The West Coast Sounds.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 44

The West Coast Sounds.

I TO THE EDITOR. • Sir, —l see in the Southland news column of the Witness of March 2 that an exploring expedition is to vipit the West Coast Sounds ii senvch of minerals, and that many of these sounds have not even yet been visited, and , others only casually by sealing parties. Now it seems to me that the writer has a lot to learn about the We«it Coast Sounrlg yet. I with two and more mates started r^alinjj and piospeetinsr the sounds from the Haast/lliver pouth to Preservation Inlet in an opon boat and visited all the arms of the 14 sounds, also all the bays between the sounds, camping in these weeks, months, and years single-handed and with mates. This extended from the year 1876 up to lately, and I cut many miles of bush tracks when jirospecting'. There are, however, many square miles of country in and around these sounds that have not been prospected yet, and by the way that things are going on it will be many years before it is prospected or known, when this coast ie only visited by )/he Government boat ovory four to six months, and any party that goes in for prospecting to fit out it 3 own boat for the work. Very few will have any chance of /isiting those sounds unless a steam service is running on the coast. I understand that the Government has reserved these sounds for tourists, and there is no doubt this vne.-ins taboo. —l am, etc., S3. Milford Sound, March 15j The Clutha Free Press will in future be published twice weekly. Our contemporary further announces its reduction in price to the magic penny. The Inspector of Prisons, lanuttmantcolonel Hume, has obtained *ro monthV leave of absence, and intends proceeding to the Australian colonies for the purpose >? making himself familiar with the . irious prison systems there. He intend* seeing the principal gaols in Victoria, Norr South Wale*, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania. The Under-secretary for Justice JfilJ take charge of the prison fa^—^-wit the inspector')! absence.