GREYMOUTH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 11, 6 July 1888, Page 7

GREYMOUTH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Dvuiko the last fortnight we have been experiencing here the rigours of a truly West Coast winter. Though the gorge wind is not io piercing as on many previouß years, it is more tban compensated for by the incessant rain, which mostly puts a stop to all outdoor work, and readers the stagnation now existing in thiß district still more complete. Nor is this the only draw-back such wretched weather J causes here. It also blockß up the port, so that there are no arrivals or departures of steamers sometimes for several days on account of the flooded state of the river and a rough bar. About the middle of this month several steamers were hemmed in port for over a week, and several more were kept out, consequently rough and stormy weather here means a great loss to most of the inhabitants. It means a loss of work to several hundred coal miners, who at the briskest period of the year are not constantly employed ; it means a loss to the mine owners, of expenses of staff and managemeut, which are always accumulating while there are no adequate returns to balance same ; it means a loss to the traders and shippers, to the wharf labourers, and last, but not least, to the shipowners it must mean a heavy loss. But to crown our losses, we had a complete wreck last week which means a complete Joss. On the 23rd rant, the s.s Gerda took the bar about 8 a.m., over which a nasty sea was breaking, though not dangerous to vessels in charge of the tug. Just entering the channel she veered round, refused to answer her helm and in a few minutes was smashed against the north training wall. The Gerda had very little cargo aboard, and being very light was at the mercy of the waves, which drove her higher and higher on the training wall, destroying ten bays of piles, and doing considerable damage to Messrs. Hungerford and McKay's plant, which will be a serious loss to them. The total damage done to the training wall and plant is estimated at ov«r £2,000, This unlooked for disaster will throw about fifty men out of employment until such time as the damage is repaired, but as to who will repair the works nobody can tell. The contractors cannot do it, as they have met with several severe losses in this contract from floods and fire already, and it is scarcely possible to make the owner or charterer of the boat pay for the repairing of it, therefore, the only conclusion that c*n be come to is that Government wiil have to step it and repair it. It is unfortunate for the port to have shipwrecks occuring occasirnally, but this one could have been avoided had the Harbour Board or Govern meut compelled vessels entering or leaving port to take the Government tug which is almost lying idle near the wharf, as very few boats avail themselves of its services. The port caanot do without a tug boat, and that being the caae Government should compel vessels to use the tug at a moderate rate such as would clear expenses, or else it is to be feared a good few more of them will decorate the breakwater and training wall. A great number of people both on Saturday and Sunday visited the scene of the wreck. On Saturday night she divided into two parts, the forepart falling into the river and the afterpart remainingjon the training wall, and unless cleared away at once will cause more damage to the timber work. The unemployed at Richardson ond other places have had a long and depressing experience of the Midland Railway muddle, and it is likely that they will have to wait patiently for some time longer, or «lse bid adieu to the Coast as there is no sign of the Company making a fresh start, with a possible probability that they may never start. With a view of some definite information they have wired to Mr. A • Gu " neß8 > the Member for this district, and, on his communicating with Mr. Allan Scotr, the employees are informed that the contract is not definately settled, but as soon as the latter gentleman receives advice from home, he will furnish them with the information. The new phase in the Midland Railway contract of taking the lins over Arthur s Pass instead of through it by a tunnel as formerly intended is looked upon with distrust by many here, as the carrying of heavy trains of minerals over a steep grade is merely speculative, not counting the lengthening of the journey, and the many other inconveniences which will be m»t with in travelling over ranges in winter weather. The Grey-Hokitika railway is still hanging fire, none of the tenders having been so far accepted, although it is now nigh two months since tenders for the New River section closed ; no doubt it is bemg kept steadily in view— the old aud hackneyed offioial answer to enquiries about this railway. The inhabitants on the Coast are very remiss in not forcing the Government to proceed with this work, a sum for the prosecution of which was put on the estimates last session The Harbour works after all are not to be brougnt t<> a standstill lbe Government intend to expend £16,000 more on the breakwater and training walls, a letter to that effect having bean read at the last meeting of toe official Harbour Board. If the damage caused to the north training wall by the s.s. Gerda is repaired out of this sum, there will not be much left for carrying the other works to anything near a finish. ° The Ford's Creek Rush at the Blackball, which I mentioned in a former letter, has, 1 am glad to say, turned out better than I then expected. There