THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 353, 29 January 1869, Page 2

THE LAKES.

(I'ROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Arrow town, Jan. 20. Tho coming annual meeting of the Dunstan District Jockey Club is engaging considerable attention among the lovers of horse-racing in this district, and from here and Queenstown, you may expect to see a large number of visitors. Almost everybody I meet talks of going down to the Dunstan Races. Talking about races ,there seems to be a deal of acrimonious feeling about some .alleged mistake of the Treasurer of the Lakes Jockey Club, when lie advertised the postponement of the race meeting in your paper not also notifying that the data for receiving entries was postponed also. To this cause is attached tho smallness of (ho entries for the different events and the paucity of attendance on the cou so. I am, however, of a different opinion. The real fault rests with the Jockey Club as a body, who should have advertised their meeting and day for receiving entries in the Dunstan Times a. month earlier than they did, when both tho fields and the attendance of visitors would have been greater. Horses and ! visitors must come from down country, ; and how are. the people to 1-now of the Lakes DistrictHfockcy Club Races mi css thiough the medium of downcountry journals. The calling for fresh tenders fur building tho bridge across the Shotover at Forster’s Ferry is received with unmingled feelings of disgust. It is said that a number of tenders were sent from this district, some of them at very low rates. The date now fixed for receiving tenders is the Sth of February. It is to be hoped that tho Provincial Government will no longer trifle with the erection of this bridge. The revenue from this district has been enormous, and it is only an act of common justice to return back a small moiety in the shape of a bridge over one of the most dangerous rivers in the province. It is said that the Corporation of Queenstown arc about taking up the question of the excessive charges for crossing the punts on the road between this and the Dunstan. it is a very serious drawback to this district, and doubtless keeps many people from travelling. I don’t suppose that Messrs. Edwards and Owens, the lessees of the ferries, charge more than really pays them, even if the ferries can be . called a paying speculation ; bui there is this fact to be dealt with by tho Provincial Government, that, unless , some arrangements can be made to reduce the present charges, the thousands of pounds expended in forming the road round the Nevis and Arrow Bluffs have all been thrown away. It i is something like an expensive chain . cable rendered useless for the want of , ten links. ' Mr. George Fachc, of Clyde, held an auction sale at Queenstown on 1 Saturday last, of the household effects 1 of Mr. C. Roberts, late Manager of , the Bank of Otago, who is leaving for i Tasmania. The prices realised were f very satisfactory, and competition in several instances was extremely keen. • Many of the articles of furniture were of the most costly description. There is to ho a grand Masonic Ball in tho Masonic Hall, Queenstown, on the 12th proximo, and on the following day there will he an excursion { party up Lake Wakatip in the steamer Antrim. The excursion has been specially arranged to afford a treat to down-conn try visitors, i- The Board of Wardens'under the y new Dnpatd living Regulations toxaca

productive of any number of heartburnings, and apparently productive of very little good, except to the Chairman of the Board, who draws a handsome salary for doing but litlle, although I firmly believe that Mr. Baird would prefer to be more actively and usefully employed. With respect to some of the Wardens, I fancy they would be better employed i ' ettonding to their own businesses instead of minding other peoples. One prominent member, to my knowledge, is attempting depasturing upon quite a new and original theory, and goes in for grazin ' his cattle and pigs upon his neighbors’ crops. The annual meeting of the members of the Arrowtown Library was held yesterday The financial statement showed that all liabilities on account of the handsome new building nad been discharged, with the exception of about 2lf.