THE LAKE DIGGINGS.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 48, 24 April 1863, Page 2

THE LAKE DIGGINGS.

'(■FBosr otjb special correspondent.) C&ieenstown, Lake Wakatip, 16th April, 1863. I have to record another of those sudden and melancholy accidents which cast a dark cloud over the sunny beauty of our Lake, and give a dirge-like nmrmer to the ripple of its waves. In this case the victim i was well known in Invercargill as a brother-in-law of Mr Wentworth, late of the Royal Hotel. His name was Robert Crawshaw, and I believe he had only come here on a visit. He was a passenger on board the steamboat Wakatip from St. John's, on the night of Wonda)', the 14lh. The boat was almost in front of the pier, , and when the steam was let off all the passengers left the cabin to be ready to jump on shore. Poor Crawshaw seemed particularly anxious ; he pushed past Mr Lowe, who was on the stairs, ran up on deck, and missing- his foot on some loose , planks, fell overboard, with a dreadful cry for help. A boat was lowered and every effort made to save him, but th« night was so dark that all exertions were unavailing. The police have been searching for the body but no traces have been found as 1 yet. Tbe Government are about erecting an hospital at Frankston on the same plan as that at Tuapeka. A dispenser has arrived and the work is to be commenced immediately. It is an institution which Is much needed, and which, if property . managed, will be a blessing beyond description. The Government agree to give two pounds for every one obtained by subccription ; so we hope to see this first call upon the charitable feelings of dwellers in so rich a district freely and readily I answered. I Mr Wright, the mining surveyor, has i arrived, and certainly, if he carry out his instructions, there is little fear of his falling into the mischief prophesied by Dr Watts for those who neglect the example of the busy bee. One item of his winter's \ work is to erect cairns, marking out ' bridle tracks to Skipper's Gully and other wild, unapproachable, but auriferous regions. The unlicensed vendors of spirituous liquors are coming to grief in Queenstown. One of the fair sex, by name Mary Ann Barber, was brought up before the Resident Magistrate on Tuesday and fined i'2o. Labor is becoming cheaper and provisions are high. The Dunedin escort, which leaves the f>ot of the Lake to-morrow, takes 7,173 ozs. of gold. Mr Assistant - Surveyor Scbanks has completed the survey of the townships of Fi'ankton and Queenstown, and is now engaged on similar duty at the Arrow. Dr Hector left here on Sunday last ; he will travel by Von Tunsleman's station to the head of the Greenstone liiver, but I will not bave time for any elaborate exploration as he is obliged to be in Dunedin by the end of the month, previous to his departure by sea for the West Coast. The members of the Church of England j in this place are collecting money for the j purpose of putting up a building 1 wherein j divine service may be regularly held, and subscriptions are liberally given. Our local bard has gone a step too far, and, &i the saying is, ** put his foot in it." It appears that he has composed and sung a son^ concerning Mr Jackson, the Southland Agent, which that gentleman cons ders insnlting. As long as Thatcher's raillery was directed at him only in his 'public capacity Mr Jacksonbore "chaffing" with the utmost good humor, but when it changed to vulgar and personal jiHusion s h« demanded apology, and thieatened to take satisfaction by means of a horsewhip. How the affair will terminate we know not ; the reports concerning it are too vague and too numerous for publication.