ARTHUR'S POINT RACE CLUB.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 167, 3 December 1864, Page 2

ARTHUR'S POINT RACE CLUB.

A meeting of the above Club was held at Mr Ryan's Hotel, Arthur's Point, on Thursday evening. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. The business of electing a committee was then gone into, when the following members were duly proposed and elected:—Arthur's Point—Messrs Ford, Sewell, Ryan, M'Guire, Johnson, M'Cormick, Moss, Brown and M'Redmond. Queenstown—Messrs Dohey, Webster, Malaghan, Angus and R. Burns. Arrow—Messrs Scholes, Melody and Richmond. Big Beach —Mr Harris. Gorge— Mr Flint. Sutherland's Beach—Mr F. W. Thiele. Fox's Flat—Mr Miller. Butcher's Point—Mr O'Connor. Stapleton's BeachMr John Jack. Maori Point —Messrs F. Smith and P. Bourke. Skipper's—Spence and Fisher. Sandhills—Mr Rimmer. (With power to add to their number. It was proposed by Mr Bond, seconded by Mr Moss, and carried—" That the committee meet when the present meeting is concluded, for the purpose of selecting stewards and other business." Proposed by Mr M'Cormick, seconded by Mr Flint and carried—" That the Arthur's Point Races be held on the 28th, 29th and 30th December, 1864." Proposed by Mr M'Redmond, seconded by Mr M'Guire and carried —" That a subscription list be drawn up at once and handed round the room." The sum of £7O was collected in the room, and the meeting adjourned.

Messrs. Cargill and Clapcott left here on Wednesday for Dunedin after a brief stay of a few hours. They took the Expert steamer to the Falls at the head of the Kawarau. Along the arm of the Lake to Frankton, a number of horsemen on land accompanied the steamer. Our visitors had received no intimation that the Queenstown people intended to turn out mounted, but had sent their horses on, being desirous to see the Lake. At Frankton, thirty-two well mounted horsemen received Messrs. Cargill aud Clapcott, and after they had visited the Hospital, and the most suitable site for a punt at the Kawarau had been pointed out them, escorted these gentlemen over the Shotover into the Arrow district. The subscriptions received by the Wakatip Jockey Club amount at this date to over £l7O,

WAKATIP JOCKEY CLUB. A Committee meeting of the above Club was held at Bracken's Hotel, on Wednesday evening. Some irregular proceedings occupied the meeting for a considerable time, arising out of the question as to whether it ought to be considered a public or a committee meeting, but it was stated as per advertisement distinctly to be a committee meeting. Present—Messrs H. A. Gordon (vicepresident), Bracken, Powell, O'Callaghan, Bridges, Roche, Horn, Cochrane, J. M. Ryan, Clements, Weaver, R. Louttit, Ford, Chapman, Webster, Doyle, Elliot and Manders (hon. sec.) The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following correspondence was then read:— Arthur's Point, 28th Dec., 1864. Mr Chairman and Gentlemen— Having been appointed as a deputation by a meeting held at the Criterion Hotel, Arthur s Point, to lay before you their views with regard to the forthcoming races, we respectfuily request an interview. Yours respectfully, J. M Redmond, On behalf of the Deputation. Messrs Ryan (Arthur's Point) and Harris (Big Beach), having refused to qualify themselves as members of the Committee, Messrs Geo. Clements and W. Pinkerton were elected in their stead. A discussion again ensued about the reception to be given to the Arthur's Point deputation, together with the advisability of holding the races at that place, finally a deputation consisting of Messrs M'Redmond, Bond, Moss, S. Johnson, Martin and Davison, were introduced. Mr M'Redmond, on behalf of the deputation, urged the views arrived at by a meeting, the report of which had appeared that day in the 4 Wakatip Mail,' together with the signatures of those parties residing in Queenstown favorable to holding the races at Arthur s Point, as the most central site. Mr M'Redmond entered into several arguments, and was supported by Messrs Moss, Bond, and another member of the deputation. A resolution moved by Mr Elliot and seconded by Mr O'Callaghan—" That all persons except members leave the room," was lost. An amendment, moved by Mr Horn and seconded by Mr Manders —" That affairs be conducted publicly, and a ballot taken upon the subject," was carried. Mr Manders after a lengthened preface moved—" That this Committee sees no occasion to alter its decision regarding the selection of the Frankton race course for the ensuing January meeting, and that the Arthur's Point Deputation be informed of the same; but that this Club will be happy at a future time to assist the Arthur's Point people upon a similar arrangement to last year." Seconded by Mr Powell, and carried by ten votes to four. The Committee then adjourned to Friday evening.

