THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 303, 14 February 1868, Page 3

THE LAKES.

(from our own correspondent.) Queenstown, FlB. 12. The late heavy rains which have been productive of such wide-spread devastation throughout the province have not. in this district, caused the anount of injury to privata property winch appears to be the case in yours. The agriculturists have received but very little damage. All they have to 'complain of is tlie laying down by the ra ns of small patches of their, crops. As a rule throughout the distract the harvest will he an abundant orfe, and, with the high prices that will pro! ably be realised for grain and other .produce, the cultivators of the soil ought to do pretty well - . Everything, of course, is in a backward condition, and

another fortnight must elapse before harvesting operations can be said to have commenced. The sale of the runs question has been taken up most energetically, "and petitions against their disposal are in course of signature. . Public opinion is certainly vpry much against, the introduction of more squatters into the district, and this appears to be the real bone of contention. 1 bose who have stock running on the ranges have not the slightest objection to become and acquire a title to their runs ;• but they very much dis like the idea of some large squatter coming into the district, buying up the runs, and making them tenants, The business people look upon the sale of the runs as a certain loss of popula tion, believing thaV»3 hings are now, more people can make a" living by agriculture aud depasturing sheep than if the country was leased out in runs. However, these difficulties may be overcome, especially as the Government will withhold from sale those runs adjacent to where population is settled. For instance, in the neighborhood of Queenst»wn and Arrowtown the selling of the runs would be a suicidia'l step ; but the back country might be leased without doing much harm to anybody, especially if proper reservations were made that, if any of the country is wanted for settlement, it should revert back to the Government without compensation. Of course it cannot be denied that people keep ing sheep by the thousand are squatters to all intents and purposes, and, although their flocks might nominally he said to be running on the commonage, the commonage is converted practically into a run, as nothing but sheep will exist there, the cattle being actually starred off. As a rule the system of keeping small flocks of sheep is becoming a positive nuisance. They are indiscriminately depastured over flats and hills, and it is impossible for large cattle tu fatten. A commonage is therefore a misnomer, and, it the keepers of sheep are to monopolise the country, it is 1 othing but right that they should be made to pay for it. The damage done by the rain on Tuesday last to the roadway at the Arrow Bluff is not so serious as" was at first thought, and, with the exercise iif due -blligence, a week ' ought to suffice to put it in sufficient repair for traffic. Of course, to make a, cumqlete job of it, a much longer time will be required. The portion of the retaining wall that gave way was very faultily constructed, and was never considered to be saje. The crossing-place at the Shotbver has been impassable for some time past. It is possible now to cross, but there is considerable danger in doing so on account of quicksands. Mr. Cope, of Clyde, iniorms me that while crossing yesterday his horse almost disappeared, and had it not been a very' powerful animal it could not have extricated itself. I suppose a bridge will not. be built until some fatal casualty has occurred. A public library is 'icing initiated at Arrowtown. The very large sum of £ OO lias been subscribed for that laudable purpose. The Arrow district has considerably improved of late. r| he mixed mining and agricultural population is a thriving one, and I should not wonder but that the Arrow will in course of time become one of the most prosperous and largely populated districts in the province.