THE ARROW.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 72, 6 January 1864, Page 4

THE ARROW.

(from oub own co-respondent.) The advent of the New Year was duly welcomed on the Arrow by the usual noisy midnight demonstrations; a crowd of jolly inebriates and " children of a larger growth" parading the street, armed with all the empty kerosene tins to be found on the township, with which they produced a most terrific clatter, truly making night most hideous. One enthusiastic individual, indulging in reminiscences of his boyish days, also supplied the rout with tin whistles, gratis, and seemed to highly appreciate the efforts of the performers thereon, to gratify his extraordinary taste for diabolical music. Lovers of a more rational mode of seeing the Old Year out and the New Year in were gratified by the liberal efforts of the landlord of the Royal Oak Hotel, who issued numerous invitations to a Ball and Supper, which passed off most satisfactorily; dancing was kept up with unabated vigour. Ample justice was done to a splendid cold collation provided for the occasion; champagne sparkled on the board, merry speech and jest went round, and the company only reluctantly dispersed long after daylight had beamed upon them. On New Year's Day, the programme of sports and pastimes for the Christmas season was brought to a conclusion on the Arrow cricket ground, where a very numerous assemblage of miners gathered together to wind up their holiday, and the amusement of the day, although the last, proved to be the best of the series. The sports commenced with a cricket match between the residents of Upper and Lower-streets, Arrow, which resulted in being the most closely contested match that has yet been played here this season, the total scores at the end of the game being—Upper-street, 82, and Lower-street, 84, with one wicket to go down. After the first innings had been played the amusements were varied by running, leaping and wrestling matches for prizes, in which the champion vaulter was a miner, named Younghusband, who easily cleared the bar at 7 feet 6 inches* At the conclusion of the cricket match, prizes were offered for tilting at the ring, for which about a dozen horsemen entered as candidates, and their endeavours to carry away the suspended rings on the point of their lances, whilst riding at full gallop, caused an immense amount of fun and excitement. The

dajßport concluded with a bell race, in which j theranwas most outrageous, causing peals of hearty laughter. While the games were , proceeding, a young lad, a son of Mr. Colville, whilst riding on horseback some little distance off the course, met with an awkward fall, his horse stumbling and rolling over him on the ground. Dr. Douglas, followed by a crowd of anxious lookers-on, was instantly on the spot, and found the boy lying uncon- | scious; he was taken to a neighbouring tent and soon after revived, and fortunately it | proved that no bones were broken, although he was very much bruised. The sports being exhausted, and the prize money all spent, the i majority of our miners returned to their | claims, but a few choice spirits willing to see ! the week well out, amused themselves on I Saturday, by a little amateur sticking-up of | the townsmen. Special messages were sent to several unsuspecting victims that their presence was instantly required at certain hotels, either to decide some weighty bet, or on other equally important business; many j easily swallowed the bait, and hastening to . the appointed place were quietly " bailed up" and informed that their only chance of escape lay in " shouting" champagne, to which in most instances they consented, some few, I however, stoutly demurring at any such com- i pulsory generosity. i The performances given by Porter's Min- j strels for the benefit of the hospital, did not prove such a pecuniary success as was usually anticipated. The Minstrels did their best and won frequent hearty plaudits, but there were many vacant seats among the audience, which might have been filled by Arrow residents, if only as contributors of their mites towards the funds of a valued institution. The gross receipts of the house amounted to £8 only, half of which Mr. Porter handed to Mr. Richmond of the New Orleans Hotel, for payment to the treasurer of the Hospital. The weekly services at the Wesleyan church have been discontinued, and the Rev. Mr. Palmer has left the Arrow district, the contributions from the few inhabitants who attended the services held by him not proving sufficient to support a regular pastor. The erection of a Roman Catholic church was proposed some time since, but that idea seems to have died out also. I regret to report that our postmaster, Mr. M'Kean, has met with an accident which will incapacitate him from attending to his duties for some days, he having severely strained the sinews of his foot and ankle whilst practising on the cricket ground. Mining news from the Arrow river and its various tributaries is encouraging. Previous to the holidays, nearly all the claims were in fair working order, and should we be blessed with a continuance of fine weather during the present month the yield of gold will in all probability prove considerable. The river is now lower than it has been before during the present season, and the snow having all disappeared mining operations will be pushed on with renewed vigor Traffic has fairly set in on the Upper Shotover track to this township, but not to the ex- j tent anticipated, although our storekeepers j offer all inducement to packers by selling their ! stocks at very low quotations. His Honor the Superintendent of the Pro-1 vince is expected to arrive here on Wednesday next.

