Queenstown , on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Otago, is unquestionably one of the most interesting places in New Zealand. The town is pleasantly situated near the lake, and the climate is wonderfully pure and healthy; but it is its great scenery that constitutes its chief claim to attraction, for the Remarkables, on the south-east, 7,650 feet high, Double Cone—on the same range—7,688 feet, Mount Cecil 6,477 feet, and Walter Peak, 5,856 feet, to the south, and Ben Lomond 5,747 feet, to the north, are all more or less in the neighbourhood. It is, therefore, natural that tourists should visit the district in large numbers during the summer months. Winter, however, is recommended as the most suitable time for invalids with pulmonary troubles, as the rainfall is slight, and snow seldom lies on the ground for more than two consecutive days, whilst the days are usually bright and warm with sunshine. There are hard frosts at night, but the cold is dry and crisp, and skating on the ice is practicable as a pastime. There is a well-kept park, and there are many lovely walks in the neighbourhood. Trout abound in the lake, and smaller fish in the adjacent creeks. There are two schools in Queeenstown; the public school, with an average attendance of eighty-four and the Dominican Convent with a large attendance. The town, too, has a Stipendiary Magistrate and Warden, Clerk of Court, Police Office, Land and Survey Department, volunteer corps, Public Trust Agency, Deputy Official Assignee, four Justices of the Peace, Crown Prosecutor, Coroner, Lodge of Oddfellows, Masonic Lodge, a mining agent, auctioneer, two law firms, four good hotels, thirteen fire insurance companies, represented by agents, two large meeting halls, a bowling club, a boating club, a county Jockey Club, established in 1866, an acclimatisation society, a cricket club, a football club, a brass band under a good master, and a hospital at Frankton, four miles from Queenstown, under the control of trustees. There are several general stores, drapery and grocery establishments, watchmakers, fancy goods dealers, photographers, and blacksmiths. Queenstown has four churches—those of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic and Methodist bodies. The borough is the county town of Lake county, and the offices of the Council stand in Ballarat street. The settlement dates from the year 1863, when the Shotover “rush” attracted diggers from all parts of Australia and New Zealand. Beach Street, on the shore of the Lake, was the site of the canvas township, which then sprang up, and in those days it was an ordinary thing to see from 150 to 200 pack-horses on the scene, and so mixed in coming and going that fighting and kicking were common amongst them, and occasionally fully a thousand horses belonging to diggers were out at grass in the gorge near Queenstown. The communication at that time was by the lake from Queenstown to Kingston, and by road to Invercargill. Now, however, in addition to excellent communication by Government steamers and a private oil launch on the lake, there are splendid coach services with Pembroke twice a week, with Cromwell and Alexandra three times a week, and with Arrowton practically daily; and, of course, there is a daily service between Kingston and Invercargill and Dunedin, with the intermediate towns and districts.

Queenstown Borough Council . Queenstown was constituted a borough in 1866, and is subject to the Rating Acts of 1876 and 1894. There is an estimated area within the belt of 923 acres, with a population of 700, about 300 dwellings, 175 ratepayers, and 324 rateable properties. The capital value is about £95,000, and the annual rateable value £4,792. The value of property belonging to the borough is £4,365, and nearly £3,000 has been spent on street construction since 1889. There is a funded debt of £3,500 for waterworks purposes, towards which the borough has already £1,500 of accrued sinking fund. There is a general rate of one shilling in the £, a special rate of sixpence, and a water rate of sixpence in the £. The first town clerk was Mr H. Manders, whose successors have been. respectively, Messrs Richardson, J. T. Crofts, W. Donne, C. E. Boyes, and Mr F. W. F. Geisow, who was appointed in June, 1892, died in 1903, and was succeeded by the present holder of the office, Mr Cyril Edwin Gudgeon. The borough of Queenstown is divided into three wards: Lake Ward, which has seventy rateable properties; North Ward, 131; and South Ward, 123; total, 324, including borough and Crown lands. Members of the Council in 1904–5: Mr L. A. Hotop (Mayor), and Messrs M. J. Gavin, F. St. Omer, E. Monson, P. McCarthy, C. D. Dagg, L. J. Lynch, J. A Gardner, J. Edgar and F. McBride, councillors. The Borough Council controls the Athenaeum Public Library, which is domiciled in a good building adjoining the courthouse, with a free reading room.

