The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY,MAY 3, 1866.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 51, 3 May 1866, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1866.

Without the means of access the finest description of country 'is" comparatively "valueless. However rich the soil, or varied its productions, or however great its mineral resources, unless^ its productions-can be brought to market, or unless those who wish to reside there can be' supplied with the productions of other countries, which in these days are considered to be necessary to existence, the resources of that country are not likely to he fully developed ;• and although gold is of such great value that it will pay to bring it immense distances by the rudest modes of conveyance, those- engaged in the occupation of gold mining require large and costly machinery to enable them to successfully pursue their avocation, and'su'ch machinery cannot be conveyed to -them unless there exist some available means of access to the gold-bearing country. The principal seat of gbld : minihg industry at present is along the sea-beach of the West Coast, arid at such short distances from the ! imperfect water communication of that const, a3'provisionscan be conveyed to the miners and suld at something'less than famine prices; and although gold in considerable quantities has' been discovered inland in' various directions, but more particularly towards the sources of the' southern tributaries of the Buller river, yet from the impossibility of procuring the necessities' of life at a reasonable rate, extensive districts, capable of affording' permanent employment for large populations, still remain ia a state of solitude. Many people fall into' a- great error by arguing that gold mining is but a short lived pursuit, aud that those towus" whicii have arisen to supply the necesities of a mining population are doomed to an early decay. The remarkably steady progress that California has made during the last seventeen years proves how unfounded is this idea. In the Colony of Victoria, fifteen years after the discovery of gold there, there are a quarter of a million of people, dependent, directly or indirectly upon that pursuit, which is still by far the most important in the country. The towns which have sprung up oh tlie mines have become important centres of population, and large marts of trade: the large mining aud mercantile population settled in the interior of the country, have by creating a ready market for all descriptions of agricultural produce, arid given such an impetus to farming pursuits,- that large tracts 1 of country are now in cultivation, which, but for the mines iv the neighborhood would still have been in a state of nature, aud many manufactories have ariseu to supply the numerous wants of a large resident community. As the mineral resources of New Zealand become developed, the sarri'e progress of other industries will be observed; towns will spring up, manufactories will be started, and every available piece of land in the vicinity of the mines will be brought into cultivation. It would, therefore, be a most important circumstance for the entire province if a light line of railway could be constructed on the terms pro posed by Mr. Kelling,* and the fine safe harbor of Nelson would be a very proper terminus for such a line. It would not only be the means of opening up for settlement the whole of the interior of (his province, but it would be a safe and speedy means of access to the whole of the gold-bearing country of this province^ as well as to all oilier portio_s

of the West Coast. The Hokitika v people have already inaugurated a> movement 'to take a tramway from Hokitika -to Greymo'nth' and to the Kanieri, ahd will doubtless; as' the country gets v opened up southwards extend them in- that'- direction; As-- the very unsafe position of their port' will always ■ cause freights and insurauce thither to be very high, a railway from" Nelson would secure the principal goods' and passenger traffic from all parts of the colonies to those gold bearing regions.