THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 390, 8 October 1869, Page 3

THE LAKES.

(FROM OUR own correspondent.) Queenstown, October 4. My Celestial neighbors about whom I wrote you last time have made themselves scarce. They have cleared out for the diggings and have taken with them their abominable fiddle and that exquisite falsetto warbler - the tall disciple of Escupaiius. For this I am doubly grateful, as my nerves •are not only spared but J am saved the expense of investing in a set or pair of bagpipes, It lias often been a •mystery to me why this delightsul instrument comes under the denomination ot the plural number. Whether it results from its component parts or from the melodious notes which it discourses 1 have no idea. I fancy it might be accounted for thus : its drone is the singular and the music the plural; again, the pipe or reed One and the wind-bag another; 0"e more -suggestion, the performer is one and the distracted nerves of the listener makes two. People insist upon telling -me that it is a good thing to be blessed with an ear fa- music. lam happy to say that I am not so blessed, as ■between the baapipcs and the Chinese fiddle, especially with a vocal accoin■pauimeut to the latter by a. pure and unadulterated, importation from the FI twery Land,’some Serious disurbance of n.y nervous system might lie the ’result!; In the trial scene in “Black eyed;Su.-an’’ the admiral cabs on one ‘of the “jolly tars” to give evidence as to poor William’s moral character, ■that:worthv “suit” blurts out, “ ILs moral character your II mov 1 why, he plays upon the fiddle like an angel.” .Now, had there bom a Chinese fiddler or* “a chiel drat blaw the pipes ” on ’board His Majesty’s ship 1 think the ’testimony of die witness would have been to the effect that they were •highly immoral characters, and lie would have rccommen led their im ucd.atc elevation to and u pcu.-iou ironi the yard-arm as the rea (le.-t means of gut tingclear of an in tolerable nuisance, j

The sacred bird of Ancient Pome was the cause of a pretty little squabble here (his last week, and the interposition of the Resident Magistrate became ■necessary to decide between the two disputing parlies, It appeared that a Mrs. Jenkins, the owner of a flock of geese, suddenly missed one of their number and upon instituting inquiries it was found-that a Mrs. Morrington, the proprietress of another flock of geese, had put to death a bird of this amiable species with the intent to entertain a party of friends at supper. It was alleged that the goose slain by Mrs. Morrington was the property of Mrs. Jenkins, and an- action was brought to recover the sum of 305., its .presumed value The plaintiff deposed tliat she had a goose on the 24th inst. Fhe had previous! purchased tint e of a Mr. Daniels. Cn \of this number (the goose in dispute.- refused to take op with the gander selected by plaintiff as Its especial guardian, and re-

turned buck to it* old love, and swam about in his company on the lake. Mr. Daniels had reported to her that he saw this eratic "nose hanging up dead in defendant’s kitciun FI unt.it} at once repaired to defendant’s kitchen and thcie she beheld and retibgiriShd 1 the goose as her’s from the peculiar in which its wings were cut. Defendant placed no difficulties in the way of her identifying her property. Richard Daniels deposed that seine three months ago he sold to the defendant three geese; that one of them had been in the habit of coming back to its former companions; lie saw the goose alive on the ) revions Friday and on the following Sunday he again saw it—or supposed he did—hanging up (having had its neck wrung) in the defendant’s kitchen. Defendant told " him that it was a goose that was in the habit of running after her gander when he (witness) replh d that he believed it to be a goose that came running af'er hia gander and that it was the property of the plaintiffi He arrived at this conclusion from the maimer in which its wings had been cut. He (witness) could not swear to the identity of any goose. A Mr. M'Connochie and Mrs. Fitt on behalf of cb fendunt gave evidence to the age of the goose and to the color of its neck. The Magistrate decided that there was no proof of ownership and that the goose might he cooked and Mrs. Morrington’s iriends entertained rs originally intended. The hearing of the case, as may be supposed ; pro duced considerable amusement. The bazaar in aid of the building fund of the Churchof England promises

| to pro ve a great succors. The donations ot articles are upon a most liberal scale and in the event of buyers proving dit to a very considerable sum of money i will be realized. Arrowtownv Oct. 5. < The heavy vain which fell during Saturday night proved most welcome to the farmers, as iu many situations the land was very dry. All vegetation seems benetitted by the change and is springing rapidly forward. There is every appearance of a very early season, and, 1 am afraid, a dry one in the bargain. In mining matters there is nothing particular to record, everythingappears to be pursuing the even tenor of its way. A now tunnelling claim has been opened up the river by Messrs. Dixon and Co . and promises excellent returns. To sluice the stuff they have flamed water across tho river by a Wire rope flume.

I was rea ling your article on tho advantages of Cliiu'e e Immigation in last Fricl ly’s issue. I may say that the peop'o of this district entirely endorse your sentiments During the little time the Chinese have been up here there is a perceptible change in almost everything for the better. Besides the storekeepers the farmers have been benefitted. Pigs and poultry have advanced considerably in price. Owners < f this description of property are constantly receiving visits from moon-faced strangers wishing to purchase. I have not heard that a di-ease known as “kleptomania” lias broken out among our Celestia visitors as yet, though people tell me that there is great danger of such especially when the children of the Flowery Land arc brought iato clcmc relationship with the poultry -houses of the Barbarian-. D >ek, fowl, and turkey are happily safe as yet nor ha ve I hoard, that a Second quality of (he precious raotal, described in C< 1 ’stial language as “welly good gold.” lias been discovered here a- yet Your article states the earning of the Chinese to be verylow in Victoria. Ju-t iarngine Doctors 1/. per week. I should never think of applying for the Resident Surgeonship of a Hospital at that rate; it would take more than a whole year’s salary to contest my election; I’ll have nothing to do with sawing bones at that price. Then you say blacksmiths, carpenters, and shoemakers \l. per week. These facts convince me that a man s* tiling down with the prospect of having a large family should go lo China. Blacksmiths hei-o charge \L for a single set of horse shoes. You pine* Barbers at 30s. and fclti ml o; ers at 30s. For tbs services of the first tin re is not non hj demand here. I presume, the Knight of thetonsor must be an artist to command such a. high figure. Slorekeepers arc a very useful ho ly and were they satisfied with 30s. as a re- j muncrVtion f r one week the cost of j living would he materially reduced. I would heariily recommend every tradesman to read the Dunstan Times. I was about to write something else but I perceive one of your Mongolian ii-iengs taking stock of my turkeys, so I’ll conclude this rubbish and take pro cautionary measures a o ainst Chinese kleptomania.