THE LAKE DISTRICT.

Southland Times, Issue 1285, 29 July 1870, Page 3

THE LAKE DISTRICT.

(TO THB BDITOB Of TH> TUCKS.) Southland Club, 27th July, 1870. Sib, — I observe in your issue of yesterday your own correspondent's letter from Lake Waka* tipu, and can, from my own experience, testify to the truth of many of the statements contained therein, especially with regard to the comparative advantages of Danedin and Invere&rgill merchants in competing for the supply of the large and wealthy population now accumulating on the Lakes. I believe that there are not many who are aware how great and important this district has become, or" more correctly speaking how much it has recovered from its fall from the " good times." Independently of the large aDd rapidly increasing finds of gold in all directions, from the- shores _ot the W»knti P tt, along tlxa banfc»-og tho UkoW T o^ Skipper's Creek, Moke Creek, Moonlight Creek, and down the Kawarao, to the Junction of the Clutha at Cromwell, down the Cardrona Hirer, down the Matatapu and Matutdtuki to the Wanaka Lake, not to mention the constant little finds in Quartz Creek, between that and the Hawea, down the Clutha terrace (all auriferous), to the Great Beadigo quartz reefs, and to the junction again at CromwelL Independently of all these, 1 say there is an appearance of increasing prosperity, and still more striking indications of future development, that make the district a prize worth trying for by any seaport, or any mercantile community in New Zealand, namely, the influx of population, occasioned by pastoral and agricultural pursuits — to which I would add that by gardening operations of no small importance to a concentrated digging population, especially when combined with arboriculture — to which means of weath, if you had more than the semblance of a Government, really active steps would have been taken long ago. Now all this fair district is the prize of the more vigorous and enterprising oommunity of merchants. I should Bay that as regards facility : of access, Cromwell, the junction of the Clutha and Kawarau rivers, is about midway between both, it being quite competent to Invercargill to push on to the Dunstan district a* well, and as I for as road-making facilities are concerned, the race is pretty even right down to the latter I places. Bad as the Southland roads are — and' don't I know how bad they arc P — they are not worse than the roads from Dunedin, at the part [ between CHenore and the Beaumont on the one j track, and the Pigrobt abomination on the other. I The issue is changedafnee your correspondent's letter. It is not a race now between Otago and Southland, but between Dunedin and Invercargill. Or who can say ? for the West Coast route is looming in the future. — Yours, Ac., A. H.