWN.

f From our own Correspondent.) December 28. 1872. Christmas-time has quite changed the aspect of the town. During the past week the streets have presented a very lively appearance, owing to the influx of minors and others from the outlying districts. Yesterday and Thursday sports were held on the terrace above the town, the prizes offered amounting to something over £IOO. The programme comprised wrestling, vaulting, tilting at the ring, and the other games usual at meetings ul una &iuu. -iue uitiiiy ciitiiiuteu mo l&TgeSt number of competitors, who, however, did nothing extraordinary, the first-prize man only taking six rings in three rounds. Unfortunately the evening sun was directly in the line of five out of the eight posts, which in a large measure accounts for the bad scoring made. On Thursday evening, a very enjoyable concert was given in the Town-Hall by the local Philharmonic Society. It was a decided success in every way. The proceeds amounted to £23. After the concert, Mr Eichardt gave a dance in his fine Commercial Hall in the newhotel, where many enjoyed themselves " till daylight did appear," and for a considerable time after. The weather has been exceptionally fine during the week ; in fact, for the past month there has scarcely been a shower, and everyone is praying for rain. All the town gardens not adjacent to the creek are nearly " cooked" by the excessive drought, flowers and vegetables alike being killed. The Government expedition to Martin's Bay, sent to report upon the best route for a track to be cut, returned last week. From what I can learn no very satisfactory results may be anticipated, it being rumoured that the Government will be advised to continue the present track via the Lake Harris saddle

(impassable 8 months in the year), instead of opening the Greenstone route, in which the highest level to be passed is 400 feet above Lake Wakatip. The settlers at Martin's Bay can scarcely be said to " live in clover." There is not an inch of open land except where it has been cleared ; and, until sawmills are started, or payable gold discovered in larger quantities, I do not see much prospect of the exiles over there making their fortunes. In the matter of " tucker," they are particularly well off just now, a steamer having called about eight weeks ago, bringing supplies of flour and tea and sugar. The thoughtful Government forgot, however, to send either ammunition, bacon, butter, or cheese, so the happy inhabitants are feasting on dry bread, potatoes, and fish. To catch the fish they have to pull to the mouth of the

river and back (six miles each way), and occasionally it takes a man three or four days out of each week to catch sufficient for the seven days! The townspeople are going in for a watersupply. There is a creek about half-a-mile from the centre of the town from which a plentiful supply could be brought at a small expense, but unfortunately one of the leading citizens has purchased from miners formerly working there, the rights to the creekwater, and intends erecting a planing-mill, woollen manufactory, and a few other trifles, and the water will no doubt come in very (useful. This week a person applied to have ithe existing right cancelled, on the ground that the water had not been used for two years and was never intended by the present owner to be put to mining purjoses. The 1 verdict given in this c;'se (adverse to the applicant) is only another evidence of the evils resulting from the giving of "discretionary power" to the Wardens in matters of this i sort, as there was no doubt of the merits of the case when judged by the " Otago Gold- ! fields Regulations." The case in the form of

an appeal will probably come before Judge, Gray at his next sitting here. Your contem-1 j)orary, the Dimstan Times, in yesterday's issue, contains a letter from "The Lakes" in which Mr Davis, the applicant, is somewhat severely handled. The correspondent must ! have copied from the Wakatip Mail, in which I the report of the case contains many gross errors ; amongst others making Mr Davis to i say the Council were sometimes "screwed" ; when they met, an expression he never made | use of, and which was probably the result of J the reporter of the case having commenced I celebrating Chrismas-tide somewhat earlier I than usual. The other part of the letter re- : ferring to the case contains a few inaccuracies, ; amongst others, the paragraph where their 1 readers where informed that Mr Robertson | was storing water to sluice the One-mile terI races. 1 believe this is the first time anyone j ever heard of such being the case, and the : dam happens to be placed so near the town I boundary that it could only be used for sluie- ; ing town sections ! To prevent any niiscon- ! ceptions, 1 would remark that " your own" is | totally uninterested personally in the matter ; | whether " The Lakes" correspondent of the Dimstan Times is so, I leave the readers to judge. Mr Powell's Family Hotel has been rebuilt in stone, and presents a handsome and solid appearance. Other stone buildings are in • progress.