QUEENSTOWN.

Southland Times, Issue 1572, 3 May 1872, Page 3

QUEENSTOWN.

(FROM OTTE OWS COBEESPOSTDEKT.) Since the Eegatta on St. Patrick's Day, Queenstown has been unusually quiet, the inhabitants having settled down to their ordinary avocations, and ' the miners retired again to their old fastnesses, where indeed they are but rarely visited. They are evidently accumulating considerable quantities of gold, the returns each month being on the increase, yet these returns are not altogether reliable, much passing into private hands, and some hoarding up. 1 1 think the late important case, Eagar v. Grace, in which the plaintiff sued for £12,000 damages for encroachment on bis claim, and obtained judgment for upwards of £8,000, shows that there is plenty of gold in the district, it having been stated in evidence that some £30,000 had been obtained through the encroachment, although no doubt this may have been to some exent an exaggeration. To show the dearth of rational means of amusement, I may inform you that a subscription of £lwas raised the other night at one of our hotels, id the small hours, by some" choice spirits," for the purpose of inducing an ex-policeman to ring the fire bell. Being caught in the act, he was fined ten pounds, which made his speculation rather unprofitable. This week the town has been enlivened by the election of two members to fill the vacancies in the Provincial Council caused by the resignation of Messrs Haughton and Robertson. Five candidates came forward, namely Messrs Innes, Hallenstein, Manders, M'Bride, and Tyree. The declaration of the poll was made on Thursday last, as follows: — Jnnes, 167 ; Hallenstein, 122 ; Manders, 118; M'Bride, 68; Tyree, 68. Messrs Innes and Hallenstein are therefore duly elected. 26th April, 1872.