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New Zealand Mail, Issue 839, 30 March 1888, Page 29

Messrs J. Park and A. McKay, members of the Government Geological Survey Department, have been elected Fellows of the Geological Society of London.

Prospects at Reefton are looking a good deal brighter than they have been for some considerable time back, says the Grey Rivet Argus. Several of the old established claims are coming to the front in the share market, and scrip that there was no demand for a few weeks ago is now rapidly rising in price. Amongst these are the Keep-it-Dark, Welcome, and Progress j and a telegram was received in town on Saturday stating that the Sir Francis Drake toad struck the reef. As this claim had the reef on the surface, it may be presumed that this ‘ * strike ” ia the result of a tunnel at a lower level. As a consequence, the claims in the neighborhood are meeting with attention.

A deputation, consisting of Messrs R. Reeves, M.H.R, Wilson (Chairman Bulier County), Suisted (Mayor of Westport), J. Sharp (Mayor of Nelson), J. Dutbie (Chairman Wellington Harbor Board), J. B. Cock (Chairman Chamber of Commerce), E. W. Mills (Vice-Chairman Chamber of Commerce), and H. Beauchamp, (representing Bannatyne and Co.), waited on the Minister of Mines and the Premier on Monday afternoon for the purpose of urging that the road between Westport and Reelton, which was Considerably damaged by the recent floods in that district, should be repaired. At an interview with the Ministers on Friday last the West Coast members of the deputation had stated that the repairs to the road could be efl'eoted at a cost of between £4OOO and £SOOO. When the deputation again waited on the Ministers on Saturday they were informed that the Government had learned that the cost of the work would be about £20,000, which expenditure they were not prepared to undertake without the authority of Parliament. Further inquiries were made by the members of the deputation, and they ascertained that the local authorities were of tho opinion that the road could be reinstated ah a cost of £4750, and the deputation, therefore, waited on the Ministers for the purpose of again urging that the work should at once be put in hand. The Ministers, however, gave the same reply as they did on Saturday. They were willing, with the sanction of Parliament, to guarantee a loan to the county, and to give pound for pound for repairing the road to the extent of £SOOO. In the meantime, however, they were prepared to open up the road for horse traffic. Messrs Menteath, M.H.R., and W. H. Levin were to have accompanied the deputation, but were unable to do so. They, however, sent letters expressing sympathy with the object of the deputation.