OUR NELSON & WEST COAST LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2168, 12 September 1895, Page 19

OUR NELSON & WEST COAST LETTER.

(Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) •Nelson, August 28. X HOSPITAL BAIX, AND WHAT CAME OF IT. Like other less favoured centres of civilisation the good folks of Nelson get up balls, and enjoy them, espec ally if they are in the interests of charity. For instance, £00 merry couples attended, exhibited, and pirouetted last week in the eraud room or hall of htr Majesty's Supiemc Court, the ball being in aid of the Nelson Jlospital, to the spirited music of the Nelson orchestra. Never before was enjoyment more real as the merry party whirled at times over the very spot on which, 20 j ears ago, stood on trial for their lives these ill-faruea notorieties— Burgess, Sullivan, Kelly, and Levi. ¥he halt must hnve had a grotesque side as well v/pbo of gay frivolity, for his Worship the Mtyor, <iiia wos in great demand by tbe forty-and-one I'cl'-'js, had a spill, although he adroitly saved hi» fajr partner from a like semi-tragic fate. The ball was a complete success, and nothing more brittle than a heart or two got shattered— buggies and wheelbarrows, bicycles and perambulators gettiDg home all right. A THREATEN ED itACECOURSE. The " roar of instance " continues, the echoes being well sustained by the apoi ting fraternity. It is all about the Nelson racecourse, over whose future hau^ a Dainaclean sword in the shape of a mortgage of lomething like £5000, the same being about to be foreclosed. I told you of the deputation to Wellington anent the same, and the result of that visit is that the Premier has promised to assist the people if the boroughs of Nelson and Richmond can find £1000 each. Now aa fax as I can learn th<i latter borough is not only willing to take a poll of the ratepayers for authority to borrow the money under the Loans to ixcal Bodies Act, but they are anxious to carry it too. It is feared that the trouble will, however, be with Nelson, the majority there not being racing people. If the money be not raised the mortgagee wii most likely se ze the course and cut it up into 50-acre blocks for sale, and then there will bo no more racing in Nelson. NKI.SON BOOMING. Whilst Westland booms under the Ziman fever Nelson has caught the infection, and company, forming hae commenced all round. At Whangapeka Mr Roderick M'Rae, a big landholder, having obtained capital gold prospects on his run, is now constructing a water rare a mile and a-half in length, in order to begin sluicing operations next November. Further off, at Havelock, Mr G. W. Mathieson, mining agent, is floating the Wakaiuarina Flat Alluvial Gold-mining Company, with a cpitol of £10,000, £600 of which is held as paid-up shares by the promoters, and with very fair pro»pacts of success. The company when formed intend confining its operations to a well-known auriferous flit at the outlet of the Wuk«marina Valley, the terraces immediately surrounding the same having been exceptionnlly rirh in days gone by, as according to tho " Ntw Zealand Handbook of Mines" gold to the value of £•207. 7*W was obtained. The cl limis to be worked on the co-operative principlo. Then there is a boom in the Collinnwood diptiict, and I should not be at all surprißed if a revival in the mining industry sets in all over the province of NeUon. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Nelson has just had the hitherto unprecedented record of 6S frosty nights and unclouded days. It is also in a flutter of alarm over the fact that the city has been left out of the list of ext mp s enumerated in the Looil Government Busies Bill. The alarm has now, however, subsided by the reply of the Hon. W. P. Reeves to a question by Mr Gi ahara, M.H.R for Nelson, that the omission waß a print-r's error. There is a howl ot rage against Mr Seddon *mong the struggling botoughs which ara to be demolished if the bill becomes law. Due douhtleaa to the very mild weather tbat has prevailed hero for the last two months, the crops are in a forward state, and new potatoes were ui«ed a week ago, and many seedliugs are not only through the ground, but are showing strongly. Mr Onialie, aa educated Japanese hwwkcr of Japanese wares, is touring the C >ast, and he is not only doing a fair trade in that line, but ho also l«ctur«i on tbe Chinese question, in which he exemplifies our own maxim that two of a tr*de never agree by running down the natives of the Flowery land, the unite of whom _Mr Onishe thinks an undesirable class of colonists, and on whose individual heads ou#ht to be placed a poll Ux of £100. On tho other hand Mr O. won't admit any tax on immigrants from his own country ; although he mutt own to the cheapness of their labour. I regret to state that the distress at Brunnerton continues, and everyone who can is clearing out. At Coal Creek and on a section of the Midland railway line relief works are promised, Mr Gninnrss urging on these woiks. Haulage railway rates for sawn timber having been made oa»icr, and millers being thus encouraged, that industry on the Wost Coast is reviving. SOUTH WESTLAND. Away down at Luke Mapoureka a new gold rush baa set into