Councillor Christopher Dodd Dagg is the eldest son of Mr. John Dagg, farmer, of Lumsden, and was born at Sidwood, North Tyne, England, in 1856. After receiving his education at various schools in England and Scotland, Mr. Dagg sailed from London by the ship “Peter Denny” for the Bluff in 1874, and commenced life in his adopted home by taking a situation with Mr. James Dawkins, butcher, Cromwell, in whose service he remained for several years. About 1883, he became manager for Mr. E. Jenkins, storekeeper, Arrowtown, and afterwards worked for Mr. W. T. Smith, of Macetown. Mr. Dagg is a member of the local jockey and athletic clubs, and also belongs to the Masonic lodge, Lake of Ophir, No. 85, N.Z.C.

The Lake County Council has jurisdiction over an area of 3,712 square miles, in Central Otago. The district is divided into seven ridings; namely Queenstown, Kingston, Shot-over, Matukituki, Greenstone, Cardrona and Arrow. In 1904, the total capital value of the county was £237,166, on which a general rate of 1 1/4d in the pound was levied, besides a special rate for Skipper's bridge, of one-eighth of a penny. The unimproved value of the county was £141,245; the unoccupied Crown and native lands were valued at £27,534, and the mining properties of the district at £67,612. The total annual revenue from rates on mining and ordinary property was £1,492, and on special rates, 149. The Skipper's bridge is the second highest bridge in New Zealand, and some wonderfully romantic scenery is within view of it. At the head of the lake are the far-famed Lennox Falls, Paradise, and the Rees Valley, and other numerous places visited by tourists at cheap rates during the summer months. The Lake Council is arranging to construct a new bridge over the lower Shotover River. The members of the Council in 1904 were Messrs W. Reid (chairman), J. Cockburn, J. J. McBride, W. McKibbin, R. McDougall, H. Birley, A. Lambie, S. Butson, and P. Reid; and the officers: Mr H. O. Harte, County Clerk and Treasurer, and Mr C. C. Ware, C. E., Engineer. The offices are at Queenstown, on Lake Wakatipu.

Councillor William McKibbin , Member for Arrow riding in the Lake County Council, is a farmer on Crown Terrace, Arrow. He was born at Down-patrick, County Down, Ireland, in 1855, and brought up on his father's farm. In 1871, he arrived at Port Chalmers by the “Ajmeer,” and left almost at once for the Cardrona diggings. After a short time spent in packing to the diggings, he went to the Port Derwent “rush,” and, during a year spent in Australia, saw a good deal of the island continent. On his return to New Zealand, he went quartz mining at Shotover. In 1879, he took up his farm of “Royal Burn,” on the Crown Terrace. The land was then in its natural state, but is now highly improved. Since 1899, Mr McKibbin has been a member of the Lake County Council, and has been chairman of the Crown Terrace school committee since its inception. He has also been a member of the Arrow Hospital Trustees for many years, and a member of St. Paul's Anglican church committee since he settled in Arrow. page 1023 In 1889, Mr McKibbin married a daughter of the late Mr William Talbot, of Kyle House, Burris-in-Os-sory, Queen's County, Ireland, and has a family of one son and three daughters.

