Local News and Notes.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 3, 9 May 1863, Page 4

Local News and Notes.

We are compelled, in consequence of pressure of matter, to hold ever till our next, our correspondent's letter from the Arrow, the report of a meeting at Bracken's Hotel, and several other items of news already in type. An inquest was held on Monday last, on the old Wakatip diggings, Roger's station,on the body of a man named James Roberts, who had died on the preceding Sunday. His mate, who was the only witness, said he was awoke by deceased ceasing to breathe, and on examination found that he was dead. Deceased had been suffering from disease of the chest The jury returned a verdict of " died from natural causes." The deceased and his mate were the only men still left on the old Wakatip diggings, and as the number has been reduced by one, he is now the solitary inhabitant of the deserted field. On Tuesday morning last, from information received by the police at Kingston, a jury of loyal citizens was empanelled, who forthwith were marched along the beach to the supposed resting-place of the object they were in search of—a dead man's body. They walked along for a distance of 7 or 8 miles, up as far as the Staircase, but there was nothing to repay them for their arduous walking match, except the finding of the body of a dead bullock, which defunct animal not belonging to the biped species, it was thought fit not to hold an inquest thereon. The jurymen must have indeed felt somewhat disgusted at the result, and no doubt accompanied by many a whispered blessing for the welfare and zeal of the devoted "Force" resident in Kingston, for dragging them such a weary distance, —some being compelled to issue forth breakfastless and drowsy. The body had been previously buried by the police without any inquest, unknown to the Kingston authorities.

A meeting of the Queenstown Protection Committee, adjourned from Monday, was held at the Wakatip Hotel last evning. Mr. Bracken moved a resolution to the effect that night-watchman Maloney be disemissed for general bad conduct. Seconded by Mr. Cassius and carrisd unanimously. It was then proposed by Mr. M'Gaw, seconded by Mr. Brook, and carried—" That the present night-watchman system be done away with in fourteen days, and that a deputation wait upon Mr. Inspector Morton requesting that he will place members of the police force upon service in the township during the hours of night." The lovers of sport in Queenstown will shortly have an opportunity of indulging their taste without having to travel a distance of fifteen or twenty miles. Hawklestone, the winner of the late match with Cavanagh at the Arrow, is, we learn, matched with Telford to run in Queenstown on the 22nd inst., a distance of 150 yards, for £IOO a-side.

We extract the following from the " Southland News" of May 2, and respectfully dedicate it to the consideration of the Dunedin authorities. We are of opinion that the Southland Escort will not turn out such a failure as it has been generally supposed; and that if the question of annexation to Southland be seriously agitated here, as the miners have lately threatened, it will be but a fair return for the paternal conduct of Otago towards them:—" The * Otago Daily Times' Lake correspondent ' says:—'Mr. Commissioner Weldon, of Southland, is on a visit to the field, and it is said the people at Switzer's have appealed to him to take charge of their gold, in consequence of the Otago escort neglecting to send a branch service. About 800 people are in that locality.' Our contemporary's correspondent is in error. Mr. Commissioner, or rather Mr. Inspector Weldon, did not pay a visit to the miners at Switzer's, but they sent down a representative to him, requesting to have the protection of the police in transmitting their gold to Invercargill, as they had none in sending it down to Dunedin, notwithstanding they had made application to the Otago authorities. We are given to understand that arrangements have been made to comply with the request." At the Royal Hotel "Our Own Minstrels" are drawing good houses, and gaining additional honor from their audiences every evening. The difficulty of obtaining anything like an evening's amusement in Qucenstown has rendered their visit an agreeable change, and we are rather sorry to notice that this evening will be the last of their performances for a season, —their appearance attheShotover being advertised for Monday next, the 11th. We heartily wish them success, for their skill and talent justly merit it, and should be glad to see them again when they think proper to revisit this township.

From the following paragraph, extracted from the "Dunstan News," of May 1, it would seem that the Wardens of the Otago gold-fields enjoy no enviable billet, and to the proper fulfilment of their office they should possess at least übiquity: —"The mortality of this district has, during the last week, been largely on the increase. What with fatal accidents and deaths from disease, [the Resident Magistrate has had more than enough to do in holding inquests. Five inquests have been caused by accidents or disease Owing to the distance from |thc camp, and the necessity of holding an inquest before decomposition sets in, the business of (the Resident Magistrate and Warden's Courts has been at a comparative stand still. As we have so frequently stated it is impossible for one gentleman to undertake the business of Warden and Resident Magistrate." This reminds us of a day's work performed during the present week by J. N. Wood, Esq., Warden of this 'field. On Thursday he sat in Court uninterruptedy, from 10 a.m., till 5.30 p.m.; then rode to the Arrow, and held a court there till past midnight; after which he*' enjoyed the pleasure of riding back by moonlight,—a very romantic, but supremely disagreeable, task according to our own ideas—reaching Queenstown between three and four in the morning. After [this gentle exercise he was at his post in the Court at 10 o'clock. We wonder if these gentlemen sing with any degree of pride "Britons never shall be slaves!"

NOKOMAI. (FBOM OUE BPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) 6th May, 186 S. As you requested some information concerning "our habitat," I hasten to enlighten you: it may be as well to " try back," so that the portion of your readers who only know that the Nokomai was pronounced a duffer, may understand why, etc. Otago miners had been accustomed from the first opening of the diggings to obtain the gold without any systematic labour; "parties" consisted commonly of three or four mates, and when they came to a place requiring greater numbers and expensive appliances, they were naturally disgusted, as they had beenled to expect shallow sinking. Hundreds, indeed I may say thousands, merely came, looked at and departed, without turning a boulder, much less the creek, so that Nokomai and " shicer" were usually spoken of in one breath. Some few more determined men remained, and of these many have made a very good thing, although nothing to compare with your Lake " finds." Lately many have come to try again, and they are now really " shaping" in combination. There is a considerable " ditch," as the Yankees call a tail-race, being cut above Cameron's, and they have obtained gold in the race in such quantity as to encourage " all hands." In Moa Creek or Victoria Gully (a tributary of the Nokomai), parties are steadily working, and there has been one or two good finds of late. In fact gold, more or less, is found everywhere, although I can scarcely back the

opinion of a sanguine individual I overheard saying •* we shall take the shine out of the Shotover yet." The chief attraction of the place is the fact of its being capital winter quarters, there being abundance of firewood and timber of moderate dimensions. Provisions are at prices as follows:—beef Is 3d; flour Is; tea 5s ; sugar ls6d per lb. Luxuries are not much indulged in. Amusements none; nobblers occasional, sometimes frequent; general behaviour first-rate, more especially as we have neither Warden, Commissioner, or official of any kind.