ARROW RIVER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 264, 20 February 1873, Page 5

ARROW RIVER.

(From our oivn Correspondent.) Small as our community numerically is, I find that there is always something occuring which is worth noticing j sometimes of an amusing and sometimes of a sad character. I am sorry that now I have a tale of the last description to communicate ; a fire by which our oldest and most respected settler is a loser of about £900. It seems that harvesting was carred on on two adjoining farms — those of Mr. Marshall and Mr. Paterson. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon of Friday, the other week, a fire was observed iv the stable of Mr. Marshall's farm, the high wind then blowing, drove the devouring element with incredible rapidity towards Mr. Paterson's paddock. The fire spread in spite of all efforts that were made to stop it, and had reached three stacks of corn belonging to Mr. Paterson in a few minutes after it was first observed. The three stacks, which were totally consumed, contained about 3000 bushels of wheat— just one half of the produce of Mr. Paterson's farm, while Mr. Marshall's loss amounted to about 3 acres of standing wheat, estimated to average 40 bushels to the acre. Mr. Paterson— as already stated, is held in great esteem by all classes, and it is gratifying to learn that steps are being taken by which the respect in which he is- held will be expressed in pome more tangible form than mera words. One misfortune never comes alone. The fire was followed by two smart shocks of earthquake, which, although they did not do much material dam-age, frightened some of the Arrowites considerably. We had a "visit on the Ist mat. from His Honor the Superintendent, and Mr. Bastings, Secretary for the Goldfields. They were waited upon by Mr. Innes, M.P.C, Messrs Pritchard, Ilealey, and other " big bugs " of our town, "as well as by Mr. J. A. Miller,, and Mr. R. Clarke, members of the Executive of the Otago Miners' Association,, to whom His Honor intimated that he had carefully read the memorial forwarded to him, and stated that he would send a written reply as soon after his return fco Dunedin as possible. As a matter of course, promises were made " fast and' furious " but if it be true that the best prophet of the future is the past, then pity for so much breath wasted in idle talk. A remark which fell from His Honor, however, gives some hope that the country districts will receive a little more attention at the haada of the. Provincial

authorities than heretofore. The remark referred to the fact that as railroads progressed, the large sums of money winch were required formerly to keep the main roads in repair, would soon be available for other parts of the province ; and tho Superintendent added that his tour through the goldfielda, had convinced him that money spent on the improvement of the means of communication within them, would be well laid out. It was suggested by the deputation that the General Government be requested to assist the Provincial Executive in opening up the goldfields by roads. His Honor answered that such a proposal had been made repeatedly, but the General Government had pronounced most decidedly against it Sritl, as the ice was now broken, to a certain extent, by the subsidising a sludge channel at Naseby, it might reasonably be expected that the Colonial Government would make further concessions. After the more urgent wants and requirements of the district had been brought under the notice of his Honor and Mr. Bastings, the subject of a Miners' Institute was mentioued, aud it was gratifyiug to notice the manifest interest with which Mr. Maeandrew entered into the discussion of the details. He mentioned, in answer to an application for a suitable site for a Miners' Institute at Arrowtown, that if the local Miners' Association would select a site, there would be no difficulty, as far as the Government was concerned, in obtaining a grant of any unsold lot. His Honor and Bastings also inspected the schoolhouse, which is in a very dikpitated condition ; and were it not that a stately church is rising its gothic gables, in the full glory of new paint and stained glass windows, on one side of the school, while on the other a number of Chinamen are busy building a second house of Christian worship of solid masonry, they would be forcibly reminded of Goldsmith's " Deserted Village.'* Strange incongruity of Christian religion ! Here we are spending hundreds of pounds on build ings which will stand idle and empty all the week, aml let the poor little innocents shiver five days of every week during winter in a building which many a farmer in the district would not think fit stables for his cattle. But There's nought, no doubt, so much the spirit*calins, As rum and true religion. However, his Honor did not suggest either, but substituted a coat of paint, and left for Queenstown.