WESTLAND.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1379, 9 April 1867, Page 2

WESTLAND.

Scarcity of Water.—The "West Coast Times," of the 4th, Bays :■— It doesi seem strange that a cry for rain should be raised in sudi a reputedly wet district as AVestland but we can assure our distant renders that it is a fact nevertheless; tm& moreover that great inconvenience and loss is experienced through the lon<* and unparalleled continuation of fine weather. On the various goldh'elds huge heaps of washdirt testify to the lack of means whereby to extract the precious metal, the diggers being at their wit's end, and growl discontentedly at the exceeding scarceness of water. This to a very great extent must affect the gold returns, and we quite expect that when rain does coino some very heavy parcels will be throwu into the market. The good citizens of Hokitika are uo less inconvenienced than the diggers, as nearly every tank in town is dry, and in consequence thereof water for domestic purposes must bo procured from the river. This at first sight seems no great hardship, and could be very well endured were it not that at all times of tide the river water is more or less brackish, the fresh from the mountains being so much reduced that it lias not sufficient power to overcome the influx from the ocean. At low tide yesterday, the bed of the river abreast the Customhouse was absolutely uncovered, such a phenomenon being without parallel in the history of the port. North Spit.—The same paper says: —The inroad lately made by the surf between the North spit aud the Montezuma is really surprising, many yards of the beach having been washed away, and the sea now reaches up to the line of buildings forming the outworks of Eevell street. Keruains of old wrecks, that for months have laid hidden between an accumulation of sand, their pltvcco forgottou through the lapse of time, have been again brought to light. The appearance of the beach ia in no way improved by these skeletons, that look almost hideous in tho bright sunshine, and forcibly convey to the recollection the enactment of bygone scenes that once made the port alike notorious and dreaded. Amongst them we observed a few relics of the ill-starred steamer New Zealand, in the shape of a few plates, with the angle iroaa attached, and a sexton zone of her paddle-wheels, which four persevering individuals were striving to recover at. the expense of a sound ducking, aud a considerable amount of labor. The probability of a new channel through the spit is daily becoming more remote, the " gap " having again beached up quite three feet abovej its former low level. Greenstone Creek.—The " Grey Eiver Argus," of April 4, is indebted to R. P. Bain Esq., Acting District Surveyor, for some information respecting the Greenstone diggings, from which it appears that although bo little notice has been taken of this locality it has been anything but in a stagnant condition. This district, like many others on the Canterbury goldiiolds, has languished greatly on account; of the want of means of communication, the only access to the diggings being by a road of execrable character. The road to the Greenstone diggings ia at the first up the Teremakau river, which ia crossed at about a mile up the south bank, and there the road is " frightful," in fact it is necessary for eques« triane to dismount and literally "make" the road for their horses. When the upper ford is reached another crossing to the north side is made. From this place there is a tolerably good road up the river bed and scrub to the junction of the Greenstone with the Teremakau. The route then is up the Greenstone, which river haa to be crossed twenty-two times before the diggings are reached. There are about eighty miners located on the Greenstone, and if their labors are not well rewarded they ought to be, considering the wonderful works they have constructed. One company, known as the Enterprise Company, or Sellare and party, have diverted the course ot the river over an extent of 2000 feet, by a very simple but yet highly clever plan. The river at this point makes a bend almost upon itself, and a fcuonel haa been driven from each side so as to cut off tho radius, and divert tbe water right across. The bed thus j drained they are working, removing the large boulders and scraping the stuff from the bed rook, wiucn they wash. Another party has done the same thing at another bend and with equal success. The scenery of the creek is described as being magnificent, the one aido oi' the cree* being perpendicular rock 100 wehigh, clothed with luxuriant feme. Along the face of this precipice a flume has been carried by means of poiw driven into holes made in the rocK. Another flume has been carried aero-- 8 the creek on a three-storied sta^i

folk eighty feet high. Some of the claims are paying well. One miner has recently cleared out with £ISOO, and gone home to the old country to se t married ; and another party of miners at their last washing-up cleared £91 per man for one week's work. This district only requires a good road to develope its resources, and it is to be hoped the Government will not fail to supply one. Maoki Gully.—On Tuesday Mr Aitken, the Government surveyor, arrived' from Hokitika, for the purnose of making a careful examination of the country between Greymouth and Maori gully, in order to ascertain if a direct route between the two places is practicable. We understand that Mr Aitken is fully persuaded that jfc will be impossible to make a direct road from the Grey except at a cost out of the question. We trust, however, that further examination will be the means of changing the surveyor's opinion, and that our neighbors iv Maori gully may get their direct road. We may mention that a packer named Meban has applied to the Government for protection to a track he intends cutting between the Saltwater and Italian 3 gullies, to between three or four miles of Maori gully. The length of the proposed track will be about fourteen miles.