The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1567.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 59, 12 March 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1567.

The recent, discovery of gold on the Upper Karamea has drawn the attention of thinkin"- persons to the desirability of eudeavorino- to establish a communication with Nelson and the auriferous couniry in that district. There is reason to believe that tho Maoris who have lately found gold there, received their information from Mr Hou«'h of this lown, who informed a chief, who waited on him for the purpose, of the best-mode of prospecting tlie country, and tho places where gold was most likely to be found. It is well known that Mr. Hough has long been in possession of information derived from personal examination of the country of'a highly interesting nature, and the statements he has made respecting it have been substantiated by the experience of others. He affirms that on the Upper Karamea, there is an open plain of large extent, and that the country between it and Mount Arthur will most likely be found to be auriferous, 'l'he distance from Nelson to the Baton is only 40 miles, and there is a tolerably good road all the way. The distance from the Baton to the Karamea gorge is under 20 miles, for a portion of which there is a bridle track. About 15 or 16 miles of road therefore would lay the whole country open from the Baton to the Upper Karamea, assist the diggers to explore a vast extent of now unknown auriferous land, ancl enable merchants and storekeepers lo furnish them with provisions at a reasonable rate. As several miners, including the Maoris referred to have gone and returned by the pass which Mr. Hough claims the credit of discovering, there can be no doubt that a communication may be easily established between Nelson and an extensive gold producing country, if ord in. ry efforts on the part of the Government are made to open it up by means of a practicable road. Another view, arising from the discovery of gold on the Karamea, is entertained by some who have long believed in the existence of the mineral wealth it contains. As, under the most favorable circumstances, a long time will elapse before a railway can be carried to the Grey, it is contended that the opening of the country by means of a good road through this pass would place Nelson in such communication with the West Ccast, for the mean time, as would place the resources of the intervening districts practically at its disposal. It also becomes a question whether, the difficulties of the pass being overcome, the line of the Karamea should not also be that of the railway. As we have seen, there are 20 miles of difficult country to pass through ; but, this obstacle overcome, it is of great importance to consider whether the banks ofthe Karamea to the sea, and after that the sea coast, do uot pivsent fewer obstructions to a railway than the country through which it is proposed to take it, about which so little of a satisfactory nature is known, and respecting which there are as ninny opinions ns men who profess to enlighten the public on the confessedly obscure subject. At any rate, with the already existing road to the Baton and its continuation for 20 miles further thiough the pass referred to, we have in the meantime, easy access to a gold-field which is probably but lbe centre of a series, to be found on the banks of the adjoiuing rivers and their tributaries, and waiting to be' developed by the industrial enterprise whose action has been hitherto paralysed by the insurmountable obstacles presented by a rugiM'd and inaccessible country. If the road through the pass be not the one for the future railway, there can be little doubt of its leading us to an extensive ancl highly remunerative goldfield. If we cannot gain the twofold object, we are sure of a great and valuable instalment of the good we have in view.

It is not easy to overrate the advantages that would follow to the province, from the opening of a gold-field so near us, and apparently kept from us by such slender obstacles. A bird iv the hand is worth two iv the bush, and without attempting to damp the enthusiasm iv favor of railway, enterprise, we would urge that public attention be concentrated on the attainment of the advantages that are sepai'ated from us by such trifling difficulties. The election of Superintendent will soon be over, when no doubt the person elected will bend the whole of his attention and energies to the attainmeut of this object, 61 the practicability of which no doubt can.be entertained. The great difficulty in the way of successful mining in this

country is the immense cost of provisions. If this difficulty; could be got over, we should have ten "times, the population that cow exists, and a stimulus would be given to every department of tnide and industry, for want of which they languish and decay. Not only would Nelson town profit by the development of the mineral resources of the Raratnea district, but the whole of the country on each side of the Karamea and adjacent rivers, which is now sealed except to the enterprising and hardy few whom no obstacles discourage, and who follow their hazardous calling in the face of assurances of failure on the part of those who profess to I aye exclusive knowledge of the country. We hope to hear that no time has been lost by the powers that be, in testing the accuracy of the information that has been afforded in connection with the means of obtaining access to the Karamea goldtielti, and , that action will be taken as promptly as possible to satisfy the public mind respecting this most interesting question.