OUR HAVELOCK LETTER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XIV, Issue 1183, 1 November 1879, Page 7

OUR HAVELOCK LETTER.

From our own Correspondent. The lovely spring weather we are getting just now is very cheering, after a long and dreary winter combined with bad times. We have every prospect before us of a revival of better days shortly. The Pelorus Saw Mill Company are extending their railway operations, and are making great progress, I was very much pleased on driving to Canvastown last week to see the much improved state of the road from Blackball to Hughes and Sons’ farm. When .the earth formation is completed on the line, the road will bo very much improved, notwithstanding all the predictions that it would be destrowed by the railway operations. I wish I could speak as favorably of the road from Blackball to Havelock, which is really in a very dangerous state, as proved by the death of two Maoris a few months ago. Nothing whatever has been done to alter or improve the same. It would be far better and cheaper in the end to abolish this road altogether, and make th-s natural road from the foot of Hayden’s Hill around the beach above highwater mark to Blackball. Until this is done accidents may happen, but repairs will be an everlasting charge to the Road Board. It is high time for our member to be up and doing, and demand from the Government our share of the Public Works ; other parts of the colony, not so important, are getting their railways out of the loans. What this district re?uires is to have the road improved and metalled rom the North Bank of the Wairau to the Uppei Pelorus, with a bridge over the Wakamarina; the Road Board would only be too

glarl to keep the [same in repair afterwards as ilurin'; the winter month? communication »»y coach 'is suspended on account of the frightful state of the roads. The contractors are making good progress with the clearing and formation of the road from Canvastown towards Deep Creek. The timber trade is improving, and I trust that in a short time all the mills will be again in full working. Messrs Brownlee and Co. are removing their Nydia Bay saw mill to Kaiuma, and are making good progress in its erection, A strong wharf is being constructed for shipping purposes. Messrs Farnell and Sons have let their mill on the Kaituna Road to Messrs Williams and Alexander, who are putting it in good order, and will be ready to commence sawing shortly. I trust the Government will see the necessity of again fixing the duty on timber; it was a great mistake to take this duty off all at once ; if it was really required it should have been gradually—say, sixpence per 100 feet for the first year, and threepence per 100 per annum afterwards until it was finally abolished. The Flat Creek diggings are still turning out a little gold, but nothing payable has been discovered as yet. From the quantity of quartz found with the gold, a gold-bearing quartz reef cannot be far off. The teachers of the Church of England Sunday School are going to invite all the children in connection with the school on the 10th Nov, to a tea fight, and an entertainment in the evening, without appealing to the public for funds to assist. A public meeting is called for at Dorreen a Hotel, on Thursday evening next, to consider what steps shall be taken to secure the usual Christmas and New Year’s sports.