THE LAKES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 649, 25 September 1874, Page 3

THE LAKES.

(FKOSI OCR COiVRESrON’DKKT.) Arrowtqwn, Sept. 22nd. The exciting intelligence coming from the Palmer promises to take away a number of our well-to-do gold miners. Already several old residents have sold out, ar.d are on their way thither, while it is also the intention of a number of others to follow. If leports coming to baud are reliable, tbe Palmer is one of the richest goldfields ever opened, and everybody that can manage it will be sure to find tbeir way in that direction. Still, we must act with caution. Accountsjof such an abundance of gold appear almost too good to bo true, while there docs not appear to be any actual escort returns to justify th°m. It has long been acknowledged, and we have the best scientific opinion to supportit, that Northern Australia would eventually he found to contain goldfields far exceeding in richness those of Ballarat and Bendigo. If the late discoveries at the Palmer are the first steps towards opening up of the new Eldorado there need bo no great hurry to go, as there will be plenty of room and gold for all, but to make such a long and expensive journey without ho : ng first thoroughly assured that there exists a good chance of doing something is an act of folly, and the evil might be very difficult to correct. On Wednesday last a young and newly-, married lady, a daughter of the late Captain Howell, of Fairlight Station, and one of Otago’s early pioneer settlers, was buried in the Queenstown Cemetery. The deceased was the wife of Mr T. F. Tully, to whom she had scarcely been married twelve months. The cause of the death, unfortunately a very common one just now, was childbirth. The funeral was largely attended, as both the deceased holy, her husband, and the family of the late Captain Howell were very highly respected. In both families the hand of death has been particularly busy of late, and 1 do not know, upon any similar occasion, where public feeling found such genuine expressions of sympathy and sorrow as was evinced towards the bereaved husband. It is to bo hoped that the innocent little offspring of the wedding, and for whom her poor mother had lain down her life, may be long spared to comfort her sorrowing parent.

According to the Cromwell Argus, which may reasonably be supposed to he the Provincial Government organ up-country, we are to have the remainder of the Wukatip commonages sold. The reasons given in the Argus,are, that the commonages are so monopolised by the newly-created cockatoo squatters who purchased the commonage runs at the late sale some few months since that they have become useless as a depasturing ground for other people. The Argus concludes this little hit of information by informing us that the sale will result greatly to the advantage of all. Now, I do not blame the Cromwell Argus forgiving us a hit of nows respecting the intentions of the Government towards the commonages, which was little more than might have been expected after the satisfactory (in a Provincial point of view) —“sale of the ‘runs.’ ’’ Still, how docs the Cromwell Argus arrive at the-conclusion that wo shall all be very much benefitted by possessing no commonages at all ? I have many times road in the columns of that journal how anxious the people at Cromwell were to obtain an extensive commonage, and how they were fighting for a slice of Messrs Loughnan’s run. If a commonage is so desirable for Cromwell, what logic can the Argus possibly introduce to prove that the people of the Wakatip will he largely benefitted by being deprived of theirs ? “ What is sauce for the goose should he sauce for the gander.” If Cromwell could take away a portion of our commonage and attach it to themselves we might not so much object, hut this cannot he done. What is taken away from us will be given to the squatters. Cromwell cannot possibly he advantaged one farthing by such a proceeding. To take away a hone from one hungry dog and give it to another cannot, by any possibility benefit the loser unless he were likely to over-gorge himself. Such a consummation is not at all possible in our case. No upcountry district is ever likely to grow fat upon Provincial Government bounty. The sheep are certainly overrunning the commonages to the great loss of cattle owners, hut that is the want of a Board of Wardens. All that is wanted is to allow the people the management of the commonages them-

selves, when not only the revenue, but the interests of the district will be greatly ; benefittod; one little robbery will not justify a bigger. Mining matters are looking more lively since the retutn of fine weather. Even in most exposed localities operations can be briskly proceeded with. Mr Iloskruge, the Manager of the Nugget and Cornish Quartz Mining Company, at Upper Shotover, started his crushing machinery on Wednesday last, and judging from the appearance of the stone, together with the quantity of amalgam collecting on the tables the result of the crushing should prove satisfactory. As yet this Company a’e only working away at the surface reef, the necessary funds for opening up the mine properly not being previously available. This is a great pity, more especially when L 13,000 worth of gold has been extracted during the last three years, the average of the stone crushed being eleven pennyweights of gold to the ton. At Skippers only Southberg and Co. are at work. They are getting out stone from a claim lately taken up hy them between the old British, and American, and the Scandinavian. The reef is supposed to bo a slip from the main Skippers Beef. Southberg and Co. have made it pay very handsomely. Mr Grace, the new manager of the Shotover Terrace Co., at' Pleasant Creek, has managed to get the mine into good working order, and is now enabled to follow down the lead towards Eager’s, facing the ground out in a systematic maimer. Fifteen men are employed. The yield last week was a little over sixty ounces. The difficulty of reaching this ground has been something considerable, both Evans and Eager having been working over the bottom instead of upon it, to saw off the ends of their “ sets ” and prevent a “run” while other timber was being introduced was a work of no small difficulty, and reflects great credit upon Mr G race's knowledge of his business. Some very excellent specimens of golden quartz have been brought in within the last few days from the neighbourhood of Macetown. A continuation of the Shotover Beefs is supposed to cross the ranges here. Mr Bobert Clarke, member for the dis ■ trict. called a meeting of his supporters at the Library Hall, on Monday afternoon last, when he informed them that it was his intention to resign his seat in the Provincial Council.