THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 468, 7 April 1871, Page 3

THE LAKES.

(from our correspondent.) Queenstown, April 4.

The first of Apr-1 was a great day amongst our local sportsmen. The poor ducks and hens suffered greatly; some lol£r outright and others nigh frightened to death. T-Tpon the whole a very fair quantity was bagged. At a special meeting of the Municipal Council, held oil the afternoon ot the 31st ult, it was unanimously agreed by a proposition from Councillor Betts, seconded by Conn cillor Malaghan, that the successful efforts of the Town Clerk in the annual levy upon the citizens in the shape of rate collecting, should be celebrated by a grand, civic banquet, al which the wild fowl of the district should form prominent dishes. Councillor Manders and the Town Clerk were forthwith despatched to make tracks for Lake Hayes, and they lay in ambush all night in some of the surrounding swamps, so as to be ready for the first hang in the morning. Councillor Manders tooK up his quarters in a thick scrub near the mouth of the Shotover, the Town Clerk in a stone quarry, from ’where the material for the Mayor’s new mansion at Spear Grass Mat is being excavated. Here they lay in wAit for their prey, but success did not attend ■‘heir designs upon the feathered tribe, as when morning broke the usual haunts of the water fowl were almost deserted some enterprising farmers having, 1 suppose by mistake, dealt deadly havoc amongst them the day before. The Town Clerk only bagged three head ; poor Councillor Manders after walking about all next day and firing off sundry vases of powderand pounds of shot went home towards evening with only a goose egg. The intended banquet of course did not come off so luxuriously as expected, veci urse was had to less dainty meats I hear Councillor Atkins supplied beef, the Mayor onions and beer, Councillor Warren bread, while Councillor Bridge furnished the plates and knives and forks and so the matter ended.

In quartz mining affairs there is considerable activity. The reefs at Upper Sholoverare looking extremely promising. The Nugget and Cornish Company are crushing day and night and a very satisfactory cake results in rime for each escort. This Company is the greatest success in the Lakes district, but it is tobehoped that others will be equally as fortunate. The Ophir has been taken by a Dunedin Company and a new lineat M‘Hardy’s gully by one from Invercargil. The Ophir, though at present covered up by an extensive land slip, promises to be as good as the Nugget and Cornish, and great hopes are entertained of the venture. At Skipper’s Southberg and party are getting out some very good stone from the old line of the British and American Company. The Phoenix have nothing payable yet but aie in good hopes of success. A revival of quartz mining in the Lakes district is imminent.

The editor of the Cynthiana News in making an appeal to those owing him who are in arrear to pay up, says: —“We hope they will settle without delay. Not that we want the money—oh, no! Our ink is given to us, we steal our paper, and we win our printers’ wages at ‘seven up.’ Ro it costs us nothing to carry on business. Nevertheless, as a matter of accommodation, and to ease their conscience, we will take what they owe us, if they will send it immediately.”

G ENERAL INTELLIGENCE. Under the head of “ Lost Races” a genius is getting up a list of celebrated horses which have been beaten in America. The Lyttelton Times states that Mr Oram has disposed of Backbiter and Sir Tatton at handsome prices. Several other Canterbury horses which have figured prominently at recent race meetings in Otago have also changed hands.

The Correspondence Havas of Paris thus describes the bombardment of Fort Rosny on the 30tb December;— “ Within five hours one hundred and fifty five shells fell into a single barrack. Casements believed to be bombproof were penetrated ; and between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. nearly two thousand projectiles fell into the enceinte, on the scarp, and the counterscarp. This unheard of fire, more sustained and terrible than that of Sebastopol, happily caused but little loss of life. Three or four mariners were wounded, while an unfortunate ball put hors de combat six persons quartered in the same casemate belonging to the volunteer artillerymen of the National Guard. In so severe a bombardment there is a feeling of helplessness which affects even the bravest. Not even the most experienced soldiers can say they have undergone fire such as that experienced by Forts Roshy, Noisy, and Avron, for it is warfare with, a new kind of projectile. We are really impressed dry the spectacle presented after three days of this frightful fire by the mariners in our forts—firm, resolute, vigilant, ready for every sacrifice.” The country beyond Orleans and Tours, and all in front of it, is described as beyond conception terrible to contemplate Four times now the storm of war and battle has passed over it. The villages and farm-houses are burnt, the towqs gutted They are, nevertheless, iWI of wounded men Every bouse, them—-Prussians, Hessians, Bavarians Hanseatics, Meclenburgers and French The field and roads are covered with dead horses and dead men, frozen and stiffened in hideous multiplication of fantastic contortions. Orleans has not suffered except in the suburbs, but these are shell blackened and in ruins. The Cathedral is filled with irreverent prisoners, who swarm in the sacred places, play Offenbach on the organ, and mistake recklessness for gaite de camr in their captivity. The kind ;—A patient of Dr. Blanche, the famous physician of the insane, having recovered, asked permission to write to his family. “■ Make haste, then,” said the doctor, “ for the balloon starts to morrow.” “ The railway you mean, surely doctor?” “ Ah ! I forgot to tell you that 'since yon were ill, Paris is besieged and cut ofi’ from all communication.” The pom- man turned fearfully pale. “ I thought I was cured, and you tell me such stories as this !” Dr. Blanche was compelled to take his patient to the fortifications to prevent a relapse.

