KUMARA REVISITED.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 3277, 17 February 1879, Page 2

KUMARA REVISITED.

It was in the month of September, 1877, that I first visited Kumara. The rush, which was shortly to assume vast proportions, was just setting in, but as I soon found out there were no grounds to warrant the great influx of miners and others, more especially of the majority of the class who composed it, and both the Grey River Argos and the Kumara Times, which shortly afterwards started, did their best to caution and warn people against hopes thas never could be realised. A great deal of this was owing to the socalled private letters — letters written either by interested parties, or miners who are too apt to be led by a couleur d'rose aspect. Buildings sprang up like magic, and the carpenters' hammer and the steam sawmill working night and day, soon converted the "forest primeval" into the homes and haunts of busy man, but as I have already in times past told the story of early Kumara I will not now repeat it, but glance at its present aspect after two years' absence, so far as I saw in a flying visit of a few hours' duration. To reach Kumara now is a far different affair than when I first visited it. Then it was a journey either in a mail coaoh or in a four-horse express through Marsden, stopping at Russell's or Card's to change horses, then a long climb over the hills to the next stopping-place at Houlahan's — oh, how well a beer or lemonade went down after that long half ride half walk — then again "all aboard" to the Teremakau punt, crossing over which the narrow Zigzag had to be surmounted, and Kumrtra lay before you. But all this is chanf red now- the mail coach and express es are things of the past. The jouraey is performed in a one-horse tram, and the Teremakau is crossed in a cage on wires — but somehow or the other I likep the old road best— although the jarnming-up of knees was not always pleasant. My first recollection of the t'.'am was the advent of Mr Kilgour and Oeorge Oheverton, to survey the routethen there were the obstructions thrown in the way of its constructions — the law's vexatious delays, the petty local jealousies, &o. After a pleasant journey so far as company was concerned, I Kumara was/ reached, and now to my story. To say that Kumara— "the land of the white flowe):," as my friend, Peter Dungan, once' called it in a very pretty poetic description of early Kumara — is iot improved would be to do discredit to >ne's eyesight,. I say improved — that is, 10 far as the formation of the streets, &c.,

are concerned — bat alas I missed the crowded streets ; I missed the " rows and the ructions ;" and I missed the motley assemblage that used to throng the bars and the stores. Now the bars are orderly ; the barmaids are no longer cheeky ; the publicans look sharp after the sixpences ; and the storekeepers no longer tell you to go to the . All this is altered : a quiet — calm, peaceful, and serene—pervades everything ; and, to use the rather forcible expression of a storekeeper whc m I was complimenting on the improved appaarance of the streets, " D the improvements. When they find time to improve the streets, the place is going to the devil. Give me mud up to your knees." Well, there might be something in this. But the streets are improved. I missed O'Hara's lake ; and I missed the rather abrupt cutting near Frank Keenan's. O'Hara's is now shut up, and the stout old Martin and his German vrou have flitted to fresh fields, while Frank is doing a bit of mining. The main street is now a fine piece of road making, thanks to the efforts of the number of surveyors, road board clerks, and civil engineers who have been employed on it. Even as I have said before, that great engineering bugbear — O'Hara's Lake — has disappeared. Seddon street is more than passable; while that great mistake, Tui street, preBents a finished appearance ; and instead of picking your way along the front of claims, and climbing over terraces to reach Dillman's or the Larrikin's, a fine, well-made road, not to be surpassed by any road in New Zealand, lays before the visitor. In the main road there are gaps caused by the late fires. Jack BulstrooVs well known face is to be seen no more, while Peter Dungan's hostelry is now only known by its blackened ruins. Mr Price's abomination — the stout young woman, who " might have earned her living as a respectable servant, instead of selling that abominable prog f sly-grog)," has flitted away. Two of the banks have shut up shop, and the only old representative of the fraternity of money-changers left is Tom Oonnell. There are no crowds waiting round Drummond's corner for letters, for both post and telegraph offices are located in a far finer Government office than Greymouth possesses, but my friends " Wires " seems out of hi 3 element in his new mansion, for although he is the X.T.Z. of the honorable fraternity of Masons, the building seems too vast for him. " Things are quiet now — not like what it used to be in the old building over the way," at the same time jerking his finger in the direction of the wooden shed formerly used as a station. The police camp is also improved, and is now surrounded by a neat post and rail fence, while the "dens" for the reception of law breakers are quite comfortable compared with a 6 x 4 tent, with its furniture consisting of a log of wood and chain. The happy-looking Sub-Inspector O'Donnell has been removed, and his place supplied by melancholy-looking Sergeant Emerson, who stalks through the street looking like the ghost of departed greatness. Birch, P.A.F., clerk to the R.M. Court, Warden's Court, Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, is still left as "hard worked as ever. Really, I have not a moment to spare ; but can't you do a half-pint ? " and so we do the half-pint, and P.A.1'.8. returns to his books. He declares he is worn out, but " really the old man is better now than he used to be — quite jolly at times." P.F.A.B. seems to be increasing in breadth. Valentine is also left to serve writs, summonses, &c, with as smiling a face as ever. It is a treat to see Val serve a poor devil with a "piece of blue," — you would imagine he was about to hand you over a " fiver" or a "tenner," he looks so pleasant and jovial — seems so glad to get rid of that " piece of blue." One of the most prominent looking buildings in Kumara is the school — a fine building, situated at the end of the melancholy-looking, well-made Tni street forementioned ; and on expressing a wish to the obliging schoolmaster, Mr Phillips, I was shown over the building, which is a commodious one, and seems well adapted for the purposes required, and is well furnished with maps, &c. There are about 230 pupils at present in the school, which is presided over by Mr Phillips, an old Victorian State schoolmaster, Mrs Phillips, and several teachers ; but here, I believe, the efficiency of the school is impaired by the ill-judged interference of certain members of the committe, who will insist on thrusting their favorites forward to the exclusion of merit. The school, I believe, ranks high in the scale, and Mr Phillips and his assistants must have have had a rather trying time to "lick into shape" some of the rough diamonds who used formerly to wander at will in the streets of Kumara. Churches seem to flourish . for; there are four within a stone's throw of each other— the Church of England, Rev Mr Scott ; Roman Catholic, Rev Father M'Coughey ; Wesleyan, Rev Mr Buttle; and Presbyterian, no resident minister. 1 am told however, that Kumara is not a praying place, and that, with the exception of the Roman Catholic Church, the others are but poorly attended. How different to the time when the only meeting place was in the billiard room of some public house or under the vault of heaven. The assemblages, though not numerous now, are quiet and orderly — there is no pelting the preacher with rotten eggs, or hustling them in the streets, as once happened to a Wesleyan clergyman in Kumara, who, not showing the white feather, was cheered for his pluck. There is no melancholy preacher in the streets on Sundays consigning every passer-by to eternal damnation : and even the jovial Father M'Coughey has been converted by Father Henneberry, and shudders at a glass of whisky, and consigns to perdition every poor sinfnl mortal who endeavors to make himself comfortable in this sublunary sphere. Another new building is the Hospital — a clean comfortable erection, picturesquely situated on the Hospital Reserve, overlooking the Teremakau. It contains accommodation for eight patients at'present, but it is capable of accommodating sixteeD. Two of the inmates are females, one of whom seems to be suffering from a species of mania. There are two Kumara patients in the Grey Hospital, and I was told by the obliging warder, Mr Murtagh, that everything was now ready for their removal and reception. I remember being present at the irst meeting held for securing a local iospital. The meeting place was Reedy's :orner (the historic meeting place of early Kuraara), and the platform an empty jarrel— the principal speakers were Jas. SVylde, James Kerr, Peter Dungan, Mat, Griffiths, and Mr Whitworth, who had

