THE BULLER RIVER DISTRICT.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 425, 10 December 1868, Page 2

THE BULLER RIVER DISTRICT.

To the Editor of the Westport Times and Charleston Argus.) Sib, —Having returned yesterday Tom a walk up the Buller, and beieving that a little information might oe useful to our Progress Committee, so that, through their exertions, that valuable district may be opened, and believing as I do that it will eventually become the most important on the Coast not alone for gold but all other minerals, I trust you will give this insertion. From the Junction Store kept by Mr Findt, to the Ohiki Biver, a tributary of the Buller, there is about 3$ miles of the track not metalled; and, should much traffic take place, it would be much cut up. Several trees have fallen over the road, and in places it has slightly given way. Very little repairs are required on this short piece to render it fit I'or horse traffic. A goodi'erryat this river is much required, aswell as a good accommodation-house.' The present ferryman not only lost his own beat by the late heavy floods, but a_ much larger one belonging to miners higher up the river The flood rose at this place to a height of 40 feet. From this to Hawk's Craig the road, more or less is grown over by scrub, and one mil. requires metal and in some places slight repairs—one in particular where there is a bad slip. From this the old Government road goes overa hil of from 400 to COO feet, audit take; people about four miles out of thei way. Therefore the miners prefc: going over the cliff, and dropping int< the new road on the other side. Thi: new road is made up to the cliff or both sides and stops there, no roac having been made round the face o the cliff, yet it might easily be do.iu either by cutting and blastiug or witl iron brackets let into the face of tin cliff and planked over, with a hand-rail Not more than a chain of this require; to be done,yet it would connect tin two roads and avoid this range, whicl is the highest between Westport anc the Inangahua, and is, with a swas; "a perfect burster." Beyond this there are about three-and-a-half milei of the track not metalled. Beyom thatagood road to the Inangahu; with the exception of clearing a litth scrub. A ferry is much required oi the Blackwater. Miners are working on th< following tributaries, independent of ; great number ou the Buller itself, viz Inangahua, New Biver, Lyell, Newton Matakitaki, Maruia, Owens, Mangle? Eotoroa, and many others whose name: I forget. _ The miners have found copper and tin ; and lead in its native. state has been taken out of their boxes. "Wha other minerals exist it is impossible tc ascertain, owing to the impossibility of travelling a dense bush country with a large swag and without roads There is good limestone and a splendic seam of coal. How in the name of goodness the enormous amount of money expendec 1 by the Nelson Government was frit, tered away I cannot imagine ; yet after seeing one of the most simple bridges, which, I was informed, cost £2OO, I can well imagine, for I should ouly be too glad to have a contract tc build such at £2O. The road, ii properly looked after, might have beer, completed for one half the sum, and we should now have the benefit oJ overland communication from this tc Nelson at the present day, whereas the road, for want of a few repairs, is now poing to rack and ruin, and one of the finest mineral districts on the Weal Coast is blocked up for want of a few branch roads. I have not the least hesitation ir saying that this river and its tributariei

are capable of carrying the largest number of miners on the Coast, and would do bo, provided the roads were passable.—l am, Sir, Tours, &c, J. W. Q-. Beauchamp, Mining Surveyor. Westport, Dec. 9.