LAKES DISTRICT

Dunstan Times, Issue 310, 3 April 1868, Page 2

LAKES DISTRICT

(from a correspondent.) Queenstown, 31st Mch. His Honor, Judge Grey held his usual two monthly sitting of the District Court during Monday and Tuesday last. The cases heard, were not of any special interest outside the district, and would therefore be rather wearisome to your readers. The Municipal Council have despatched a representative to the Municipal Conference in the person of Cr. Powell, who, bye the bye, has plenty of hard work cut out lor him, and should he only succeed in accomplishing one half, he may fully calculate on receiving upon his return to Queenstown such an ovation that has never yet been accorded to any living soul in the district, Councillor Powell’s instructions from his colleagues in the Council are as follows : “ To procure an endowment of land for the Municipality in the shape of runs, 2, 3,and 4.” “ A grant of money te fence in the old Cemetery.” “ The building of a bridge across the Shotover.'’ The outlay of £6O in addition to the sum now being spent in forming a new approach to the Shotover River.' “ Funds for the erection of a Bell Buoy on the Bar at the entrance to the Harbour.” “ Placing the main Trunk Line of road in proper repair, and procuring a reduction in the present exorbitant rates of Toll at the Punts.” “ To support the petition against the sale of the runs.” The Council received a letter from the Secretary of the Land League recently formed at Blacks’, promising assistance in opposing tic sale of the Wakatip Runs. There appears to be a strong desire on the part of every resident in the district to have a good road formed between this and the Dunstan. The large quantity of produce now being grown must find a market down country, and unless there is a good road it will be impossible for the farmers here to compete with the Taieri. The tolls at the Kevis and Morven Ferries are most exorbitant, 1 cannot say what the intes of Toll are exactly, as it appears to me the Punt-owners charge just what they please, or according to circumstances, but a hors* team cannot travel between this and Clyde without being mulcted in something between thirty shillings and two pounds, and a single horseman eight shillings, I don’t mean to infer that the charges for puntage are more than sufficient to pay the lessees of the Ferries for their outlay, but it really seems that there will be very little traffic till a reduction is made. It is nevertheless very absurd for a Government to allow the traffic upon a main line of road to be at the caprice of mere individuals, and some arrange ment should be made, so that a charge of not more than the ordinary rates of Toll should be paid by the travelling public. We want the country opened up, but what is the use of roads, when such exorbitant levies are made upon persons travelling. From what I can learn, the affairs of the Punts generally throughout the Province, and especially on the Goldfields give universal dissatisfaction The means of crossing the rivers, has through bad management on the part of the Government, been suffered to get into private hands, and a species of “ Black Mail ” is levied indiscriminately, as a natural consequence With few exceptions, the farmers have all gathered in their crops; the harvest has been an abundant one, and if other districts have been unfortunate, the Lakes has been peculiarly fortunate. Wheat will be worth at the Mill, from seven to eight shillings per bushel, which price ought tc pay the farmers well, or they car have their grain gristed at eighteen pence per bushel, which, considering the large outlay of Messrs Robertsoi , and Hallenstein, the proprietors of i the Mill, the price is very moderate. Mr. Shepherd addressed his Con , stituents in Queenstown on Saturday evening last, and was very favorably , received. At the Arrow, things have im proved considerably of late, and I an ‘ informed by an old resident that th< 1 miners in the neighbourhood are do ing proportionately better, than in th most palmy days. On Saturday evening last, the lit tie Township looked quite lively, th stores were well filled with customer [ and the hotels also appeared to be do ' ing a flourishing business. . People are asking, why the land i not sold in the Township 1 it has beei . surveyed a very long time ago, bn . whether the Provincial Governmen ( have forgotten there is such a plac as Arrowtown, it is difficult to say i however the Government are in dut; hound to measure out even justice t( ! the Arrow people equally with thos ; in other Townships. With the mix

Ed mining and agricultural populate on, resident in the immediate neighbourhood of the the place cannot fail to ultimately acquire considerable importance, I don't mean that its proportions might become very extensive, but it will be a permanent little centre of population. Mr. Shepherd addressed a very numerous meeting of miners at the Twelve Mile or Mace Town on ths evening of Friday last, when a cordial vote of thanks for his attendance, as well as one of confidence in him as a member, was unanimously carried. The " Twelve Mile " maintains a population of about 120 persons, who judging from appearances, appear to be doing well; there is a plentiful supply of water and a large amount of ground available for ground sluicing.