THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 578, 16 May 1873, Page 3

THE LAKES.

— o— OUR COREESRO'-IDENT.) Arrowtown, May 13. The long continued dry weather has at last broken up, and we have had a succession of heavy showers since Saturday night. To the raining community this will be a great boon, as water was becoming very short, while in numerous cases streams had become dry altogether. To the agricultu. r ists the charge is also most welcome in numerous instances the’grouad was so hard that ploughing could only be carried on with much difficulty. The newly sown wheat will be started into rapid growth, and vegetation generally considerably beneiitted.

TheFrankton “Falls” bridge agitation lias awakened people up a bit hero, and caused them to be a little more alive to their own interests. 1 hear that a public company is likely to be formed to construct bridges both at the Morvern and Nevis Ferries, provided the Government can be got to accede to some very reasonable demands put forth by the projectors. Asa speculation, none can be better. There is nothing like it in the district, and should the terms required be acceded to, shares will be rapidly taken up. Between this and Queenstown the road has been greatly improved of late. That of Patterson’s hill has been diverted, and now vehicles can travel with less wear and tear of horseflesh than when they had to climb this almost impossible hill. Yorkey’s bridge has been patched up, and I learn that the Shotover bridge is to have some repairs. This structure is very shakey towards the Franklon end, and the bolts need screwing up. The dangers of Battery hill, on the road between Franktou and Queenstown, are being lessened by a diversion of the road, and widening the narrow and dangerous culverts, and which have been the cause of so many accidents lately.

A very serious and destructive fire oo curred in Queenstown on the night of the 7th instant. The residence of Mr. Spence, Government Surveyor, was totally destroyed together with all the contents, excepting some three chairs which a rather daring man pulled ont of the burning building. The occupants barely escaped with their lives, saving nothing whatever. This building was well known to most people, it being tire original homestead of Mr, Frees, when Queenstown instead of being the chief centre of a prosperous mining and agricultural district, was the hind quarters of a sheep walk. Hr. Spence had only purchased the land and premises (his formers quarters) from the Government at a valuation of 1701 for improvements, the land fetching the usual upset price for improved town lands. Who is to bear the loss ? it is impossible to say. At all events, the Government should boar a portion. Mr. f pence paid a much larger sum for his quarters in proportion to their value, than any other official. JThereappears to have been disposed of upon a sliding scale system, so adapted that the highest in rank might have the greatest bargain. A very large area of valuable town property hat been sold at Queenstown to Govern, mont officials at a price much b*dow its value, and as advantageous business sites arc so limited, the loss will be severely felt by-and-by The principle of selling officials their quarters with land attached, is a very bad one, it gives them a sort of prescriptive right to their situations, as they have almost a claim upon the Government in case of removal, while it is unfair to holders of property generally by depreciating its value, the unfailing result of an almoss impossible competition. Mr, James Sandison, a well-known resident at the Dunstanhas lately returned from Martin’s and Big Bays. He claims to have discovered and marked a track through the Greenstone Valley, so that travellers may now go from Lake Wakatrp to the Hollyford River, and from thence to Martin’s Bay, without ascending higher than three hundred feet above Lake Wakatip, and moderately easy walking the whole way.

Ho also declares r that a pack horsetrack could be made for a very moderate sum of money. He condemns the Lake Harris route in foto, rs expensive, difficult, and dangerous, and impracticable for horses. Mr. Sandison has written a very long account of his wanderings for the Daily Times, and which, 1 am informed, w ill he very interesting and instructive. If Mr. Sandison has accomplished all he says I am sure that he deserves some recompense as a public benefactor,