Local News and Notes.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 20, 8 July 1863, Page 4

Local News and Notes.

The result of the poll for the election of goldfields members for the Provincial Council has resulted in the return of Messrs. Baldwin, Brodie, and Hughes. On Monday last, Mr. Parker gave a very excellent entertainment to one of the most crowded and enthusiastic audiences ever congregated at a place of amusement in Queenstown. His different feats with the bayonet, sword, and foils were all generally good, although, in our opinion, he snowed the greatest amount of skill in the use of the bayonet. Some of our gentlemen amateurs very kindly lent their assistance in a friendly joust with the Professor. Messrs. Rees and M'Gaw's really clever play with the singlesticks, showed a thorough knowledge of the science of the game; while some of Mr. Bruce's exquisite passes with the foils would have struck envy into the heart of Chevalier D'Eon himself; and should our new allies, the Danes, handle the bayonet with the skill of theii representative on this occasion, old England will be certain to " lick creation." A number of gentlemen, who had not an opportunity of displaying their skill iu public, adjourned to Bracken's Commercialroom, and with gloves, sticks, swords, and foils, kept up the tourney till a late hour of the night. Since Saturday last we have been favored with a perfect deluge of rain, which has pertinaciously poured down without the slightest intermission; and though we cannot congratulate ourselves on possessing the mud-producing capabilities of Dunedin or Invercargill, yet this constant humidity has not tended to improve the condition of our streets. The mountain tracks are almost obliterated with snow, that being the form in which the superabundant moisture in the atmosphere has been deposited. We have been informed that on the ranges between here and Moke Creek, snow is lying to the depth of four feet; and the Upper Shotover has also a plentiful share of this winter veil. The road between Queenstown and Arthurs' Point is in a most frightful condition—indeed is almost impassable, and Bunyan must have seen a similar road to that which lies between the Lake and Arthur's Point, before he could have described the "slough of despond." What has come of the promises made a few days ago by Mr. Pyke with regard to forming immediately a good road from Queenstown to Arthur's Point ? Not a laborer has yet put in an appearance, nor do any signs exist that a road will yet be commenced there; and if not now what on earth will be the use of it five years hence. In mining matters the rain has done its usual work, and an enormous breach has been made in the wall of Arthur's race, just below the falls' bridge at Arthur's Point, Shotover. This is much to be regretted, as the enterprising men who make up Arthur's party had but a few days ago succeeded in turning nearly half the stream which forms the Shotover River, into their wellformed race, and a very little more fine weather would have enabled them to complete this expensive work. Really, hard work such as the forming of this water channel has turned to be, ought, and we trust will, be handsomely rewarded. The success or otherwise of such enterprises affects, in a greater or lesser degree, every man in the Province, and who shall tell of the hopes which rise and fall in the hearts of the miners who nre more directly interested in the success of such projects. Often and often it has been related how the glittering prize was seen and all but reached when that merciless element—water, baffled all their efforts, and compelled them again to renew their toil. In dwelling so long upon this subject we are induced so to do by noticing one great fact, and that fact will we trust encourage those more particularly interested. It is this, that after every flood less and less damage has been done to the various embankments, which shows that the miner will ultimately succeed in his enterprise. The United Beachholders' race, and the one below, have, like the first, each received damage of a less destructive character than at the last flood; and the bridge has been washed away for the fourth time.