Country Intelligence.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1001, 24 June 1881, Page 2

Country Intelligence.

LAKE COUNTY. (From our own Correspondent.) The winter has now set in in earnest, and all outside work connected with quartzmining is necessarily suspended for tho season. The past season has not been so satisfactory ns could be desired, and the cakes of gold from the various mines have left no profit on tho cost of production. As things lave gone lately, the Macotown reefs have not proved satisfactory investments, and speculators naturally feel (after tho promises hold out to them) much disappointment. The coat of working tho mines is far too much ; economy appears to bo tho last thing thought of, while judicious management and judgment in working the mines appears to bo altogether absent. It is also thought that a very great loss of gold takes place at the machines, and many persona (especially Chinese) who have been engaged sinking paddocks for alluvial gold in the Twelve Mile Creek have obtained large quantities of quicksilver, from which they have extracted a fair percentage of amalgam. Some Chinese near the foot of Scanlon’s Gully are said to have made a real good rise from the tailings coming down from tho Tipperary. In most of the mines the hands have been reduced for tho winter. The few employed will be kept stoping out stone for the spring emailings. The All Nations are getting on famously with their low level tonnel, and will shortly be on the line of reef.

The Maryborough, after completing their paddock, will go on getting out stone for crushing. The Ladyo Fayro will bo similarly employed, and it is high time this company had a trial crushing. Next season it is to be hoped that things will bo more prosperous, whicli a more efficient system of management cannot fail to bring about.

MISCELLANEOUS. The laying of the pipes for the Arrowtown waterworks is not being very briskly proceeded with. The Corporation are wailing for their engineer to put things straight for a proper start. The Mayor and Councillors appear to have been acting without consulting their engineer, and have found themselves in a mess. Every councillor thou, lit himself an engineer, and consequently acted accordingly, until they discovered they were mistaken, to the great loss of the citizens. “ Fools rush in where angels fear to tread ” has been exempliod by the Arrowtown Borough Councillors. The Hospital Committee have also got into a mess, and, I hear, will have to meet - an action for malicious libel at the hands of Ur Robertson, the proprietor of the Arrow “ Observer ” participating in the consequences of the suit. It is almost superfluous to say that the Committee does nrt by a very long way represent the intelligence of the place, and have been guilty cf on act which nobody approaching to be a gentleman would have been guilty of, as--not satisfied with falling out with Drßolerteon -they have sot themselves the task of trying to injure his future prospects. The real fact of the matter is that Dr Robertson is too much of a gentleman for the class of people ho had to deal with, and, instead of courtesy, he has been subjected to low-bred ruffianism in its most contemptible form. However, the Committee will find Dr Rabertsou a pretty hard nut to crack. The matter has caused much indignation amongst the respectable-thinking portion of the community. People are beginning to talk about thc ; r coining representative in the New Zealand Parliament. 1 fancy Mr Thompson, of Lakes I Hayes and Wanaka, Ho is certainly the i most popular man in the Arrow division of the VVakatipu electoral district; but, of course, it is early yet, and great changes mav take place in public opinion ere the day of election. No less than two applications for slaughtering licenses for Mace town are advertised iin the newspapers. It appears that the i butchering business there has been of the most profitable description for the last two years, meat selling at from 5d so Sd per II)., while its first cost lias not exceeded 2d. Wo can only, therefore, hail the advent of the two new Knigh's of the Cleaver with the greatest satisfaothm. Alluvial mining is looking up all over the country. There is no other outlet for tl e uneuq loyod labor, consequently every place where there exists a chance of obtaining gold from is being taken up. There appears to be a-great desire on the part of the miners with families to take up ground as residence areas in the environs of Arrowtown, but the Borough Council throws every difficulty in the way, Councillors being large holders of unoccupied sections in the township, while they are 1 illegally occupying Crown lauds on the borough extension. I learn this matterhas been brought before the Wsste Lands Board by an Arrowtown resident now in Dunedin.