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Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 73, 9 January 1864, Page 4

! The following is the amount of gold forwarded by the last escort Queeustown - - 3706 ozs sdwt. Arrow ... - 1776 „ 10 5482 ozs. 15dwt. We have been requested by the Hon. Sec. of the Hospital, to acknowledge the receiptthrough Mr Richmond, of the New Orleans Hotel, Arrow—of the sum of £4 sterling, being half the proceeds of an entertainment given by Porter's Minstrels at the Arrow. The weather for the past two or three days has again assumed a wintry aspect—cold, rain and strong winds prevailing. The hills are again tipped with snow, as well as can be discerned through the heavy masses of cloud that shroud their summits, and we understand that the fall of snow on the upper parts of the Shotover has been considerable. A meeting of the Queenstown Improvement Committee took place at Bracken's Hotel, on Wednesday evening. Present—Messrs. Gordon* (chair) Cass, Weaver, Bradshaw, Bracken, Angus, Ryan, Harris, Carey, and Budd. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, after which it was moved by Mr Harris, seconded by Mr Bracken, and carried—- " That an address be presented by this committee to his Honor the Superintendent, on his arrival in this district; and that Messrs. Gordon, Weaver, Cass, and the mover be empowered to prepare a draft of the same." The main points of the proposed address were then discussed, and it was agreed that a meeting should be held on the following Saturday (this day) to receive the draft and decide upon the same. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded the proceedings. There was a good attendance and a brisk competition at the sale of the booths on the race course at Frankton, conducted by Mr P. H. Elliot, at Bracken's Hotel, yesterday afternoon* The total sum realised was £175, which was certainly more than the most sanguine anticipated. They were disposed of as follows : 1. Grand Stand—Cochrane £l6 2. Allert, Frankton 20 3. Bracken, Queenstowm 18 4. Richmond, Arrow 19 5. M'Laren, Queenstown 18 6. Howarth, Kingston 16 7. Powell, Queenstown 17 8. Thonuson, Frankton 12 9. Ryan, Queenstown 12 10. Duncan, Queenstown 11 11. Doyle, Frankton 16 £175

The following letter has been handed to us for publication:—" Attorney-General's Office, Auckland, Dec. 17, 1863. Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th November, and am directed to inform you, in reply, that the petition forwarded by you was presented by the Attorney-General to his Excellency the Governor, and afterwards by the Colonial Secretary to the House of Representatives. I have, &c., F. D. Fenton, Assistant Law Officer J. B. Bradshaw, Esq."

An answer has been received to the invitation of the Jockey Club to his Honor the Superintendent, in which it is stated that his Honor will endeavor to be present on one day of the forthcoming races, though it is not in his power to make a distinct promise. The Dunedin Times and Telegraph having furnished us with a precedent, we may consider ourselves justified in alluding to a remarkable vegetable production, shown to us yesterday by the Messrs M'Conochie, of the Lake-View Gardens* though generally such a practise is looked upon as the dernier ressort of hard-up country editors. The article in question was a gigantic lettuce, weighing abont two-and-a-half pounds, sound, and as fine a specimen as we remember to have seen. Such an instance is quite sufficient to prove the productiveness of the soil of this district.

We make the following extract from a letter which has been sent to us, signed " Ponto:"— " Sir, —I notice that, in accordance with the Dog Nuisance Ordinance, the police stations at Queenstown, Arrow, Nokomai, Kingston, Switzer's and Arthur's Point, have been appointed as places within the Wakatip district where dogs must be registered by those owners who wish to be left in quiet possession of their canine property. Now, as the chief part of the population of these diggings are diggers, and as I think they contribute quite enough to ihe support of the state, is it not too bad to saddle them with another tax, as vexatious as it is paltry ?"