Councillor John James Mcbride , who represents Queenstown riding on the Lake County Council, is a son of Mr F. McBride, of Frankton, and was born in 1866, at Queens-town, and educated at the Lower Shotover, and in Dunedin. He was brought up to farming, and about 1898 he and his brothers took up Earnslaw station of 3000 acres of freehold, and 40,000 acres of leasehold. Mr McBride has also an interest in other land in the Queenstown district. Before taking up “Earnslaw” he was storekeeping in Queenstown for about nine years, and during that time he was for three years a member of the Queenstown Borough Council. Mr McBride is a steward of the Arrow Racing Club, and was also a steward of the Queenstown Racing Club for thirteen years. He is senior lieutenant of the Wakatipu Mounted Rifles, and a member of the committee of the local Caledonian Society, and was for some time captain of the Queenstown Football Club. Mr McBride has won many cups and prizes for sprint running.

Mr. Henry Oliphant Harte , County Clerk, Returning Officer, and Treasurer for the Lake County Council, and treasurer for the Wakatipu Licensing district, was born in 1861, at High Wycombe, England, and came to Lyttelton, with his parents, by the ship “Dagmar,” in 1870. He was educated at Christ's College Grammar School, Christchurch, and entered the Government service in 1876. He was in the Land and Survey Department in Christchurch for about thirteen years, and was for three years in the same department at Invercargill, having qualified as assistant surveyor. Mr Harte left the Government service to take up a position as clerk in the Borough Council office at Invercargill, and in April, 1903, he was appointed to his present position at Queenstown. Mr Harte was married, in October, 1903, to a daughter of Mr J. Barnett, sheepfarmer, “Deep Spring,” Leeston, Canterbury.

The Queenstown Rifle Volunteer Corps is known as the F Company of No. 3 Battalion, Otago Rifle Volunteers, and dates from the 10th of September, 1900. It has a present strength of forty-eight members, and the officers are: Captain E. C. W. Porter, Lieutenants J. A. Reid, and A. H. Hiddlestone, and Chaplain-captain, the Rev. R. T. Mathews, B.A.

Captain Ernest Charles Wilmot Porter , who has been in charge of the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers since the establishment of the corps, was born in 1856, at Wanganui. He is the eldest son of the late Mr David Porter, of Wellington, who was a passenger in the ship “Cressy,” to Lyttelton, one of the first four ships that brought the Canterbury Pilgrims to New Zealand in December, 1850.

Wakatipu District Hospital is delightfully situated four miles from Queenstown, near the outlet of Lake Wakatipu into the river Kawarau. The vista from the hospital grounds embraces mountains and lake scenery of wonderful variety and beauty. The first hospital, which was erected in 1863 by the Otago Provincial Government, contained two wards with accommodation for twenty-four patients. The old building was destroyed by fire in 1894, and the present was erected in its place. It contains two wards, with accommodation for ten male and six female patients, besides two small private wards, and a fever ward with beds for three male and two female patients. The ventilation and heating of the wards are excellently arranged, and there is a good light throughout. The dispensary is specially fitted up as an oper-ating-room and is fully equipped for its purposes. The hospital Is supported by subscriptions, grants In aid, and contributions from local bodies, and is managed by a Board of Trustees. Adjoining the hospital is a comfortable residence for the medical officer. Dr. James Douglas is resident surgeon, and Mrs R. Judge, matron.

The Queenstown Parish Of The Presbyterian Church was established in the early days. It includes the districts of Frankton, Arthur's point, Miller's Flat and Glen-orchy, which are visited periodically by the minister-in-charge. The church at Queenstown is named St. Andrews, and stands on a corner section in Ballarat Street. It is a wooden building, and has accommodation for 150 worshippers. Services are held morning and evening on Sundays, and there is a Sunday school, with sixty scholars and eight teachers.

The Queenstown-Arrow Parish Of The Roman Catholic Church includes the districts of Cardrona, Garston, Nokomai, Gibbston, Glenorchy, Skippers, and Macetown. The church at Queenstown is known as St. Joseph's, and is built of stone with a slate roof. It occupies a splendid site of an acre and a-half, and has room for 400 worshippers. The convent and presbytery adjoin St. Joseph's. The foundation stone of the church was laid on the first Sunday in October, 1897, by the Most Reverend Bishop Verdon, assisted by the Rev. Father O'Donnell, pastor-in-charge, in the presence of a large concourse of people; and the church was completed and opened for public worship on the 28th of May, 1898, when it was blessed by the bishop, and the inaugural sermon was preached by the Very Rev. Dean Burke, of Southland.

