THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 452, 16 December 1870, Page 3

THE LAKES.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Queenstown Dec. 12. The continued drought has broken up just in time to save the crops, otherwise we should not have had much flour and horse-feed for exoM-ta-tion next season. Such a dry spring was never known before, some late crops were as yellow as guineas, while small seeds never so muchiisgermiiiated All appears however to be right now, and the ground is sufficiently well saturated with wet to stand a ion'? time without rain. Prices will rule high for grain, for what with the ri- ___ valry between the two flourmills, and rihe increased local consumption, toj|>ether with the fact that, there is no breadth of land under cultivation this year, the'best days for fanning are yet to come. The Chinese appear to he giving some people trouble, after doing so much good for the district, it is sought to send away its benefactors upon the plea that, they are likely to drive out the Europeans. I think that the only sin (if any), chargeable to the Chinese is that, they have set up storekeeping on their own account, and this has interfered with high [iiices and prerogation of our tea and sugar magnates, who have for so long held supreme sway, and who have appropriated all the golden eggs laid by the Wakatip goose, leaving the poor bird scarcely sufficient feathers to cover her carcase There is plenty of room for thousands more Chinese slum d they choose to come amongst us, and it they do buy -out some of the European miners, they pay long prices for their acquisitions. and the sellers are at liberty to speculate elsewhere The Lakes District posesses elements of success not to be found in any other miningdistriot, and it, is capable of supporting a population far in excess of its present numbers, and we should gladly welcome tin m, let whatever be their creed, clime -or color. The annexation of Southland to this Province has turned the attention of 1 uvercaveid people in the-direction of the Wakatip, most of the goods conic from Dunedin by this rout, and as soon as the railway is thoroughly •opened to Winton Messrs J W. Robertson and Hallenstein, of this place who are agents for the Southland Pa.il w y here propose placing one of Thompson’s Boat! Steamers between that place and Kingston. Our Volunteer Corps promires to he a great success, Captain Mallaghao is most assiduous in popularizing the movement, and our little local army ’although so newlv formed would be able to show a good tr-mt in the lield. The Corps numbers some sixty mom hers, and who are for the most part very punctual at drill, it is proposed to take initiative measures for a hand by instructing some of our juveniles in music, this I should imagine could be easily accomplished, as there are plenty -of matedals to operate upon. In mining matters there is not much worth particularising, as a rule the miners, both Europeans and Celestial are extremely prosperous, and this is amply verified by the escort returns. The new saw-mill at the head of Lake Wakatip will be shortly at work, this will be the filth mill in the dis trict, there being two at Lake Wakatip, one at Shippers, a fourth at the Arrow flat, and the fifth at Lake Hayes. The new flour mill at the latter place starts in a few days, so we are fora small community pretty well off for machinery, brickmaking and lime burning is going ahead, in hothofthese branches ■of local industry at least twenty men find profitable employment.