THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 405, 21 January 1870, Page 3

THE LAKES.

(from our own correspondent.) Queenstown, Jan. 17.

The races are oyer, and with them we must feel thankful that the holidays are so also, and that we are once again enabled to resume tho oven tenor of our way in

[e business matters. A trifle over three ;r weeks ought to be sufficient for d ssipation ie at least once during twelve months. The is race meeting on Thursday, Friday, and >e Saturday last was not such a success as is could be desired. Previous to the eventit ful days everything promised well. The )- stakes were large, the number of intending visitors was larg", and th» field of horses a entered, or to bo entered for the various 5 ‘contests was larger than on any former e occasion. Everything was favorable ox--1 cept the weather, and, what with the wind i) and rain, it was really surprising that the f. attendance amounted to what it did. The q spectators (both ladies and gentlemen) . stood it out bravely, and made the best of things ns they were. The lessee of the grand stand (Host Eichardt, of the Queen’s Anns Hotel) provided handsomely for the entertainment of his patVdnt, and everyone seemed really sorry that the weather was j so 'much against his really spirited speculaj tion. The various conveyances were fully engaged, and drove a good business. The Antrim and Victoria steamers each brought 1 their loads of passengers, and for sums 6 varving between half-a-CMwn and three 1 shillings and six-penCe the course could " be readily reached. On Thursday and Friday evenings the members of tbc Amateur Dramatic Society gave representations. One was for the benefit of the Jockey Club the other for i the School. The British Lion Theatre was 1 crowded upon both occasions ; each time at least two hundreu persons must have 3 been present. The visitors from Clyde and Cromwell were more numerous than upon any other occasion, and they all expressed themselves delighted with their visit. Fust Dav. Maiden Plate of 23 sovs. One mile and a half. Mr. M'Morran's Wallaby 1 Dawkins’s Wild Rose 2 f Grant’s Bobby 3 Five horses started. It was Wallaby’s ■ race throughout, and he was freely taken 3 against the field before the start. f Town Plate of CO sovs. Two and a half ’ miles. Mr. M‘Morran’s Musician 1 Dawkins’s Nelly Grey 2 ■ Ryan’s Brunette 3 M‘Farlane’s Schoolboy 4 1 Brunette and Schoolboy led off, but were soon collared by the greys, Musician ncouf piying first place and winning by a length. ; Wakatip Handicap of 20 sovs. Distance s two miles. . ‘ Mr. Malaghan’s Garry Owen 1 Scoles’s floppy 2 Aitkin’s Benjamin 3 | Won easily by Gariy Owen, in spite of the bad riding ana generalship of his jockey. Hack Selling Race of 20 sovs. Vimitr | to be sold for 20 sovs. , Mr. MTntyre’s Rory 0 More l| Scoles’s Dulo 2 i Four others started. Second Day. Hurdle race of 45 sovs. One mile and a half heats, over five flights of hurdles. Mr. M'Morrau’s Fough-a-Ballagh 1 1 Lake District Handicap of S5 sovs. Distance two miles and a half. Mr. Smitham’s Cromwell 1 Dawkins’s Nelly Grey 2 Two others started. Ladies’ Purse of 25 sovs. Distance one mile and a half. Mr. M'Morran’s Musician 1 M ‘Morran’s Spec 2 The race was tantamount to a walk-over for Musician. On Saturday the Consolation Handicap, postponed from the previous clay, together with several impromptu races and matches, made up a tolerable day’s amusement, and the weather having improved, matters passed off pleasantly. We were promised two swindles in the 1 shape of race art unions, by means of which ' two lots of jewellery were to be distributed, I but, in consequence of a police prosecution at Cromwell under this head they di 1 not come off It is to be hoped that the days of art unions are now over. They were a pest to the goldfields, and engendered ' a spirit of gambling when legitimate trading should have been resorted io for the supply ' of articles sought to be thus dispose 1 of. The crushing plant o f the British Ameri- ' can Company, at Shippers, was sold by ' Auction, under a writ of fi fa., on Wednesday last. The sale was held at the Court * House here, the whole lot being knocked down by Mr. Donne, the Bailiff, for the 1 sum of £2OO. The purchaser was Mr. 1 Finney, one of the hoi , ers of the writ of ‘ execution and once a large shareholder in ‘ the company. Two horses were afterwards 1 disposed of for £33. is said that the 1 crashing plant alone cost £SOO when placed • on board ship in Melbourne for coveyance to Otago. Akrowtowk Jan. 18. The late showers have proved highly beneficial to the miners, as supplies were running very short. With few exceptions 1 there is sufficient now for all parties. The a Chinese who are about to work the bod of 1 the Arrow river opposite the township are J getting on famously with their works. They have constructed and substantially walled in with stone a tail.race of riither more than a mile in length, and they have tunnelled the whole stream of the Arrow river for a still longer, containing also a head race for supplying the wheel which is to drive the pumps. With the exception 1 of a little iron work, everything has been done by themselves and in a most workmanlike manner. There are twenty Chinamen employed upon this work alone, and that they understand the principle of combine! labor is most unmistakable demonstrated Xlxo turoidliiifl ckuui up tiro river ore I

turning out extraordinarily well At the Eight-mile some parties are making from £2O to £SO per man per week, and nearer towards the Arrow township from £8 t’o £l2 pfer week is very common. Tunnelling into the terraces requires considerable patience to make a beginning but when once started it is the most surely remunerative mining speculation out.