a place called Clohar's Torrace, and about 20 diggers are on fairly good prospects ; but the long spell of dry weather is preventing a washing up, so that one cannot yet say with any degree of cortainty what the extent and value of the find may be. Further south, at a river known as the Waiho, an ice-fed stream corning from the Franz Josef glacier, and by auriferouß Mount Baxter, some nuggety gold in being picked up. For many years back, and during cild seasonß, when the river ia low, miners go "crevicing" about its rork bed, frequently reaping rewards in the shape of hundreds of ounces of gold worth £4 an ounce. If Government would fetch in the Mikonui water race it would command ground at Ross which would find many years of lucrative employment for 2000 men. I know plenty of deep ground there that if drained would ylold over 2oz of gold to the sett ; and I know ranges of " made " hills which pnnpect richer than the Mon-nt dOr claim, and which the race would command, but which canoot be mined, as there is no water. Rimu folk, ably aasUted by Hokitika, continue aeitating for the conitruction of a deep level sludge tunnel ; and meanwhile Mr Smythe completes his survey of the Kanieri Lake water race, a supply which he thinks would adequately command the terraces surrounding the Kimu goldfietd*. The following is a copy of the judgment of Greymouth's magistrate respecting the str.i'-.dingof the barque Thurso :—" The only blame attachable to Captain Stannard, whose conduct was seamanlike, and whose boat was in good order, was that he f »Ukl to recognise his employer's responsibility and did not m«ke strict inquiries as to the sounding!*, and for this he will have to pay £12 towards the costs of the inquiry. He knew the river was bad, otherwise he would not have sent the telegrams which be did. A rider is added that it Is the opiuion of tbe bench the harbour board, which is an irresponsible body, should not tow large veßsel- out unless there is at least 4(t of water between the keel of the ship and tho top of tho bar. Prior to his departure Mr J. H. Harkness, B A., of Nelson, was given a farewell social here, at

which a largo number of his frlonds and acquaintance* attended, and during whlqh handsome speeches woro made by tho presiding chivirmaa (the Roy. G. Bond), Mr William Iladdon, Mr William Flamming, Drs Hudson and Mnckie, while others rendered songs and recitations, tho rev. chairman filling in a pause by presenting Mr JTarknc.-is with &n < Illuminated address and a portrait of St. John's ] Church, handsomely framed in gold and morocco. Mr Harknesa, who takes charge of the Kecfton State School, returned thanks on behalf of Mra Harknegß and himself. Remarkably well liked all over Nelson, Mr Harkness will be muchly missed. At a mcotiu^ of shareholders of the Jenkins Hill Ooil-proapecting As^ocutiou hold here lost Friday night, it was resolved to accept Mr Gubble'g offer to sink a new shaft 100 ft on the coal outcrops, and then drive to connect with the main shaft ; and also to procure tbe services of some competent Westport coal miner to act as working manager. I might add that tho financial affaiis of this likoly Ventura appear to be in a healthy condition. The " Poo Bah " of the Hokitika morning paner has just added to tho list of his idio»yucracic3 that of judge and sentence before trial ; or, like that well-known Hibernian justice, he hangs a man first; and tries him atterwards. An unfortunate having fallen foul of the law, the " we " Bay* : " He will be brought up at the court to-day, and it it to b« hoped he will get the full penalty allowed ; short sentences only give additional trouble to the police and greater uneasiness to the Brifnh public." I should bo sorry to havo to conclude that represents Westland i>ublic opiuion. Since coming to tbis delightful city I have m*t a few vory old pilgrims whose days are not yet done. Chief amongst the»e is Mr Henry Rodwood, well named the father of the New Zealand turf. He has been resident hero 42 years, and is 75 years old. He has bred and rac«d more winning horses than aoy one other man in the colony, ntver betting a shilling on one of them. Thirty years ago he could take from the ground on his thumb two stslb weights nnd lift, them above his head ; he could to tap the ground O'O times in a minute ; and run 100 yds inside lO.'cc. His eye is .as etendy and clear as ever, for he can write the Lord's Prayer legibly on a threepenny piece ; throw up two pennies, snatch up his doublebarrelled gun from tbe ground, and blow away both coins ere they reach the earth ; and ho can yet elevate aud strike the earth with a GClb weight 30 times iv a minute. He reside* on Rabbit Is'and, breeds horseflesh, and is straight, strong, hale, and heai ty. Another fine old gentleman is Mr (irceu. He and his life's partner— a dear old lady— lately celebrated their golden wedding in their palatial residence on the shores of Nelson's glorious bay, surrounded by scores of their relatives, the only stranger being "Your Own." This family have continuously resided for over 50 years in their beautiful home. Other ol<3 identities are Captain Akerstein, father of the port, who laid out most of the works theTe ; Mr