The inclement weather of last night was no doubt the reason of the small attendance at the Theatre Royal. The performances were for the benefit of the Jockey Club, and comprised ''Time Tries All" and " Done on Both Sides." Both these pieces were excellently acted, and did great credit to the Royal company. Miss Kate Grant made a charming Laura, while Mr Tom Fawcett's Matthew left nothing to be desired; the Hon. Colande Yawn of Mr Sanford Fawcett was as somniferous and inane as the most thorough-paced Dundreary could wish, and sent half the audience into paroxysms of gaping. Bob Dale and Mr Carey filled their respective parts with their accustomed skill and ability. Altogether, the piay was one of the best hitherto produced in Queenstown, and the afterpiece sent everyone away in a good temper. The following letter has been received by Mr W. N. Morton, President of the Wakatip Jockey Club: —" Arthur's Point, Jan. 7, 1864. Sir, —I am instructed by the Arthur's Point Racing Committee to inform you that upon mature reflection, and having no desire to oostruct the success of the Frankton Races, they will postpone their intended races of same date to the 17th and 18th March, when it is hoped that the inhabitants of Queenstown will support and countenance them in their efforts to ensure its success. I have, &c., J. E. Gillespie."

! A noted toper of Queenstown, named Byrne' ! was summoned on Tuesday before the resident magistrate for the sum of £5 for medical attendance. His " wandering eye" and ditto legs when he entered the Court was provocative of a 1 certain suspicion; but as he applied for a post- ! ponement on account of the absence of a witI ness, it was granted. Subsequently, when the case was called on, he was found lying in i a state of dead-drunkenness just outside the Court, | whence he was removed by order of Mr Beetham to the salubrious shelter of the lock-up, so con- | veniently near. It is to be hoped this slight I lesson will teach him to remove the site of ! his next al fresco couch to a respectful distance j from judicial supervision, j Thatcher seems to have met with no qualified ! success in Invercargill, if we are to judge from | the following extract from the Times of that ! town :—" Holiday times have brought a golden j harvest to the Theatre Royal. On New Year's, ! and the following Saturday night, every seat in j the house had its occupant. Indeed, it is very questionable if the more legitimate theatrical entertainments that have been made by the enI gagement of the season —the pantomime and the j burlesque—would draw larger audiences than i Thatcher's local songs, and Madame Vitelli's | vocal performances. A judicious addition to the i entertainment has been made by the engagement | of Mr Leeman, whose fine bass voice is of great ' service in the glees and madrigals which are now | introduced. Recent events, such as the Cale--1 r] oi; inn Games, the trip to Stewart's Island by one

steamer on Christmas Day, the postponed/trip to the same place on New Year's Day by toother steamer, and other local incidents, have been humorously versified by Thatcher, and each happy hit at some celebrity or other is received with roars of laughter. Madame Vitelli also improved the occasion by an introduction of some of the best of the Scottish ballads, and by a veiy pretty song on the Old and New Year. A well conducted orchestra, under the leadership of Mr Alfred Oakey, for accompanying the singers, is not the least of the attractions of the theatre.

An additional race is announced by the Jockey Club to take place on the third day of the meeting, which can scarcely fail to give great satisfaction to a large portion of our community —a Miners' and Packers' Purse. Though the sum to be offered is not yet decided upon, yet we have no doubt, judging by the spirited tone of the members of the Club at the last meeting of the committee, that there will be no lack of funds to ensure good sport. Porter's Minstrels are still giving their entertainments at Bracken's Hotel, and, from the constant broad grin and apparent satisfaction to be seen on the physiognomies of their auditors, to say nothing of the uproarious applause given, we may safely judge that they were perfectly satisfied with their investment. Mr Robinson, as a basso singer, can challenge criticism, and his songs are received with such zest, that it reminds us of the days of Thatcher. Some are under the impression that this Company is identical with the perambulating troupe of serenaders that lately infested the town—if so, they need but pay Porter's Minstrels a visit, when no doubt they will soon be convinced of their error.

We are obliged to omit an advertisement of the Race Ball, which is to be held at Bracken's Commercial Hall, on Friday, the 15th inst. We may state that cards of admission for ladies can be obtained from the stewards and the members of the committee.

We beg to call attention to the fact that all entries for the ensuing races must be sent in previous to 8 p.m. on the 12th inst., addressed to the stewards, at Powell's Hotel, Queenstown.