Notes from Greymouth. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2744, 17 October 1906, Page 26

Notes from Grey mouth. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

GREYMOUTH, October 14

The heavy rain which Ml yesterday and today should prove beneficial to dredges, while it will enable sluicing claims to restart operations.

Reports from the Blackwater reefs are of a very favourable character. Prospecting operations have shown matters to be in a better position than was anticipated. The reef continues to keep its size and continues to bo uniformly rich. Already a large quantity of stone has beeu procured, and is said to be highly payab c. Important developments as to erection of up-to-date plants will probably take place within the rext few months. Lately a, numTier of a<J«3atioz^ttl su:«a.s i»a-\.--o T>een -tskiz-eYx up, and will'^be thoroughly prospected. Two men sent out by the Blackwater Miners' Association aie doing good work in opening up tho field, which gives promise of being an exceptionally good one. Under the directions of the Brunner Piospeoting Association, good progress is being made with the low level tunnel in the Papaxoas at Laoigolans, a claim that some- years ago gave very good returns.

Great dissatisfaction is bsing evidenced as to the Stale coal mine, last night's Star speakirg thus on the matter: — "We are possibly now in a position to advance some cause for the present unsatisfactory state of affairs. It will be remembered that a good many months ago the shipping arrangements were controlled from Wellington. Then, as now, complaints were frequent and well founded. As a result of such compJaints tibe shipping arrangements were removed to Greymoutih. and put under the direct control of Mr Bishop. An immediate improvement followed. The output was speedily doubled, and the mine kept in constant work. For some unexplained rea?ou or to suit the interests or conveniences of other associations or parties, the control w?s taken back to Wellington, and immediately thereafter tho slump set in. Why it should be so may be argued out in two ways. A management on the spot is better able to cope with the trade than a controlling power at a distance. The Westport Coal Company, wuich is so successfully run, years ago realised this, aud manege affairs from Westport. If we had tbe management at Greymouth there would) be no complaints as at present, and no suspicion that the State mine was going a little slow so as not to interfere with other companies' interests. We might go further, but then newspapers are not like members of Parliament, privileged to state wh*t they believe without being called to task. What strikes most people in thjs district as very peculiar is the contempt with which the locality is treated by the Government. Firstly, Greymouth is refused all control of harbour matters, and iv {hia Eftgnart &tanx!.s alone anlfcue the harbour

boards of the colony, and now we find that a good and efficient Greymouth management, of our State coal mine has been broken up and transferred to Wellington, where apparently the work of bungling i 3 proceeding apace."

Dredging returns: — Pactolus No. 1. 88oz 18dwt for 132 hours; Pactolus No. 2, 86oz 18dwt for 128 hours; Blackwater River, 430z lOdwt for 129 hours ; No Town Creek, 270z ftf t the weak; Bignell's No Town (week), 13oz 13dwt.