William Warren, formerly of the Otago firm of butchers trading in 1883 as Warrtn and Grindley, now retired and living on his money ; but as I shall devote a paper to " Nolson Celebrities and their Homes further mention is here held over. The Wcßtport School Committee recommend the Nehon Education Board to hold annual examination for candidates who wish to become probationers after the manner of the civil service. The fmo wenther seems to have a beneficial effect in the rich farming districts of Arahnxa and K^nicri, and the ground having become dry, both plough and harrow are ruuning merrily over loamy surfaces for the seed beds. A leading gentleman from the West Coa&t told me the other day that there ia a " tremendous lot of pant-up feeling over the Locnl Governing Bill ; pent-up for obvious and disguimble reasons, but which will one day come out " The main target in the measure i* the iuteiference with local borough oouncils, which claim the right to rate themselves and spond their own money. Notwithstanding statements to the contrary, it is generally knrwn —and Mr Seddon knows it too— that by_ the wiping out of borough councils not one single penny will be saved to the country. On the other hand, many bread-winners of families numbering thousands will bs robbed of liviDgs they have grown grey in ; many struggling districts now paying their way and also assisting proapecting and legitimate enterprise must go to tbe wall, and with them the God-made couutry to that man-made inferiority —the towns. Only journalistic sycophancy can advocate the pasiiug of the bill. Greymonth newspapers warmly advocate tangible assistance being given by Government so that that immense tract of autiferoui country lyiug between Greymouth and Reefton may become vigorously and systematically prospected for gold The butter factory company at Totara Plat (Grey Valley) having been floated, matters are in a fair way towards accomplishment. The Rite — near the railway station— having been determined on, the buildiugs will soon be in c urse of erection. Two creameries are also to be cstabli&hcd—onc at fallßghi»n'B Crt<ck and the other at Ikamatua, farther up the line— and "big things" are confidently anticipated. MiningmattereatKanieri continue dull.butthere are one or two Rood specs, nokably that of MeBSTB Jame« Main and party, who have been diiviug a low-level tunnel for many months and expect to tap rich gold noon. Another party, Marks and Co., having struck a rich lead, are now doing fairly well. At Orwell Creek, on the nortli eastern extremity of the Alnura Plains, tbore are gowl hopes of working the rich Napoleon Hill on an extensive srale shortly. Since the advent of Mr Ziman local capitalists are turnirg their attention this way ; and if Govern mint could be induced to bring on an adequate water supply why the whole hill could be worked. And there's gold enough in it, too, to make everything hum up this way. It is likely the Westport Harbour Board will be relieved to the extent of JEI7CO a year by the Government reducing the rate of interest on board loans; thellon Mr Wand has ulno promised to recommend the Cabinet to make a temporary advance of jSoOOO so as to allow the board to complete its training wall. Reepoctinir the official assignee impounding the salary of We*tport State schoolmaster Cossgrove, I am glad to s*y that owi"g to the legal opinion of Messw Adams. Kingdom, and Harley, of Nelson, the Nelson Education Board will no longer pay the salary into court, wbcrefore Mr C, an undiFcharfied bankrupt, will become released frora the irksome fetters once more. During the month en ed 9th instant the Westland Steam Sawmill Company sent along the Hokitika-Grey railway 220,000 ft of sawn timber. [ Messrs P. Butoia and John Evans, two longestablished settlers in the Grey county, complain to the Premier that although they have regularly paid their rates for 20 years back to tbe Grey County Council, that local body bas not expended one single shilling in roads or tracks between the county boundaries of Greenstone to the Teremakau river and from the latter to Nelson creek, and that when they last at-ked for assistance for a tra<-k to g«t their cattle to market the county autho»itics told them to " write to their dear friend Mi Seddon." The gold thief is about again. Last week the tail-boxes of Tonj? Kkay, sluicer at Redmonds, Inaiig.thua, Wore robbed of seven weeks' run of gold. The Westport Coal Company have commenc-d the erection of Btorage bins at the Granity Creek mine, the estimated cost of which is eaid to be £3000.

The following are the hospital returns for the past week -.—Number of patients remaining from the previous week, 105 ; admitted during the paat week, 34; discharged, 23. William Hendley and Frank Sherlock died in tho institution during the week, and the number of inmates remaining is 114-. The following sections of Grown lands were dispoped of at the Dunedin office this week :— Section 48, blcok 111, Cromwell, 281 aores, eoleoted by David Murloy, on lease in perpetuity, at the capital valoe of 12s 6d ; seotion 8, block I, Martin's Bay, West Coast, 50 acreo, selected by John H. Campbell, jun., on lease in perpetuity, at the capital value of 10s.