THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 648, 18 September 1874, Page 3

THE LAKES.

(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.) Arrowtown, Sept. 15th. The desirability of stocking the waters of the Wakatip with fish has excited considerable interest these last few weeks ; and the people of the Arrow—not to be outdone by their Queenstown neighbors—have procured a supply of trout ova from the Dunedin Acclimatisation Society, and which is expected to arrive here, via the Dunstan, by Wed. nesday’s coach. I feel assured .that Mr Henry Nettlefold, Mr Devine, and Mr Parsons the drivers upon the several stages, will do their best to forward their precious charge in safety to its destination. The hatching ground will be the mill-race at Messrs Butelßros., on Hayes Creek, a most suitable place ; and the Messrs Butel, who are, without doubt, the most painstaking people in the district, have promised to use their utmost endeavors to insure success.

At Queenstown it has been found advisable to remove the hatching box from the Town Creek to Mr Rowell’s, Lake View Gardens, where the water is much purer, and there is little or no deposit. Mr Worthington is most assiduous in his endeavors to bring the “little strangers” alive and well into the world, and spares no pains whatever in the care of his interesting charge. It is a pity that the Corporation did not select some more suitable place than the Town Creek in the first place, as no sooner did the little fish emerge from the ova than they were firmly encased in a film of yellowish-looking slimy deposP. Just fancy the Corporation of Clyde trying to hatch trout in the gutter, opposite the Mayor’s residence in Sunderland street. Anxious, however, as the members of the Queenstown Town Council may be for a grand civic banquet, in which fish is to form the leading attraction, they might have selected a suitable place to ensure a supply, especially as it is necessary first to hatch their chickens before eating them. The culinary art has not arrived at such perfection yet that, to have boiled fowl for dinner, all that is necessary is to put a few eggs in the pot. The Queenstown Corporation may be a very go-a-hoad body, but they must not expect to anticipate events after that fashion.

Fine weather appears to have set in at last, and mining operations are beginning to look somewhat brisk after so long a season of hard frost and snow. In agricultural pursuits the wonted activity at this T articular season of the year is missing, and the ovei -abundance of wheat produced during the last two summers is to be compenea f cd fortbisby but little of that grain being grown. Untiiled fields are rather the rule than the exception. You might scarcely credit the fact, hut a third real live lawyer has settled down to business at Queenstown. Such an event during a most unparalleled season of commercial depression, and when so many people are leaving the district looks omim us. We must either be in a state of transitu from bad to worse, or from worse to better. Perhaps the old fable is about to be realised, that “ when something tails to pieces somebody must make something by picking up the bits.” The legal gcntleinm in question is a Mr IT. .1. Finn, brother to Mr Finn, a distinguished Victorian barrister, and well-known on Ballarat and Inglewood, and who, in all probability will shortly be elevated to the Judicial Bench. Mr Finn once contested the Avoca election, in company with the Hon. the Premier of New Zealand. Mr IT.’ J. Finn comes of a very clever family, and there can be but little doubt but that a large share of the legal business of this district will fall to bis share. There should exist an opening for a good mining lawyer.