GILLESPIE'S BEACH.

(feom otjr own correspondent). The long dry weather retarded the progress of this place through the want of water, but that great obstacle is at last avoided through Wheelan M'Bean and party having just completed their gigantic race without any mishap or interruption until the last day, when Mr John M'Bran fell off the " saw-pit and broke three of his ribs ; he is progressing favorably, and will be able to resume work perhaps v\ a few weeks. They commenced cutting the race on the sth March last year, and had the water running on the ground a few daj s ago. The length of the cutting is about 3 miles, and the fluming 37 chains, at an average height of 37 feet ; the size of the ditch in the clear is 3ft 6in, with a depth of 2 feet, but they intend rising it an additional 8 inches. It has an average fall of 15ft to the mile. The cost of the fluming is reckoned at £30 per chain. It is supposed 'to carry at present 16 heads of water, but when the additional foot is put to it, half as much again. It takes its source from a larger barren swamp between the creek Waicuppa Cuppa and Cook's range, and will always command a regular supply of water. The party leased 5 acres of ground known to themselves to be auriferous, through some of them having previously worked it The water commands such height that it strips the ground to the top of the wash, and is admirably doing the work it was intended for. Its depth is about 30ft ; and the parties are in high spirits, and expect to reap a rich reward for their long and hazardous undertaking, which reflects great credit upon them. They purchased a plant of a saw mill, and as soon as the water is fairly at work, intend erecting it, and extending the fluming both north and south of the beach. The traffic is mostly interrupted between here and Okarito, and the communication will be entirely stopped unless immediate steps are taken to have these bluffs repaired. The principal obstruction is at the .Hollow Rock, about three miles from Gillespie's, rendering it very dangerous to packhorses who have to wind their way round numberless boulders of immense size, and are frequently knocked down with their load by the surf whilst rounding these obstacles. Not long ago Mr M'Lennan was on the point of losing two of his at this particular place. They got covered entirely under the surf. Mr Edward Rj'an's horses met with a similar accident, and Mr Gibbs was also on the point of losing one of his. It is needless to say more, for this speaks for itself. I have no doubt had ihe Okarito Road Board means at their command, but they would gee these bluffs put in thorough repair ; but what has been done with the land voted for such purposes ?

The diggers grumble very much of the low figure given for gold in the Okarito District — 73s per oz — and it is very hard that full prices cannot be obtained, especially as be (the digger) has to pay so high a price for provisions, which will never be much cheaper, through the expense attached in the transit of goods — evidently some one reaping a benefit ; and I am authorised to say it is nothing else but an indirect way of robbery. I acknowledge having read a letter, purporting to have been written by a banker, upon the subject ; but he won't find it so easy to convince diggers that the gold here is inferior in quality by 2s 6d per oz to what it is up North, and I expect he cares very little.

There is another matter of equal importance I deem necessary to bring under your notice, it is the present system of protection and scale of charges awarded on | ferries, which is considered to inflict unnecessary expense upon the public, and especially upon the diggers of Gillespie's Beach. It appears subsidised ferrymen are empowered to charge horsemen, packers, or pedestrian?, whenever they ford the river themselves, the same as if he were to render his services, and frequently when rivers are high, horses are driven into the stream and left to shift for themselves, and still the same charge is demanded ; but the unfortunate packer is charged exclusively Is 9d for every hundred pounds of loading besides. The packers prefer fording the Waito themselves sooner than go after the boat, providing they were taken across ibr nothing, and the ferryman distinctly refused taking any horses across the river after the boat at low water, and in fact, pack horses cannot come round these bluffs only at low water, and it is never known for pack horses to be taken across the Waito river after a boat since the last five years. The cause of it is that the boat has to work so close to the breakers, and the swiftness of the current would take any horse out to sea at low water. Mr Edwd. Ryan, storekeeper and packer, informed me that he had to pay £5 8s and costs of Court, for thirteen days' crossing the Waiko with three horses, and when he asked the boatman in Court if he were to take him across, he said that he did not see him only his foot- prints on the beach, and still had to pay. Two of the packers were recently summoned by the ferryman at the Waito for toll, which they refused paying through him not rendering any services. However, he obtained judgment, and in consequence the packers have knocked off, and the diggers will ultimately have to swag their own tucker or clear the track. A petition is about being presented to the County Chairman for the purpose of getting this obnoxious clause rescinded, and I hope that immediately the letter comes under the notice of the public that some of the members will adopt such measures as they may deem necessary under the circumstances for the purpose of getting this glaring injustice remedied. I wish further to add that, in the event of the present system being continued, that full inquiries should be instituted whether the ferrymen at the following rivers — the Waito, Okarito, Waitaki, and the Wangai)ai—^.hPulU not pay bonuses to thg County

for the use of these rivers. Should they be thrown up to public competition, I know of men who will give as high as £50 for some of them. Mr Matthew?, of Gillespie's Hill, gives £50 himself, and I believe they are all worth £40 ; but then it is a question whether it would be more prudent to do so than to rescind the obnoxious clause, a3 regards those rivers southward of Gillespie's will not do without it, as the traffic is scarcely sufficient. I hear there is to be no polling place at Gillespie's, consequently very few diggers can afford time to go a distance of ten miles to record their vote.

Our population is about the same, and are all busy at work, some making wage?, and others not.

Martin's Act is badly wanted here for most unmerciful cruelty to animals. I hear that, in the event of a repetition of it, they may find it extended.