The Rev. Father John Francis O'Donnell , Pastor-in-charge of the Queenstown-Arrow Roman Catholic parish, was born in 1852, in County Limerick, Ireland. He was educated at Mount Melleray Seminary, conducted by the Trappist Fathers, and at All Hallows College, Dublin studying Classics at Mount Melleray and Philosophy and Theology at All Hallows. Father O'Donnell was ordained priest in 1889 at All Hallows College, and came out to Dunedin with the late Bishop Moran in October, of the same year. He became curate at Milton, in November, 1889, and continued till June, 1893. Father O'Donnell then became missioner in charge at Palmerston South till October, 1896, when he was stationed at Queenstown.

The Lake Wakatipu Mail , which is published every Friday evening at Queenstown, is an eight-page paper. It was established in 1863, and in 1865 was taken over by Mr W. Warren, who conducted it until his death, in January, 1900. It is now owned by his widow. Since its establishment, the “Mail” has been conservative in its politics.

Mr. William Warren , Manager and Editor, is a son of the late Mr W. Warren. He was born in Queenstown in 1874, and has spent a considerable portion of his time in connection with the paper, of which he took full charge at the death of his father. Mr Warren takes a keen interest in the general progress of the district, and is closely identified with its social affairs.

The Stipendiary Magistrate And Warden's Court is a handsome and substantial stone edifice situated above the post office, and contains courthouse, magistrate's office, witnesses'-room, clerk's office, and public room. A district court is held here at regular intervals by Judge Haselden. Mr. Frederick Joseph Burgess is Stipendiary Magistrate and Warden.

Mr. Alexander Adam Mair , Clerk of the District Court, Stipendiary Magistrate's Court, and Warden's Court at Queenstown, was born in Invercargill, and is the son of Mr Alexander Mair, an old and respected colonist of Southland. Mr Mair joined the Department of Justice as a cadet, in 1885. Subsequently he was appointed, successively, to the Wellington, Timaru, and Wanganui Magistrate's Courts, and in September, 1896, was promoted to the position of Clerk of Court at Riverton. He was appointed Second Clerk at Christ-church in May, 1898, and then Clerk of the District Court and Magistrate's Court at Hokitika, whence he was transferred to his present position at Queenstown.

Mr. Ernest Charles Wilmot Porter has been manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Queenstown since the 11th of March, 1899.

Hart, William P. , Photographer, Beach Street, Queenstown. Mr Hart has a large number of splendid negatives of the most attractive scenery in Southland, the cold Lakes district, Sutherland Falls, and the Sounds. He was the first photographer to take a photograph of the Sutherland Falls, and did so in the year 1883, five years before any other photographer saw them. Mr Hart personally reported the genuineness of the discovery to Mr McKerrow, the Surveyor General, at Wellington, in the beginning of May of that year, and afterwards supplied the Government with photographs of the falls and scenery on the way from Milford Sound. Again, in 1888, at the request of Mr C. W. Adams, Chief Surveyor for Otago, Mr Hart gave information regarding the country he had visited before any track had been constructed by the Government. It was Mr Hart who named the Sutherland Falls after Mr D. Sutherland, the explorer; who, in turn, named Mount Hart, where the river takes its rise, after Mr Hart. Both of these names were subsequently confirmed by the Survey Department. Mr Hart also supplied the late Mr Quinton McKin-non with photographs of the mountains in the vicinity of the Sutherland Falls, and they must have assisted in the discovery of the pass from the Clinton Valley. As long ago as 1879, Mr Hart was awarded a medal and certificate at Sydney Exhibition; and in 1881 he gained the first degree of merit at Dunedin-also at In-vercargill, in the same year-and at Christchurch, in 1882, for exhibits of photographs.

