LAKE COUNTY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 975, 24 December 1880, Page 3

LAKE COUNTY.

(FROM OUR OWN’ CORRESrOKDENT } The coming Christmas holiday’s promises a largo influx of visitors from down country', and railway excursionists to Qbeenstown have been so thorongly pleased with this trip, ami not displeased with its cost, we may rcasonabl y suppose that the excursion train which is to arrive at Kings, ton on Christmas morning, will bring a more than usually large number of pleasure seekers. A good many of our local residents will select Invercargill and Dunedin ns the places where they will travel to, and find enjoyment The beauties of the Lake Wakatip have ceased to be interesting to them, a change near the sea coast being prefered. The railway is a great inducement to travel nfsw, and a'l those who can afford it. are not slow to take advantage of this superior mode of locomotion. In the shape of amusements for those staying at home and those who may coma to see ns, Very little has been provided, excepting an excursion up the Lake from Queenstown, and a bazaar for tie Arrow Hospital, at

Arrowtown. All the Arrowtown hotelkeeper's applied on Tuesday, and were granted by th) R.M., Major Kedilell, for hours exterttion of time, to keep open their houses, commencing .immediately after Christmas Day,' and ending after New Years Day. Major Keddoll very naturally enquired what was the special occasion were there any B ills, Concerts, Theatrical performances, Horse rices or what, hut no boniface could reply to anything excepting that it had been always a custom at A'•rowtown to grant these indulgences, so I suppose the speciality this year Will mean plenty of solid and goo I drinking. The number of publicans which we have left at Queenstown and Arrowtown, should surely be able to get up something in the shape of Christmas sports. In mining matters, there is not much to report, as yet, the cakes have not coma down from thereefs, hut, they are anxiously looked for. The Tipperary and Gladstone Company’s will no doubt, show improved results this crushing, both being engaged putting through much better stone. The Homeward Bound are steadily crushing away but as their new Berdan is not yet sufficiently perfected so far as its erection is concerned, they may possible be obliged to continue running their battery longer. If they do wash up, they can only do so imperfectly, as they will have some 25 tons of blanketings left ott hand, the result of the last and present crusliings. The Homeward Bound reef looks very well, and it has been opened out by tunnels and winzes right np to th; “blow” on the crown of the hill. .. The lode is a very well defined one and well developed in the bargain, and although if not so rich as the others, from the large quantity of ground held by the Company, and the area' thickness of the atone within the walls, there is little to doubt, but that the Homeward B nind will ho working when many others will have been wrought out. The (dale lonian have b“en fortunate in striking stone. They have just come across a Very strong gold-bearing lealer one foot in thickness, and which promises to lead on to the main reef. The Defiance commenced to open out on raonday last. They are tunnelling on the lode itself, which is between five and six feet wide. The quar'z is well defined and gold shows in quantities unmistakably payable. The pro-pects of this Company are exceedingly good. The Garibaldi will shortly commence, ahd here is another reef showing payable gold in the face. The new suspension bridge crossing the Kiwarau at Arrow Bluffs will he formerly opened to the public on Thursday, the 30i.1i Decembei.