WAKATIPU.

Southland Times, Issue 1275, 5 July 1870, Page 2

WAKATIPU.

(FBOM OUS OWS COSEBSPOJTDEJfT.) June 29. Although not by any means exciting, current events - are nevertheless noteworthy. It is not ia the character of a stand-bye that your correspondent brings the first under review ; on fche contrary, it has been such as to create serious inconvenience for the present, and grave apprehensions for the future. The complaint last season was that tbe snow-fall had been so very light tbat the supply of water for mining purposes became exhausted at the very outset of tbe summer. This winter tbe snow has come down so rapidly, and melted so fast, that out-door labor bas been completely suspended, without leaving the compensating prospect of an abundant supply husbanded against "the droughts of summer. During the early part of last week, huge banks of cloud settled down amongst the ridges, and at times the basin of the lake was almost completely enveloped in mist. Up till . midday on Th ursday , a dead "calm prevailed, when a black north-wester came rolling over tbe Bemarkables, accompanied by a heavy fall of rain, which continued with more or less severity until _a_late .houron Saturday. In the interim tbe waters of tKelakerose three feet, a sure indication that not only the feeders, but likewise the outlets, bad risen much above their ordinary level. During tbe continuance of tbe storm, tbe mist on one or two occasions lifted sufficiently high to afford a view of tbe surrounding bills, and at one time tbey presented themselves covered with snow almost down to the base. When tbe storm cleared away, nothing but the higher peaks and ridges were covered — a fact which confirms the opinion tbat the storm latterly merged into one of sleet. So much then" for tbe Wakatipu ; now for the surrounding districts. At the head of the lake, both tbe Dart and Bees rivers overflowed tbeir banks, and the terrace at their' mouths, including the newly-surveyed township, was' on Saturday some feet under water. }On the saddle, at the dividing range, the snow was so deep that out of sevenj teen persons who set out during tbe .week, not more than half the number f were enabled to force a passage, tbe remainder being compelled to return to Queenstown. Along the banks of tbe Shotover, the. storm seems to have raged with equal fiiry. Accounts are coming in from every quarter of destruction to [ "mining property, consequent upon heavy floods. At Arthur's Point bridge, the water rose completely over tbe roadway, and for some time the passage remained impracticable. At one time serious apprehensions were entertained for' the safety ofthe structure, but happily these have not been realised. At tbe Arrow river, a number of mining projects have been more or less damaged. An undertaking of this kind, carried on by a large party of Chinamen, in the vicinity ofthe I Arrow township, bas- been completely levelled. This was a work which excited a good deal of notice, and the patient persevering labor bestowed upon it by j the Mongolians was tbe tbe me of general admiration, consequently a good deal of sympathy is felt for tbeir loss. Reports from districts lower down the country are not authenticated, still we may take it for granted that they have not escaped a share of the general devastation. Bank claims are sure to be swamped but, and j river dredges brought to a stand-still. What makes this fact tbe more to be deplored, is that a considerable "time] must necessarily elapse before matters are restored to their previous order. Meantime, unproductive labor is bound to tell upon current accounts. "One more result of tbe late floods remains to be told. At.the Big-beach, on the Shotover, a poor fellow, a miner, lost bis life under the following circumstances. The party to which he belonged owned a boat, which was moored in tbe river, and when the flood came down it was in danger of being swept away. In company with his mates, he went to secure it. On returning, the party had to cross a flat adjoining the river, which at the time was under water. Deceased and one of his mates stumbled into an abandoned shaft. The mate was got out, but the deceased immediately sank, and up to tbe date of tbe latest advices, bad not again come to the surface. It is not more than a week since another miner lost his life by falling over a bridle track in the vicinity, so that a painful feeling bas spread over tbe adjoining district. Martin's Bay and tbe West Coast track still continue to attract attention. Tbe latest accounts are that the Saddle has become impracticable. I bave stated elsewhere that seventeen persons set out from the head of the Lake last week, and as some eight or ten of tbe number had not returned when tbe steamer left the head of the Lake yesterday, tbe presumption is that tbey have been enabled to go on. Those who returned state tbat the snow on tbe Saddle is impassable. This 'gaTne"Saddle"extendsa~ distance of three miles, and although for tbe most part exposed ground, it has some awkward cavities into which; it would be dangerous: for a man with a swag on bis back to stumble during the time snow was on tbe ground. Jlt is /to be regretted that the energy witb. which tbe. track was begun; bas 1 riot : been maintained. The first damper was, a reduction of tbe men's wages, and the second a reduction of the number employed. During the early part, of the work,. 10s was paid, and now they! are asked to work for 7tf and Bs, and even at tbat rate instead of forty men only; some fifteen are engaged. The whole transaction smacks of James Macandrew; and - his- responsible advisers. — If- they; can just manage to keep up the steam of a cheap popularity against February next,; that's all that's wanted. You. bave no! doubt heard of Fox's expedition to; Martin's Bay. 'It was a failure ; but the. question .is, did it fail for lack of gold or lack of energy ? Pox did make a run over

