LAWRENCE.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2103, 1 February 1870, Page 2

LAWRENCE.

(from our own correspondent. ) My last letter told of festivities, and, as a natural consequence, of prolonged bilious attacks ; this epistle is of a more melancholy import. Indeed, even Mark Tapley himself would consider it as creditable to be jolly in Lawrence, as he did while a free and enlightened denizen of Eden. Insolvency follows insolvency ; the very men who have bean supposed to be our local millionaires proving the first to smash, Our municipal affairs are in fearful confusion, an absurd water scheme having not only swallowed up all available capital, but also the annual revenue heavily* burdened by a large sum for interest. This same water scheme is worthy of a little notice, as it affords a beautiful instance of the advantages to be derived from local self-government. From some unknown, although suspected influence, a large amount of enthusiasm was excited in favor of a scheme, which has proved quite sufficient to supply the place with undrinkable water, and to burden the rates with interest on over L‘2,000, and a rent-charge of L 52 per annum for water from the Phoenix Company. Attempts have been made to improve the hog-hole which some of our magnates stylo the “reservoir." An etpenuvo filter has been provided ; yet, in spite of all, the water continues to resemble very badlymade pea-soup, and to be utterly useless to all, except one or two livery-stableKeepera. In the good times peoplo did not scrutinize so closely the expenditure of public bodies as they do now, and I expect there will be a nice shindy over the “municipal mud-hole” before many weeks are over. It is well known that a good supply of excellent water could have been brought into the town by Blundell’s race, but unfortunately this would

not have suited the books of a few spermtors ; so we arc compelled to grumble through the het weather, trusting to the skies and the breweries for fluids to cool our parched palates. Except the interesting item that luiipeka is universally acknowledged t<> bo cooked, I have little wherewith to fill up a corner. The ea’e by auction of Gibb’s photographic studio created some amusement, chiefly owing to the fact that the purchaser, who prides himself upon his smartness, is generally supposed to have put his foot in it. Mining matters are literally at a standstill. The very few European miners left are striving hard to sell their c airns to the Chinamen. in order to raise funds enough oo take themselves elsewhere; and those of our business men who are not contemplating a passage through the mill, arc, with very few exceptions, winding up their affairs with a similar object. Altogether, the so-called "Ballarat of Otago” threatens to prove a mushroom growth after all: at least, thus do matters pourtray themselves to your correspondent’s distempered vision.