THE LAKE COUNTRY.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 16, 14 December 1863, Page 3

THE LAKE COUNTRY.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESrONDENT.] ,-*'■ Lake Wakatip, 2nd Dec. 1863. Queenstown is still rapidly improving in appearance, building operations are being i carried on with unabated vigor, in the erection of structures of a superior class. There are signs of steady progress in other ways alsoA Cricket Club enables its members to enjoy that excellent sport; and a match came off List week on the newly formed ground. A -well attended Ball formed the attraction for Thursday night last, at the Forester's Hall, Camp Hotel, where ladies vied with, each .other in producing a graceful and charming effect ,- it was a great success. After the •ball, on the next evening, a grand tea party assembled at the Freemason's Hall, to aid in raising funds for improving the building in wliich the Church of England service is per- > formed ■; many ladies took the lead in this also, and it was principally by their efforts that a considerable sum was added to the 'treasury. A Jockey Club also, lias been successfully formed, and large success appears to be lin store, if we may 'judge from the manner in wliich subscriptions flow in on the Treasurer. The weather is all that can ! be desired for the furtherance of mining ope- \ rations, which proceed regularly, and large I returns are already -rewarding many of 'the ' undaunted miners. The low price of carriage from Invercargill has enabled our merchants to avail themselves largely of this means for increasing their stocks, and their attention is being mere -and more directed there, providing you can supply their wants. This brings me to the all-important subject of securing to Invcrcar- ; gill the trade of 'the Lake country. I trust f; you will proceed -rapidly with the electric telegraph, and lose no time nor spare any ( effoits in extending the line to the foot of • the Lake. There is nothing to prevent yeur seeming the whole of the Lake business, in spite of all that can be done by those who firm wild notions of a settlement on the I West Coast— enabling the Melbourne merchants to compete with those of Invercargill. 1 Granted tint steamers from Melbourne may reach that pioposed new settlement in a day Iless than they could reach Invercargill ; that should not deter tbe Southland Government from pushing on her electric telegraph cad road-making operations towards the Lake, and diminishing by every means the inconvenience of travelling from Kingston to Invoicargill. For are we always to look to f Melbourne for our supplies? "Will not our Invercargill merchants soon be enabled to \ secure direct shipments from the old country? ' And when this takes place, what will the snuch- vaunted saving- ol' a day's .steam avail the -Melbourne merchants ? The cost of conveying goods from Melbourne to this Province or to the West Coast, by steam, is nearly as much, if not equal, to that ehar^d for freight from England to Invercargill. How, then, can any supposed road from the West Coast aid in enabling the Victorians to compete with the In vei cargill merchants. I say supposed road, for even if vessels do succeed in landing goods on the shore, is it not already known that between the first \lmding there is a drag up the several lakes, and then fifty miles of road to Lake Wakatip from the West Coast, to which ther 7 must be four or five shiftiugs of a load before goods can be delivered at Queenstown and Frankton, from which the Arrow and down country draw their supplies. Those changes and .tianshipnients are always attended with great lofis of time, and heavy ■expense ; w'liilst on the other hand, once un a dray in Invercargill, no unloading is necessary until Kingston is reached. Therefore 1 -sue no need of alarm -for the Southland merI chants' trade with the Wa'kati. Even should a settlement be formed on the West Coast, it j will be many years before direct chipments JL from Europe can be sent there, wliereas by . pushing on the forming of roads, especially a railroad, Invercargill must permanently secure the t ade of this rich territory. I call it a rich territory, for who can inspect even the present sites of mining operations without coming to the conclusion that the rivers and terraces are unprecedently rich, and that there will be more even engaged on them six years hence than there are at present. Queenstown will certainly become a large -commercial town .and great agricultural settlement? will be formed on the rich lands which surround, Frankton and the Arrow.