Hulbert House (Mrs C. M. Firth, proprietress), Upper Ballarat Street, Queenstown. This residence was opened as a private boardinghouse in 1901. It stands on part of a section of four acres of land, which is beautifully laid out in plantations, gardens, and paddocks. There are some remarkable trees on the property. The building is of wood and plaster; it contains fifteen rooms, and may fairly be said to supply accommodation of the first order in Queenstown. The rooms are large and lofty, and well ventilated, and remarkably fine views of the lake can be obtained from many of the windows. There are verandahs at the front and north end of the building, and there is a well-furnished drawing-room, and a very fine dining-room, which will seat fully twenty guests, of whom from twenty-five to thirty can be accommodated at Hulbert House. Hot and cold water is laid on to the bathroom, where both plunge and shower baths can be obtained by guests. Mrs Firth is very attentive to the requirements of her visitors.

Laurel Bank (Mrs Mary B. Boyes), Frankton Road, Queenstown. This establishment dates from 1894. The residence, which stands on an acre of land, is built of wood and iron, one storey in height, and contains twelve rooms, of which eight are bed rooms. There is a comfortable sitting-room, which will seat twelve adults. Pretty grounds, which are well planted with shelter and ornamental trees, surround the house, from which visitors obtain an excellent view of the magnificent scenery of the district. The bath-room is supplied with hot and cold water.

“Laurel Bank“: Residence Of Mrs M. B. Boyes.

Mcbride's Family Hotel (Jane McBride, proprietress). This is one of the leading and one of the best patronised hotels in Queenstown. The hostess is a very old resident, and popularises her house by her efforts to thoroughly supply the wants and comfort of her guests. The hotel has excellent accommodation, and is very well furnished. There are twenty-six bedrooms, five sitting rooms, and two bath-rooms with hot and cold water connections. From the neat, well laid-out garden, visitors enjoy a magnificent view of the serrated mountain range, “The Remarkables.” Mr. C. D. Dagg's livery stables are close to the hotel.

Boyne, Caroline , Ironmonger and Timber Merchant, Queenstown. This business is conducted by the widow of the late Mr Alexander Boyne, by whom it was established in the year 1871.

Dagg, Christopher Dodd , Livery Stables, Queenstown. Bankers, Bank of New Zealand. This business was acquired by the proprietor in 1893, and has gained a large and successful connection in the Lakes district. Mr. Dagg possesses a splendid stable of carriage and harness horses, and a fine plant of vehicles, including four-horse drags, buggies, sulkies, etc., with experienced drivers. Visitors to Queenstown can safely rely upon obtaining well-appointed turnouts, combined with civility, intelligence, and moderate charges. Mr. Dagg is further referred to as a member of the Queenstown Borough Council.

The Wakatipu Woodware Factory at Queenstown is the property of Mrs Caroline Boyne, and is situated on the edge of the Lake. There is a complete plant driven by water power.

Mr. John William Luckie , who has been Manager of the Wakatipu Woodware Factory since 1902, is the son of an old resident of Queenstown. He was born in 1884, at Queenstown, and was brought up to carpentering. Mr Luckie is a member of the Queenstown Rifles, secretary of the Queenstown Football Club, and a member of the Cricket Club, and he was formerly a member of the Queenstown Brass Band.

Mr. Horatio Nelson Firth was born at Market Drayton, Shropshire, England, in 1842, and educated in his native town. He came to New Zealand in 1862, joined the Government service in 1878, and afterwards held various appointments.

The Paddle Steamer “Mountaineer” has been plying on Lake Wakatipu since 1879. She was originally the property of the Lake Wakatipu Steam Shipping Company, but was, with the other vessels of the fleet, taken over by the Government not long ago. The steamer makes daily trips, to and from Kingston, in the season. She is a favourite boat, and has comfortable accommodation, both on deck and in the saloon, for tourists. Her engine power is sixty-six horse, and her speed two knots; and she has accommodation for 262 passengers.

