THE LAKE DISTEICT.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 238, 6 April 1866, Page 3

THE LAKE DISTEICT.

(From the "Watatip Mail," 2Sth March) "We understand that the shareholders in the Alexandra, at Skipper's, intend placing their shares in the market, but only to a sufficient extent to enable them to prospect the reef, instead of merely shepherding the claim. We trust the public will support them in such a judicious idea. We have seen a specimen of quartz from Perry and Co's claim, on the Scandinavian reef, Skipper's. The gold is rou<*h and nuggetty, the stone being of the usual blue appearance. Altogether it is an excellent sample. The prospectors of the Grerman reef near Bracken's Gully, Arrow, state that they have crushed some stone and are very -well satisfied with the prospects obtained. The gold is very fine and evenly distributed throughout. It is the intention of some of the adjoining claims to commence operations forthwith. A correspondent writing from the Isevis, 20th instant, says : — " In my last I stated that the Nevis Eaces were expected to take place on the 16th : but from some cause, best known to the selfelected stewards, the meeting was postponed till the 17th (St. Patrick's Day), to the great annoyance of visitors from the outlying districts. Of the ruees themselves the less said the better. They were simply a disgrace to those who undertook the management, and when I state that confusion reigned supreme on the race course, it can hardly be wondered at, seing that the same gentlemen who owned most of the horses were also jockeys, judges, &c, on the occasion. The Maiden Plate was won by Eincher's Dandy. The Town Plate was won at first by Cornew's Lady Bird ; but a protest from Mr Harrison, that he was jostled by men riding over the course, was accepted; and- a second race resulted in Harrison's St Patrick winning. Hurdle [Race won by Fincher's Shamrock; Consolation Stakes, by M'Moran's Heather Jock : Hurry Scurry, by Harrison's St Patrick : Dunstan Hospital Eace, by G-rindley's Stratford (the stakes to be given to the Dunstan Hospital). Yesterday was kepi as a half-holiday, when over £20 was given in prizes for foot-racing, wrestling and other sports, which were wel attended." In a former number we noticed a sample of wheat from Doyle's farm. We hav< since seen a sample of oats and barley cultivated ,by Mr Schcles, Arrow Flat which is equally good, and of the firs duality. We have mentioned these s< particularly because we have seen them out we are given to understand tha throughout the Arrow and Tranktoj districts the crops are all excellent, and as the ground will be in a better conditioi next year — much of it being now croppei for the first time-~we may anticipate yssuita even better than those of thi Season, The above $ms\m M§ & M