Reflect for a moment on the fact that in only three Geiman districts, those of Westphalia, Rhenish-Prussia, and Hanover, there are thirty-six thousand widows, and ninety thousand 01 pharr, made such by the war. This is but a trifle of the total suffering. The destruction of life is far greater than that implies ; and the waste ol propertv, the desolation and despair of blooming countries to which beneficent nature has been more than liberal in her gifts, are so vast that computation fails to convey an idea of the mere money losses, while the blond, the horror, and the misery, in the overrun country, as well as in that of its conquerors, form a total to make humanity weep. Having given the moment to reflection, the is to rise, and with flashing eye lad throbbing heart to utter d°ep and bitter curses on the foul ambition of statecraft which produces such vast evils, and such prefound woe to millions of innocent men and women, victims of a few scores of fellow mortals who at a word may pour out rivers of blood.

The Superintendent of Auckland, a few days ago, had the following question put to him :“WilKyou oppose the wholesale bringing out of immigrants, as the place is already over-stocked with labor, and use yov.r influence to lay on a ship to enable those in a state of destitution to leave the Colony.” The reply of Mr. Gillies was; —“ Ido not think we have a ship inthe harbor small enough. There are few who would like to take advantage of it were one laid on. Theae may be a few men that it would really be an advantage to the revenue to get rid of ; but the great mass of the working people know well that this is better for them than any other place they have ever been in.” Not many months ago, one of the tent-dwellers at Rosa, Westland, who had camped over a covered abandoned shaft, was cooking his breakfast, when he was suddenly dropped, with the frying-pan in his hand, some fifty or sixtv feet down the shaft, the covering having rotted and collapsed without warning. On Sunday last, a similar accident, although not attended with the same results, occurred. One of the residents had erected the chimnev of his tenement over an old sha t and during the night the covering of the shaft carried away, leaving thechimney, which was an iron one, suspended over the dark and deep chasm below, Ross must be a delightful place to ilve in.

During the year 18G9 eleven thou sand persons died from the effect of snakebites in the Bengal Presidency, India.

Speaking of the condition of Cuba the New York Herald of December the 2Gth says;— The letters from Cuba which we published yesterday exhibited what the pool. Campbell might have recognised as almost equal to his “ bloodiest picture in the Book of Time.” The new Captain General, Yalmaseda, seems determined himself to take the field in a war of extermination, while tlm insurgents are no less resolute in pursuing tluvpblicy of laying waste an island which used to be the garden of the world. The destruction of estates by the insurgents for the past two months has been very great, and is continuing, despite the efforts of the troops, and already hopes of a crop of any importance are gone. Our correspondent at Santiago de Cuba describes the denressiou in that city as more general, and for stronger reasons, than it has ever been since the breaking-out of the insurrection. Planters have been compelled to abandon theirplaces and bring their negroes into town. Hundreds of the poorer country people are rushing thither, fearing to be encompassed within the insurgent lines, and killed if found theie by the troops. Crowded in filthy tenements, large numbers are daily dying from starvation or cholera, which has at length added to the misfortunes of Cube. If this horrible state of things shall last for a year longer, what will become of the Cubans? All parties, alike the adherents of the Spanish Government and those of the insurrection, will be involved iu the common ruin.

Sciexck A.XD art. — A striking instance of the piece of steel may acquire ||N|BbF great power of skilled \js the balance spring of a wißen. Ffona its extreme fineness and delicacy weigh not more than one ourite,' aAd exceed in value £I,OOO. A most interesting little work, describing tiie rise and progress of watchmaking, has been published by J. W. Benson, of 25, Old Bond-street, and the City Steam Factory, OS and 60. Ludgate hill, London. The hook, which is profusely illustrated, gives a full description of the various kinds of watches and clocks, with their prices. Mr. Benson, who holds the appointment to the Prince of Wales, has also published a pamphlet on Artistic Gold Jewellery, illustrated with beautiful designs of Bracelets, Brooches, Ear-rings, Lockets, &e., suitable for wedding, birthday, and other presents. These pamphlets are sent post free for two stamps each, and they cannot he too strongly recommended to those contemplating a purchase, especially to residents in the country or abroad, who are thus enabled to.select any article they may rerpiire, and have it forwarded with perfect safety.