Captain John Brunswick Robertson , who has been in charge of the “Mountaineer” since 1896, was born in Queenstown in 1870. He was educated in his native place, and gained his experience of navigation on the Lake, under the old company, whose service he entered in 1885. After four years in the office, he became a deckhand in 1899. His captain's certificate is dated 1891, and he acted for several years as relieving captain before he was appointed to the position of master of the “Mountaineer.”

Hart photo
Captain J. B. Robertson.

Mr. James Gardiner , Providor of the steamers “Mountaineer,” “Ben Lomond,” and “Antrim,” has occupied his present position since 1901. He was born in Queenstown, in 1869, and educated and brought up to storekeeping in his native place. For about twelve years Mr Gardiner was in business, and was then a photographer for two years. Mr Gardiner has a small poultry farm at his residence in page 1028 Queenstown, where he successfully raises plenty of eggs, and birds for the tables of the steamers. He has also a vegetable garden at Kingston, and finds time, while the steamer is waiting, to cultivate the ground. Since 1898, Mr Gardiner has been an active member of the Queenstown Brass Band, in which he carries the big drum. As a Freemason, he is attached to Lodge Ophir, Queenstown, and has passed all the chairs, with the exception of that of the Grand Master. He was married, in 1902, to a daughter of Mr Frank Smith, of Timaru, and has one son.

Armstrong, photo.
Ford's Falls, Lake Wakatipu.

The Achilles Gold Mine at Bullendale was the scene of the first discovery of auriferous quartz, in the Wakatipu district, in 1862. The prospectors, whose names are now nearly forgotten, were Messrs Olsen, Southberg and Murdock. Mr Murdock's name is, however, perpetuated in the designation of Murdock's Creek, a branch of the Skippers, where the first considerable quartz mining works in Otago were started. Precipitous cliffs and gullies prevail in the neighbourhood of Bullendale, and the miners had to find their way as best they could, by means of the footprints of men and horses. An especially dreaded zig - zag at Deep Creek had to be negotiated at the risk of neck and limb. A battery was essential, and the first one had wooden shanks, shod with plate iron, and was constructed principally of wood. This crude machine did excellent work, and was in use until 1869, when Messrs Bullen Brothers, after whom the locality is named Bullendale, appeared on the scene. The capital they brought soon worked a transformation, and the old Skipper's Bridge was built. A great deal of mining was done, and a belt of stone running east and west was discovered. The property now known as the Achilles Gold Mine includes about 200 acres of quartz-bearing ground, and such claims as the Otago or Scandinavian and the British North American mines. The site is in Murdock's Gully, one of the head branches of Skipper's Creek, at the south eastern slope of Mount Aurum. The plant, which must have cost from £40,000 to £50,000, and which includes ponderous pieces of machinery, has been transported to, and erected on, the claim. It includes a fine battery of thirty stampers of heavy weight, together with the usual blanket, tables, and boxes. The plant is covered by an iron building, which includes an engineer's department and a blacksmith's shop. There are also two complete electric plants, and two Pelton wheels, with a hauling and pumping capacity to the depth of 2,000 feet. The underground works include seven different levels, the deepest of which, No. 7, has been continued to a distance of 528 feet. Steel tramways, to a length of about 1,400 feet, have been constructed, and immense sums of money have been spent in the development of the mine. Three reefs have been developed. The quartz is not of a high grade, but it shows an average of over half an ounce to the ton, and ample water power is available; five races, including forty-seven Government heads of water are (1905)) being brought into the mine, and it is hoped that under the management of the new company, which has recently acquired the property, a substantial reward awaits the new owners. Many of the facts contained in this sketch are taken from the Lake Wakatipu Mail, of the 31st of May, 1901.