A RETREAT FOR THE WEST COAST MINER.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 571, 23 October 1869, Page 2

A RETREAT FOR THE WEST COAST MINER.

As little inducement is held out to the miner to become a permanent resident on the West Coast we publish the following letter written by a recent resident of Westport, from Grafton, Clarence Eiver, New South Wales, as indicating where a man, when he has made a " pile," may live to enjoy it: — " I was truly surprised to find such a fine climate—not in the least too hot at present, and they say that in summer there is always a good breeze in the middle of the day. " G-rafton is a nice town, though at present rather scattered ; but is growing every day. I am told the surveyed township is seven times as large as Sydney. It is fifty miles up the Clarence river. From the Heads, you have to pay 3s to go up by the river steamers. The banks of the river, on both sides, are taken up by thousands of settlers who are doing well without much work. Maize is their principal crop, and it grows without much labor. They chop down the bush—which i? very thin and burn it, and then put the seed in about six feet apart, and it is done with till harvest, which is at any time of the year, as it will grow all the year round. There were ten vessels loading with maize when I arrived, each vessel taking 3000 bags on an average. Su-gar-growin:* j 8 a l so gaining ground. There are three large sugar mills which are busy making sugar, which they turn out quite satisfactorily. There are two large essence of beef factories which are turning out hundred of cases daily. Everything is very cheap here —ftrst-class board and lodging from 18s to 20s per week. Fruit is very plentiful oranges, bannnas, piueapples, grapes, lemons, peaches, and others that I am not acquainted with. There are vineyards 20 and 30 acres in size which bear abundantly every year. Arrowroot and ginger also flourish here, besides tobacco and many other things which will be attended to in the course of a few years. Rice and cotton will grow here, they say, equal to any known part of the globe. Labor is plentiful, but the wages are rather low. 25s to 30s per week, with board, is the common rate. Land is £1 per acrebush land, and three years to pay for it allowed; land that has been cleared, £2 10s to £3 per acre, with liberal terms. Sugar growing is the best paying and the least troublesome of any crop you can grow. Tou have only to plant the cane, and, with a very little attention, you cut from the same seven years in succession. " Vegetables of all kinds are very plentiful. Potatoes give two crops yearir. Poultry is very good and plentifulfowls, Is Gd to 2s per pair; eggs,2|d to 3d per doz. I treated all hands in the ship with Tiew-laid eggs. I bought a ship's bucket ful for 2s 6d—about twelve dozen. Everyone seems to take it very easy here. There is no grabbing at every penny. Tou are not expected to do anything in the sun in the middle of the day if it is very hot. " I have just finished my dinner from a couple of ducks and green peas, and am going to the orchard to get an orange, and then to the post, so I must conclude."