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too high. A road was required from Nelson Creek to No-Town, a distance of six miles by Kangaroo Mat. About thirty miners were working and prospecting some five miles back from Hatter's Terrace. In proceeding to Greymouth across the Arnold Bridge the unsound state of the structure was brought under our notice. We passed on to Greymouth, and arrived in the afternoon. Greymouth. —The next day we visited the Brunner, Wallsend, and other coal mines on the banks of the Grey River. The work done at the former is considerable, and large quantities of coal from the mines on the west side of the river are now being delivered daily on board vessels in harbour. In the afternoon we assisted in depositing two of the principal stones as a part of the foundation and beginning of the new harbour works, which I believe are destined, together with the similar works at Westport, to fix their marks concurrently and indelibly on the future progress of New Zealand. Hokitika and Boss. —We left Greymouth on the 11th, and, branching off at Marsden, visited Maori Creek, or Dunganville, where a number of miners are settled, and doing fairly well. Erom this we went to Kumara, and thence to Hokitika. On the next day we proceeded to Ross via the Mahinapua Lake. At this field I found some most extensive sluicing works. Those of the Ross United are particularly interesting and instructive. Machinery worked by hydraulic power on the turbine principle, and by the same power the whole works are lighted by electricity. We made a point of paying a second visit at midnight, and were highly pleased with the brilliancy of the light produced, the operations of the miners being distinctly visible at a long distance; they have an area of 203 acres to sluice. I returned from Ross to Hokitika by way of Rirnu, where a considerable area of alluvial ground is being profitably worked from shafts at deep levels. I went down the shaft of one company, and, at a depth of 55ft., the drive showed a 4ft.face of rich washdirt, composed of loose sandy loam and gravel; and this seemed to be the general nature of the gold-leads in the Rimu Valley. In company with the Premier, I afterwards inspected the Hokitika Harbour .works, and, from the contract then going on —judging by the substantial character of the timber and stone being used to protect the entrance from the ocean to the river—l am disposed to view the past and present efforts of the Harbour Trust favourably. My time was entirely taken up the following day by visiting Humphrey's Gully Gold-Mining Company's leasehold and works, about twenty miles from Hokitika, one-half of the road being over a very indifferent bridle-track. This company, which is employing a large amount of British and colonial capital, has constructed a splendid race for ten miles by heavy tunnelling, fluming, and cutting. The fluming was the most substantial and best work that I had seen. A large dam had also been made, to form a sufficient reservoir to supply the race with water to sluice before it 207 acres, the area of the company's ground. This great enterprise deserves success and encouragement. While in the Hokitika district I regretted that the want of roads prevented my going further south than Ross, as I learned that prospectors were trying to make their way towards Martin's Bay, satisfactory indications having been noticed of an extensive tract of country in that direction being auriferous, and which is still practically unknown. I may also mention that Hokitika has every prospect of having its own coalfield opened out at no distant date. A seam lift, thick of excellent true coal is known to exist close to Kanieri, and steps are being taken to work it. Kumara. —On the afternoon of the 15th February I left Hokitika for Kumara, and during the next day I inspected the famous sludge-channel, and the site suggested for the proposed No. 2 channel, also the principal claims as far as the Teremakau River. Looking at the extent of the Kumara field, from the period it was first opened, I think that it, comparatively, stands first in the colony in extent of real mining in the space of time ; and there is still plenty of room for the industry to expand in the district, if means can be devised for an increased water-supply, without which no great advancement may be looked for.