THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 544, 20 September 1872, Page 2

THE LAKES.

(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) Arrowtown, September 10. | The new gold-fields Bill has arousal tho indignation of the miners throughout the ( district, and meetings con learning the measure in the strongest terms have been • he’d. The Miners’ Ass ciati n has be n fully afire to ho state of affairs, while its feah 1 share done their utmost to se-nre the cn-opor tion of thfi adherents of the society, ami the miners in eoeral, to protest against the iniquitous and prohibitory measures sought to lie imposed upon g Id j mining. In my opinion, wove this infamous Bill to become law. evrv miner t! a 1 c mid. would leave ho country ; in fact, tray say that there appears to- be universal disgust arainst things in general in Now Zealand law lo i-tafion, no confidence in the governing prwers, bad roads or no roads at all, promises made, nly to be broken, and nothing but continual humbug attached,to everything connected with the Government, 1 .othKieneral and Provincial As on instance of unmitigated humbug, I have only to say that ra her more than six months ago, a company of associated miners who had very nearly constructed a largo water race, cut from the Arrow river, to command the terraced ground at the junction of the Arrow and Kawarau rivers, songhtfto take a Ivan! ago of the Immigration anl Pil'd c W rks Act, to obtain assistance in the modest amount of 5001. The work at that da’e was in a great state of forwardness, and over 1000/, had been expended in labor and nia’crial. 'The application wis recommended by tbe Warden, and a telegram received in reply, that when the necessary ciadi 1 tv. hat been conpd ed with, such as the Company being registered undr the Joint Stock Mining Company’s Act, and the authorised Surveyor’s report, the money w< u!d bo s lit without delay, so said Mr. C. E. Houghton, but that prince of dis sembkrs was only paying fast and loos* ivi hj the poor mineis. Since then there has bee i an enormous correspondence and .telegraphing on both sides. Engineers reports of quantities of earth and rock removed, and no end of shuttling to getouof paying the money. This is our ii st specimen up here of Government assistance to miners and so disgusted is everyone that it will, in all probability, be the last sought. ! To bleak faith with a company of working ! i men is not only an act of extreme folly, but j cruelty in the bargain. The Company, notwithstanding these difficulties, have e impleted their undertaking, and the water will be tunningfin the course o i a very few days. On Saturday evening last there was a tia and concert in aid of the Presbyterian Church Fund. The tea was served in the Library Hall, which was tluee times iilhd by ticket holders, so largo was their nuiiibe Ihe ladies, it is m edless to say, did tin ir utmost to please, and, what with smiles and the wry best of Bohea, !S. uchong 41a\ or, v very thing passed off urns* agreeably. The concert was held in the lower portion > f the extensive stone store just erected by Mr. it ilrert Pritchard, which that gentleman had kindly placed at the disposal of the concert committee, who were fortunate in pincuring so large a building as the library all, would not have held one half of the umber that sought admission. The concert .vas Hi ■ repetition of one held at Queenstown in the I own-hall there on Thursday last for t e same object, the performers at which came over to assist their Arrow friends, the !■; net and choruses we.e under ,le ■ a iership of Mr. A. Eichardt, who isavery Juten with the baton. The Queen-town b ass baud also lent th- ir assistance, and s uvnadod the townercthey left town sluntly b fo.e midnight. The concert was a must unqualified success, such a large gatheiiug of persons h.s not been seen in the Anow for years past. One unanimous vote of thanks to the ladies, the performers, and Mr. 11. Pritchard, concluded the entertaiumout.