TRI-WEEKLY MAIL TO COLLINGWOOD

Colonist, Volume XXXV, Issue 7227, 25 January 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

TRI-WEEKLY MAIL TO COLLINGWOOD

(From • The Colonist,' Jan. 11th.) A short time since we referred to the efforts being made by Mr Eichard Beevea, M.H.E, wish the objeot of inducing the Government to establish a tri-weekly mail coaoh service between Nebon and Oollingwood. Mr Beeves has now received a telegram from the Hon. J. G. Ward, Po3tmaster-General, which reads as follows . — " Ec application tri-weekly mail service between Nelaon and Collingwood. I propose to invite tenders for this work. Annual tenders are to be called for upon expiry of existing contracts I presume this course will be satisfactory." The want of frequent communication with Nelson has Beriously retarded the advancement of the Golden Bay district, and there can be no donbt that the establishment of a coaah servioe between this city and Collingwood will be an immense advantage to residents between Hiwaka and Collingwood, and that it will prove a material aid in developing a much neglected corner of the Colony, but a district nevertheless with very great capabilities From the other side of the range which divides Biwaka from Takaka, not only gold, but a, variety of other minerals exist, including cbn'i and iron in practically unlimited quantities nz<\ there is a very great likelihood of the rich iron deposits being turned to account very shortly, '^he hematite deposits at Barrow -in-Furness, La „. ~hire, converted that place into a busy hive of industry, and the hematite at Parapara was, aftt v proper teats, reported to be some ten per cent rioher than that at Barrow-in-Furness, Dr Skey's analysis giving G3 per cent of sesqui oxide of iron. From the Takaka Valley excellent specimens of asbestos have been obtained, while gold and other minerals are distributed over a very large area. Nor is the locality solely dependent on it 3 mineral resources. For many years Takaka has exported large quantities of timber, and there are other i areas that, when opened up by roads will become valuable. Within the last day or two we have heard that a block of land at We=t Wanganui is about to be brought into profitable usa, and had the district been better known there is no doubt that a large area at present lying id*e would long ago have been stocked and rendered valuabie. Long ago there should have been a good coach road to Collingwood, and ere now it should have been possible to travel through Collingwood to the Kar^maa and on to Westport, but for some years the great difficulty in the way was the cost of constructing a coach vond over the range from Biwabi to Takaka. Such a road however, now exists, and regular and certain communiaation suoh as would be afforded by a tri-wsekly coach service would causa the district to be better known, and would • end greatly to its devetopement while it could not fail to have a very important bearing on the prospective iron industry, the establishment, of which it would do much to advance. Golden Bay has received practically no advantage from the Public Works schema of the Colony, and on that ground the redileots thereof bar.: a just claim to cinsidenition, rmd to the granting oi a caacn service, wiiiea wouid v,e believe, in a short time prove profitable to the Colony. From the telegram we have published above, there would appear to be some doubt a3 to when the coach service is to ba commenced. As, however, there is so strong a claim to such a service, a claim which the Government acknowledges, and we say it to their credit, we hope and trust that the service will be inauguarated at once, even though some little additional outlay may be required. From a business point of view the outlay will be a judisious one we are assured.