Local News and Notes.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 19, 4 July 1863, Page 4

Local News and Notes.

The "Expert," which our readers will remember went down during the heavy gale of a month back, at the foot of the Lake, is now afloat, and receiving several necessary repairs and improvements. She is shortly expected to resume her trade between here and Kingston, which after this day will be almost entirely engrossed by the Victoria, as she will be then the only steamer in activity.

At Switzer's diggings, we learn that the population is becoming more settled. At the old workings in Welshman's Gully, about a hundred miners are at work, about fifty of whom have good claims, the remainder making wages, as they term it, which is about £5 per week. Many of the adjacent gullies are being prospected. The total population does not exceed five hundred. There are a few stores, and provisions are remarkably cheap,—mutton, Is. per lb.; flour, 6d. per lb. The majority of the diggers have good sod huts, and are evidently inclined to winter there comfortably. A few shafts have been sunk as deep as sixty feet, but not yet bottomed ; the diggers are very sanguine of the result. The climate is very severe, and many of the small creeks are frozen.

A want which has been severely felt for some time by those connected with the Lake shipping interest, has been lately supplied by Messrs. Horn and Co., of Beach-street. We allude to the new jetty erected nearly opposite the office of this paper, and which is undoubtedly the best in Queenstown for both safety and convenience. It is most substantially built, and affords facilities for loading and discharging cargo not possessed by any other in this township—of which fact the masters of craft seem to be aware; among others, the steamer Wakatip having, on her last trip, availed herself of the accommodation afforded by it. A strong handrail, a feature not considered worthy of a thought on the other jetties, has been erected; and that alone will be no inconsiderable inducement to shippers of stock, several accidents having already occurred through the absence of such protection, by animals slipping off the edge. We wish the enterprising proprietors every success.

The steamer " Wakatip" is advertised to be laid up for repairs and for the reception of her new machinery, on Monday next, from which date her trips to Queenstown will cease. When she next arrives, she will be in a position to compete more successfully with the swifter, but truth compels us to add—more insecure steamers plying on the Lake. J* A contract for the new camp buildings at ihis township, has been entered into with Messrs. Thorpe and Fletcher, who are boun d to complete them within a month from the present date. They constitute bailiff's quarters, gold-receiver's do. and court-house. The advantages that will accrue from having proper court-house accommodation, at least, are too obvious to need comment, and its completion will be hailed with keen satisfaction by all who may have occasion to go there.

A new addition to the ranks of Victorian journalism has been made by the publication of the " Masonic Journal," a copy of which has just reached us. As its Dame implies, it is devoted to, and represents the interests of the masonic order, which will doubtless give it the support it deserves. We are ourselves so young, that it would savor of arrogance and conceit to criticise too minutely this new aspirant to public favor; and our chief motive in mentioning it was to direct the attention to it of the numerous gentlemen connected with that ancient and honorable order, resident in Queenstown and vicinity. For the last two or three evenings, Professor Parker, the " champion swordsman and bayonettier," has been endeavoring to enliven somewhat the dreariness that pervades Queenstown " after dark," during the present unattractive season ; and his measure of success has been tolerably good. The public, however, do not exactly see the fun of going on the stage to compete with a man who has so well established his title to be considered a first-class swordsman; and his en-

tertainments have, therefore, somewhat lacked spirit, requiring all the skill of Miss A. Beaumont to obviate. We should advise Mr Parker to follow the course of the Yankee teetotal lecturer, who was always accompanied by his brother, as the " frightful example." His other feats—severing a silken scarf, dividing an apple in two on a lady's hand, and cutting a sheep in halves at one stroke of his sword—were well executed, and called forth hearty applause. He announces a "Grand Assault of Arms" for next Monday, having conquered a little of the shyness of the amateurs of this township, and induced some of them to stand up against him. As there are several gentlemen of no inconsiderable skill in the use of the sword resident here, we may expect a good evening's entertainment.