Notes from Grey Valley (W.C.).

Otago Witness, Issue 2436, 21 November 1900, Page 21

Notes from Grey Valley (W.C.).

(From Our Own Correspondent.) AH AURA, November 14. — During the past ■week the- weather ha&, been rather mixed. In the early part the skies were cloudless and the •weather had every appearance of taking up, Tout Tuesday brought cold rain and gusts of ■wind. As a consequence the rivers became slightly swollen. 'i"he hills in the back country are covered with snow, more especially those in the Haupiri district at The head of the Ahaura River, and judging from the quantity of snow to be seen at a long distance it would appear that there must have bsen some exceptionally heavy snowfalls during the past week or so. Should warm rain set m we can expect nothing less than another flood. MINING. Mining matters are about the same. If there is any change it is for the better. However, there is very little tc report on. The Grey River and ¥,'"aipuna Companies' dredges are reported tr be working on much better giound, the latest returns from the former being very satisfactory, as will be seen from yot>r own columns. No returns from the Waipuna are reported as yet this week, a fact probably due to the swollen state of the river in the early part of the week. The dam for the Orwell Creek Company is completed, and the launching of the pontoons will take place at an early date. A quantity -of machinery has arrived at Ahaura- <for the Erickson's Reward Company's dredge. Quantities of machinery are being delivered on tho claim for the Ahaura River Gold Dredging Company. Sluicers throughout the Grey Valley are quite jubilant over the favourable weather they Lave had for this purpose lately, and good use has been made of it in some of the back gullies. The back gully miner is seldom found idle, night or day, when there is plenty of water at hand. THE KAUPIRi. The Haupiri, a. small settlement some 30 miles east of Ahaura,, is probably one oi the most picturesque spots to be lound on the West Coast. Almost unknown tc the outer world, yet it is noted for its scenery and products. It is accessible- partly by dray road and partly by packtrack. The iormer extends some 15 miles from Ahaura, and is fairly well-kept. The rest of the road, which is little better than an ordinary packtrack, winds about in various directions. One minute the traveller Suds himself on the brink of a huge precipice, with the dark green waters ot the Ahaura River hundreds of ifeet below, almost motionless ; Ihe next he is winding the foot of some great mountain spur with its great rocky heights towering up into the clouds. Here and there a mountain torrent comes playfully, but; noisily, careering down over huge blocks oi granite, from some inaccessible gorge or. break. Here the country is heavily timbered and very broken. Great square blocks- of granite and bluestone are to be seen on every side, covered with moss and, ferns of rare beauty. Between these; ancient birch trees stand out in countless numbeis, shutting out the sun, and protecting a thousand varieties of tender plants, which comprise Nature's gardens and render the locality a thing of bsauty. All is solitude, there being nothing to break the monotony save the flutter of the wood pigeon disturbed from its perch, or the' abominable screech of the kaka as it darts through the forest, striking terror into every creature smaller than himself. All at once the forest is pierced, and before the traveller's eyes stretch thousands of acres of almost treeless country, surrounded by great snow-capped mountains on every hand. All is life again — great herds of cattle, sheep, and horses, in the best of condition, grazing about the thousand and one different paddocks. The soil here is of the best description and feed is plentiful everywhere. The Ahaura River, now much smaller, glides gently through the pastures and br SUlcs into a hundred different Btrearns, where trout and eel spoit undisturbed "by the wily angler. The settlers, who are an independent, happy-go-lucky lot, are seldom disturbed by visitors. There is no hotel or any other place of business at Haupiri — not even a bridge over the Ahaura River, which is at the time of visit flooded, thus depriving us of an interview with the settlers, whose homes are situated on the opposite side at a distance. Dredging areas have been taken up in different places at the Haupiri. I Gold has been got in some of the guHies in yhe neighbouring hills, but I shall reserve my/ remarks on this point fox a~future letter.