WAYSIDE NOTES.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2732, 18 November 1871, Page 2

WAYSIDE NOTES.

( By our Special Reporter.) QUEENSTOWN. In this district the inhabitants can grow as much corn of all descriptions, can grind and make as much dour as they may feel disposed. They can grow their own hops, make their own malt, brew their own beer—and all these articles in sufficient quantities to maintain the whole portion of the island once called Southland. 3 hey have good coal, as coal goes in Otago, an abundance of timber, an undeveloped copper lode, and sheep that may be counted by hundreds of thousands. Till the late imigration, com* mencing about the period when he of the resplendent vests, the oleaginous counten* ance, and Ihe exasperating and aspirating utterance, lately “put up” to answer Mr Vogel, was defeated by that “free lance,” Dugald Dalgetty—nearly all the inhabitants of this outpest were “ old hands,” men from “the other side,” who had been about a little, and knew a good thing when they saw it, and could appreciate a good location as well as the smartest Yankee of them all. A nd they remain there, and will continue to do so, having gathered their household gods about them. All the people knew each other ; the town was too small, and the in* habitants too well taught to care much about caste; a genial bonhommie seemed to prevail ; less Ishtnaelism than usual found to exist; the lawyers had not yet established a status, or in uced the inhabitants to tread the perilous and intricate mazes of the Insolvency Court; while the police alone seemed to be the most persecuted class, by their enforced nocturnal vigilance in repressing such freaks as tying a goat to the fire-bell, and arousing the inhabitants during the small hours, removing the mailman’s coach out of sight, and causing Her Majesty’s mail to be carried on horseback; turning out the paraphernalia of the town hall under some townsman’s verandah; ringing the church bell while divine service was being held, occasionally inducing the use of vinaigrettes as the people went worshipwards, or similar harmless amusements,' supposed to be instigated chiefly by whisky, and a long Irishman of the “ Paddy Cacnan build,” whatever kind of authropophic structure that may mean, There is, however, an end to suffering. The police have been removed, and have their reward in sleeping well and growing fat in other districts. Strangers were taken by the hand until they became too numerous for the hands of the residents to hold them, and the homeliness, cordiality, and kindness of the people were a pleasant thing to see. Nelson, Riverton, and Queenstown leave the same impression on a traveller’s mind They are alike, yet dissimilar; and yet I cannot point out the features bearing the similitude. The auriferous resources of the locality are well indicated by the escort returns. The Chinese are numerous—too numerous by

far. I have till lately taken John’s part ; hut I can do so no longer I have thought settlement of any kind the chief desideratum, but I must confess my heresy. True, they work soma ground that would not otherwise be worked perhaps for some time ; but they have worked ground and are doing so now, that many Europeans would be glad to have a chance of working. Wherever you go m this neighbourhood “ the Chinese have it all. We could have done fairly here for years, but John has fswept ;it all off. I shall go over to Victoria or New South Wales, there is room there—all this island is known now is the general cry. . By encouraging or allowing Chinese labor to be largely imported, and placing it on an equality with European, we drive away, it appears, the very element we wish to retain ; and thus doubly retard our increase in numbers. John, when ho gets a little money, goes home ) and the European, who has not water rights, land and house and hives, goes to a country where he has scope ; and there is room for something to turn up. Miners look at other} countries beside the place of their abode. Stockyard Creek took away many of our digging population. Bendigo is causing a movement among the dry-bones up here ; New South Wales, almost doubling her yield of gold this year, has not escaped notice ; and the manner the public and the Government seem to treat the Chinese question induces the miner to declare in disgust that “ the bread is taken from his children and given to the dogs.” • xia rather a serious question, and a d fficult one withal. It may, however, be only reciprocity. We looted the Chinese, and they are now looting us. I suppose we must give them the palm at all events for their manner of doing so. They don’t blow our brains out it we refuse “to part.” They go to work patiently and earn it. I’ll give it up, and leave the Chinese difficulty to wiser heads than mine. 1 am not a good hand at dcsciibing build - ings—but brick and stone are getting into use for building purposes here. allenstein and Eichardt having led the van I have an idea they are near a shaky quarter. If 1 remember aright, the severest shock of earthquake—in 1829 I fancy—since the whites have been here, happened on the west coast at Dusky Sound. The sealers were aghast, got in their boats for safety, and thence hack again to terra Jirma in pursuit of the same object ; Ihey describe the country around Cascade having been so altered as to be scarcely recognised. An extra pound or two of pressure may induce serious consequences, and topple over both brick and stone. The Lake—the largest but one in the island, the Te Anau-has a steamer, the “Antrim,” busily employed on it, conveying goods from Kingston, and timber from its head to its various destinations. A good strong serviceable commodious wooden boat. There is also an iron floating sepulchre employed in the same line, driven by an engine ada ted for a coffee mill, but it —the boat having a fashion of playing curious tricks, such as getting over the falls, taking the tiller under its own management, and going ashore when and where it Usteth, deserves not much comment, until it goes down altogether, “busts up,” or capsizes from not having any passengers to sit on the weather side when it blows hard. There are several other craft on the Lake, and several more mder it. I should think it would be deep enough to drown the giant who walked from the Emerald Isle to Scotlafid, the soundings in some places being over 200 fathoms ; and it seems at times turbulent and rough enough to preclude a voyage across its waters seated on a grinding stone, like that celebrated Saint achieved, who fled from Scotland, banished snakes, and whose memory is revered in March.