THE ARROW.

(PROM OUB OWN COBBESBONDENT.) December 1. In my last I stated that mining matters had taken a favorable turn, and am glad to say some rich yields have been produced lately. At the Twelve-mile Hyam and party have for the last six weeks shared about £ls a week per man, and for the last two years each man has seldom made less than £lO a-week. Jenkins and party last week shared 22 ounces per man, which was the produce of about six weeks' work. I believe one of the shareholders in this party is about selling out, as he wishes to leave the neighborhood. Clarke and party are also doing very well indeed. All the parties just mentioned have races and a good supply of water. There is a large extent of unworked and improperly worked ground around this place, which no doubt would pay splendidly if systematically worked by a body of men. There will be no difficulty in obtaining water from the Arrow above the Twelve-mile to supply any new companies with a little money to support them till they get through the necessary preliminaries of race-cutting, &c. Those who are tunnelling are doing first-rate, not one of whom but is making fair wages. At Bracken's Gufiy mining is carried on briskly. Carrol and party are earning good gold. Among other coarse gold obtained, I am informed that one nugget weighed 17 pennyweights. Mining matters here are in the ascendant. Many parties are doing first-rate, and Kettle's party especially. I understand Messrs Hazle, Tom and Co, have sent to our warden a handsome specimen to be forwarded to the New Zealand Exhibition. On Thursday last a very heavy storm assailed this township and did considerable damage to some of the frail tenements. Spencely's store was a complete wreck; and the outer covering of Mr Melody's Hotel, as also that of Cotter's, were torn to pieces. In respect to sporting matters, I believe that two of our notabilities are preparing for the forthcoming Cromwell and Wakatip Races. Mr Callaghan's horse Garryowen, has been in training for some time past, and appears to be in excellent order. Mr Schole s Scrubber is also to put in an appearance. Som<? of those gentlemen who own horses and jnfpni! contending against the above-named, will have to exert themselves to bring their •animals up to the mark. On Saturday night last the celebrated dansense, Miss Dixon, the renowned Joe Miller and Mr King, gave an

entertainment at Richmond's New Orleans Hotel. The performance was highly amusing, and the actors exercised their talents with great spirit. Miss Dixon also danced very gracefully. Mr O'Brien, proprietor of the Red, White and Blue, lately burnt down has, with praiseworthy alacrity, erected a new and better building on the site of the old one. I believe an application has been sent to the Government from the Twelve-mile, signed by the residents, and pointing out the necessity of establishing a post office there, as it very frequently arises that considerable inconvenience, delay and expense are occasioned through many persons being incapacitated to make application at the Arrow post-office for their correspondence.

We have had two fires, or rather alarms of fires. The first occurred at M'Larn's Hotel, on Wednesday morning, about 7 o'clock. The brigade were mostly in "blanket bay" when the bell pealed forth, but they were soon on the spot. The fire, which originated through a dirty chimney, made the sixth one that had occurred in an hotel. It was extinguished befor the services of the fire engine were required, and by the alacrity and zeal of a late officer of the brigade. The other fire arose through most gross carelessness, in an unroofed building attached to the Bridge Hotel. The firs had been lit and was burning strongly amidst a mass of straw, which material had been used as a quickening fuel to boil the pot. A train of straw was beautifully laid and a nice little alarm ensued. The brigade turned out in magnificent order. Before the first few strokes of the bell had pealed the engina was out of its house, and on its road to the scene of conflagration. Too much praise cannot be awarded to the gentlemen comprising the Fire Brigade, and we trust they will not relax in their discipline and public spirit. The damage done in both cases was trivial, but the warning should not be neglected.