the Saddle ; at the same time it is a well, known fact that he never went, down*' the >^_ Hollyford as far as tbe.bay, - and %hose ;"N; who have travelled.the sime route affirm that he has left no indications of a pros-""- ,, pector behind him. Tiie real tripibh is : ; , that his prospecting tour is not td; be : - ■'; relied upon,; either as an evidence' or v/ otherwise ;of the existence 'of^.goWjV throughout the district. For some time past it has been attracting a good many parties to the district. A couple of weeks asco the streets of Queenstown were perfectly thronged with strangers, at least parties returned to the district. Since then they have got drafted off into their various pursuits, still .it is understood that they are simply putting in the time until the snow breaki up, when Martin'sßay.aud that vicinity, will become their destination. In all probabib'ty thera will be a rush of some description or other to the bay when the spring sets in. Whether gold is found or not, the opening up of the district willbe of some consequence. It will bring the- West Coast goldfields of Canterbury and those of Otago into closer communication. Already overtures have been made to the owners of the Lake steamer, Antrim, to run direct communication from Hokitika, via Martin's Bay and ths Wakatipu, to Dunedin. This is one view of the matter which ought not to be disparaged. As an urban centre, Queenstown ia decidedly looking up. The blocks of dilapidated buildings which followed the rush of 1862, have once more been taken up and occupied, and, within the' last few weeks many other new building! have been put up, plainly showing that the 'resident population is gradually on the increase. The corporation is keeping pace with the times, and a fine new road along the margin of the Lake, iri the direction of the One-mile creek, is just now in course of being formed. Other evidences of progress can be detected, so that the district as a whole is in a highly promising condition. The shippings interest has of late become something considerable. , Two steamers and two and three sailing crafts are not unfrequently to be seen discharging in the bay at the one time. All this is evidence of the importance of the place. Since the winter set in, our. com* munication with Dunedin has been of the . most unsatisfactory character. Drays reported to hare left three and four weeks ago, have not yet come to hand. Is riot this a wrinkle for Invercargill ? A good road to Kingston, and the Antrim steamer to Queenstown, and Dunedin would stand a\ very, pioor show for the Lakes trade. The expectations entertained by lovercargill in 1863 would be realised in 1870, and Southland would once more be enabled to talk about .her" border goldfields.". Intelligence has just reached Queenstown that the, new dredging machine on the Shotover has dragged its anchor, and been : carried for some distance- down the stream, where it now lies a complete wreck.

. The fatal mining accidents whicli haye occurred in Victoria during the past year have, says the Bendigo Independent, been so .numerous, that the risks of mining have assumed something of the character of a pestilence. Scarcely a day passes without the usual accouiit of " Another fatal mining, aacideritj'' and it not unfrequently occurs that more, than one has to be chronicled simultaneously;. It would almost appear . that : one chief end of mining men was to provide jurymen withemployment, arid coroners with, livings, and one of the most remarkable things connected with the deaths of unfortunate miners is the little notice taken -of their violent and sudden exits from tbe scene of their labors. The question forces itself forward, " Is there no possibility of altering such a state of things ?" It comes jvith aIL the more power, because the great majority of deaths which take place in the mines of the colony are essentially and deplorably "accidents,^' probably nine-tenths of them are preventable, arid numbers of them are the result of sheer carelessness or recklessness. When the Springfield horse railroad received its first dollar the other, d^y for tickets, it was suggested that it be kept as a relic. "O, no ; that would never do," replied the man at. the helm ;u we should lose the interest." .Mr Miller of Ballumbie, had occasion to find fault with one of his laborers who had been improvident, and had known better days. He was digging a drain, and he told him if he did riot make better work he should turn him offl The' man was very angry, and, throwing ;dowi his spade, called out in a tone of resentment*, "Te are ower pridefu!; Davie Miller; since I mind ye i' the warld when ye had neither cow nor* ewe." "Very well," replied Mr MUler, . mildly, "I. remember when you had both.". ,-, Lord Dunmore has very recently i purchased a short-horned bull-calf from the Duke of Devonshire for five hundred guineas. :<The calf was sold when ,a\ dayold. - jv ::;:j....-::q-..; ...,v,r ■ A man can give liis neighbor a promissory note-moistened with a -fluid- just invented by a French chemist, and in ft -montlr afterwards the holder will- have -nothing to show for it but *a "little dust. If this fact becomes gerierally known short credits will become the rule, in order that the borrower iriay be compelled to come down with the dust before his note does. A friend of ours was recently blessed by an addition to his household. Next morning the happy man took his fouryear old boy into the room to see his little brother, . who. was. quietly enjoying his first morning nap with his little mouth open. All. were watching the elder brother, desirous to catch the first observation. .With eyes firmly fixed at the new comer, and with a countenance showing trouble within:, after a moment* s silence, he defiantly exclaimed, " I should like to know who has trailed out baby's teeth-?" .;. ;>"..-:.:.:. yvV-- ; ■;..,-.;.% . There are wimmin who axe u Ausjf rto i court as lint.