——■ ■ i POLICE COURT, QUEENSTOWN. Tuesday, sth January, 1864 (Before Richmond Beetham, Esq., R.M) Assault, with Abusive Language.—Flint v. Stewart. —Defendant pleaded guilty to the assault, but not to the abusive language. Mr Campbell appeared for the plaintiff, and stated that on the 28th December last Mr Flint had occasion to go to Mrs Nunn's hotel on business, and while there Stewart made use of very abusive language, and knocked plaintiff down. The animus of the affair seemed to be that on a former occasion the plaintiff had to transact some business with Stewart in connection with his duties, at which he took offence, and had ever since abused and threatened him on every possible occasion. The plaintiff, sworn, said he was a lawyer's clerk, residing in Queenstown. On the 28th ult. he had occasion to call at Mrs Nunn's, in consequence of her having sent a message for Mr Campbell. After transacting the business on which he was sent, he asked Mrs Nunn for his fee. He said, "There has been two or three attendances on yon about your business, and I shall charge yon a guinea." Stewart then came forward, and said ** Don't pay tkat swindling lawyer's clerk anything. Out you go from this place, or I'll put you out," and knocked plaintiff down. Not wishing to fight, he then went away. Never spoke to Stewart, who invariably abused him on every opportunity, in consequence of naving given him a bill of costs some time before, which had not been settled yet. Defendant—Here's a plan of the house: do you see it t—Yes, but I doa't understand it. Defendant —You are not clever as an architect. Did you ever knock a woman through the door | of the middle room ?—-No. I Defendant —Were you first in the house, or

was I ?—I can't say ; I saw you there when speaking to MrsNunn. Defendant—Did you not use bad language to her ? No: no one can say they ever knew me use bad language. Defendant—No ? Well, state the purport of this animus, that Campbell dilates so much upon. Mr Beetham—That has nothing to do with this: confine yourself to the present case. Defendant—All right, your Worship ; I'll take your advice. [To plain tiff] That'll do: I've done with you. Mr Dunn, sworn, said he was at the house at the time of the assault, and saw the plaintiff and defendant both there. Was in the middle room transacting some business with another person, when the door was forced open by someone from the bar—the door was frstened by a bit of string. There was an altercation in the bar. The first thing he saw when he looked out was Mr Flint knocked down—he fell outside, and the same minute the defendant fell down inside. Mr Campbell—Did Flint fall down of his own accord ?—No, there was a tussle, and Flint was the weakest. Mr Campbell—Were they both sober ?—Flint was sober. I did not see the blow struck. I heard the defendant swearing. They were both quarrelling together. Defendant—Can you swear Flint was sober ? —No, I can't swear that. Defendant—l have done with him, your Worship. There was another witness I wanted, but they have subpoenaed her, and won't bring her forward. They know better. Mr Beetham—l must call you to order, sir; you are behaving in a most peculiar manner, to say the least. The defendant sworn—l was passing on to the jetty with a friend, on business, when I was invited to the Boatman's Home to have a glass of ale. While I was in I heard him making use of vile and abusive language. My nature could not stand that, and so I put him out. Mr Campbell—You say " him;" who do you mean?— Why, your jackal there. Mr Beetham —If I hear you make use of a single word of that kind again I will commit you for contempt of court immediately. The defendant apologized, saying he ° couldn't help it," and then proceeded—Mrs Nunn wanted to pay the fee to Mr Campbell, and plaintiff wanted her to pay it to him. He called her a very abusive and obscene name, and I took him by tbe collar of his coat, and put him out of the door, and fell myself at the same time. By Mr Campbell—l thought Flint was trying to extort a guinea from Mrs Nunn. Luke Varney, sworn, said he was in possession of the Boatman's Home for Mr Dunn and Mr Atkins. Flint came into the middle room, where he and Mr Dunn were sitting, and questioned Mr Dunn's authority to hold possess-on. After he had let off his boisterous language he went out and conversed with Mrs Nunn. The wind being very high, I had fastened the door, and the plaintiff coming back, burst it open with his foot, and enterod the room, making a great noise and bounce. He then went out to ask for his fee. Stewart was standing at the bar, and Flint was bouncing. I heard something like a scuffle, but nothing particularly offensive. Stewart took him by the collar, and they both fell over the doorway together. Neither were able to stand properly. I can't particularise the language—there was too much noise; all talkers and no listeners. I can't say I heard everything. Flint was behind the bar, close to Mrs Nunn's bedroom, and I was at the other end of the room. Mr Campbell—This noise, that you were talking of—was it not about your being in possession; was the abuse directed to you or Mrs Nunn ? Flint spoke to me, then to Mrs Nunn, and then he left the room. Mr Campbell—Then the truth is, he had a conversation with you about your being there ? Yes, if you can call it conversation: he tried to bounce me. Mr Beetham—Why is Mrs. Nunn not here t Defendant—She is here, your worship—outside. Mr Campbell did not think her evidence was necessary; but as his Worship desired it, he would call her. Mrs. Nunn, sworn, said she recollected a slight disturbance that took place at her house. She sent for Mr. Campbell, and Mr Flint came down, to whom she stated her case, and who then demanded a fee, which she refused to give him. Flint kicked a door open, and Stewart and he had a few words, and fell over one another. Was not called any bad language by either party, that she recollected. Flint was very rough, but not abusive. The disturbance was so sudden, and she was so frightened, that she did not notice very particularly what took place. Case dismissed.