jiwt arrived on a tour and who had narrowly escaped drowning in the Teremakau. The meeting was enthusiastic — there were thousands present, and the result was the formation of a committee of which Mr Cavenagh, of the Bank of Australasia, was chosen treasurer, and a most indefatigable one he was — sparing neither time nor trouble in his philanthropic work. Accidents vere plentiful, as most of the miners were " new chums," and were not over careful nor ignorant in prosecuting their labors. After an active canvasß a room next to the Kumara Times Office— it is now occupied by a shoemaker, — and here, with a warder, were the patients lodged. The accommodation was scant, but it was better than a tent or a hut, and the first medical men were, Drs. Feathersjkonhaugh and Bulmer. What old Kumarite does not remember these two oddities — fussy, meddlesome Bulmer and solitary moony-eyed Featherstonhaugh 1 What debates ensued at these hospital committees? How the County Council waß badgered, and everybody, either connected with Hokitika Hospital or the Government, was stuck up on the question of Kumara Hospital claims, but I must congratulate Kumara on its hospital, small though it is, yet something is due to the early pioneers in the cause of humanity.. And nova word or two to the amateurs of Kumara, for they have always come forth nobly to the assistance of the hospital, from the first entertainment when Douglas Jerrold's comedy of the "Rent Day" was played. By-the-way, whhat a job there was to get the license for the theatre in time. . Mr Skoglund played Martin Heywood ; Mrs Geo. Way, better kuown as Kitty Grant, whom I saw the other day looking better than ever, Rachel Heywood ; Walter Bishop was Toby Heywood ; Lenauze, of New South Wales Bank robberj notoriety, was Old Crumbs ; the other characters I forget ; and the house was, filled, but our entertainment was eclipsed by the last one for the same object when the Kumara String Band made its first appearance, and here let me bear testimony to the excellence of the music rendered by the performers, as I had the pleasure of hearing them since. In the first place, although miners, they are thorough' 1 musicians, and are about as enthusiastic as my friend Janion is at chess. The members composing .it are—Herr Schultze, double bass, leader ; Mr Miller, primo violin ; Mr Dungan, secondo violin ; Mr Richards, cornet ; Mr B — —, flute ; and Mr Hawkins, piano. They would . only be too glad to give their services for any charitable purpose, and should they receive an invitation to visit Greymouth, which I hope they may, the inhabitants will enjoy such a treat, the like of which has never been heard in Greymouth, or I might say on the Weßt Coast, since the days of Eigenschank. In my next I will deal with the present prospects of Kumara and its probable future.