NELSON CREEK.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 47828, 18 January 1884, Page 4

NELSON CREEK.

(prom a correspondent.) As the holidays are over, and the miners settled down to work again, allow me to give you a few scraps about mining and other matters on Nelson Creek. On the whole, I think that the past Christmas was the best- seen on Nelson Creek for years. Money appeared to be plentiful and all to -enjoy themselves, and to contribute to the enjoyment of their neighbors, although I see by the Argus that we had some severe fighting during the holidays. Whoever gave such information had very little to do. It was simply a howl about a practical joke, and I have seen a great deal worse with the Greymouth larrikins round Boundary street corner. The children's annual sports were held on Boxing Day. They were a great success. It was a beautiful sight to see the little ones in their Sunday attire, and watch how earnestly they contested each event. The committee deserves great credit for their tact and energy in carrying out these sports. It is to be hoped that the committee thanked Mr William Claughesy for ths use of his paddock, as he has for years placed it at the disposal of the public for their amusement. There is very little to report in mining matters. There was a large amount of gold got at the Christmas washing up. Try- Again contributed largely with some really good returns. I might state that there is one thing on this terrace that has paid duty to the County Council on two thousand ounces of gold inside of three years, and is likely to contribute a few hundreds more — not bad for four men. In my last letter I alluded to a ten men's claim in the bed of Nelson Creek. This party has since started and they are Binking a paddock forty by thirty. I visited the claim lately, and was greatly astonished at the pumping gear. They are pumping by hydraulic pressure. No person that has not seen it work would credit the amount of water it will throw. The only trouble there is is in lowering it. If once permanently fixed it would act splendidly. Miners in other centres who have ground similarly situated would do well to look for themselves. Mr Butler the County Engineer, visited the claim lately. He will be able to give all the information. I heard this morning that work *ill be suspended in this claim for a few days for the purpose of rising their pressure boxes. There are bitter complaints here about the Government not continuing the track already started from Hatters to Bell Hill. The survey is completed and six miles of the track already made. Will the County Council at its next meeting take this matter up and urge upon Government the necessity of continuing this work? There is no doubt if this track was completed there would be an extensive goldfield opened up. There has been gold got on Bell Hill, Granite Creek, and other places on the line of this track. I was speaking lately to Mr William Mitchell, an old Nelson Creek resident, now residing at Bell Hill. He told me if the County Council granted them a small amount that they were prepared to give a week's labor for the purpose of cutting a bush track from Bell Hill to the end of the Government track. Will Councillor M'Beath move in this matter. School matters have sobered down very much. The Committee have held their last regular meeting. Parents have now the ball at their own feet. Its for them to say in what direction they will kick it. We have had enough of unseemly squabbling about school matters. It is high time that parents returned a committee who will see that their school is efficiently worked.