are some ten or twelve parlies on gold which is subpored will pay £3 per week, but as the terrace is not extemive there will be only a limited number of claims. Another small rush has taken place at Canoe Creek, near Earrytown. A few parties are on payable wash, but the extent of the ground i 8i 8 not proved. It may be only a patch, as several similar patches have been found in that district, lne present time seems very favourable for prospecting purposes as the dearth of employment otherwise, compels many to try their luck at gold-mining even though the grea er number of them are badly equipped for that purpose. It ia a disgrace to the pr v? e U nt iv Government . ot the 0010D J. the neglect and indifference with which they are treating the gold-mining industry. A few thou«and pounds judicially expended in prospecting new grounds might be the meanß of giving lucrative employment to thousands of the unemployed and do much to stay the exodus of the population to the neigh bourinK and more prosperous eoloniei. Bven the County Conncil wit* its poor

revenue and many calls would subsidise prospaetlbir parties <M Government come to their assistance, bat this they will not do, tr«& they stop payment in the beginning of the present year to parties wae worked under the idea that they were subsidised by the Govermenfc *nd County Council under the prospecting rules in fores uadsr the Stout-Vogel Ministry. The inducement held out by th« present Government of £10,000 for both Islands to prospectors who should discover a payable fie d 40 miles from any known gold-fldld, and other such ridiculous restrictions, look more like a sham than an inducement for the discovery of a goldfield. They are pretty certain, the rew .rd will never be claimed, as in all probability tbe odds against it being claimed are 100,000 to 1. Gold-miners ought to be thankful after that ; truly they have a paternal Government. It is very interesting for many to know the Ball Dredges now being put in position at the Three and Five Mile beaches, Okariti, are very near in working order, aud by a recent report the manager states that they will fully answer the purpose they are intended for, in fact the amount of sand and gravel these machines will lift in. twenty-four hours is enormous, so that now if the beach is as rioh as it is supposed to be the lucky speculators may expect quick returns. Should then turn out a success there will ba a regular rush for dredges right along the coast, companies haviag been formed, and leases obtained of most of the ground already. It is to be hoped the dredges will b« a saeooss, as they will give a great stimulus to the gold-mining industry both here and elsewhere. The annual match between the Greymouth aad K^itf^ foot* ball clubs came off on the recreation ground ou the 9tb rost^ and baa resulted in a win for the Grey team by six points to wU. The Koki* tika men lacked weight and strength, their opponent* kaiag far superior in this respeot. During the two spells the ball was kept most of the time in Hokitika's ground, proving that the Grey players had the beat of it all the time. Both teams are Making great»n> parations to compete with the Dunedin High School Club who an to visit the Coast about the middle of July. Mr. J. D. Pope, who is at present ieoturing oa the Coast, delivered two lectures here on Robert Kmmot, the youthful hero of 1808. Mr, Pope, who is now styled the Young New Zealand Orator, came ham with very good recommendations from every pboa ia which he has delivered this very interesting lecture ; his Press eaeamianu fro* Auckland, Wellington and other places led us to expect a real treat. Very few people care about lectures of any description, and many of thoße mott interested iv tha tragic fate of Robart tfmmat thiuk they know as much as any leci urer of bis too short but eventful life, duoh ii not the case, however ; a good lecturer will pourtray the lives and times of other men in such a maaner as that the miad it ixrettibly carried away by his well toaed speech and graceful actions, so tfcat ia imagination we picture them before us and » lasting impression is left oa our minds of the scenes so faithfully depicted, flsch, indeed, was Mr. Pope's lecture. In imagination h« carried his audience with him to that famoas Green St. Dock, where many a noble too of Ireland stood bia trial before perverse judges and prejudiced juries for the only crime of loving their country too well, and from which many of them received the awful sentence 'of death, prematurely launching them into eternltyojjLearing this lecture we may pictuie :—: — * :jpPSi:»owded court, a breathless bar, Both judge and jury flashed with rigs, 11 ■ ' ' A fearless felon there to mar And blot with shame Britannia's page ; A hero brave, a rebel bold, A patiiot to make tyrants pause, A man of gallant thoughtless mould, A martyr ii his country's causa I" The rendering of Emmet's imperishable spaeoh from tha 4ook it a special feature in Mr. Pope's lacture, and any person wishing to hear that immortal speech rendered by a good elocutionist should, If pnv sible, go and hear this gifted lecturer. Mr. Pops's delivery is at aaeß clear and fluent ; he has a sonorous and pleasant voioe, and prouoaoeas every word distinctly, throwiag a strength of feeling into his aabject which completely enchains the attention of his hearers, only oooa* sionally finding vent in bursts of rapturous applaase. The luoturer prefaced his principal subject with a brief risuni of the variant bat unsuccessful means Irish patriots have adopted to throw off the IfingUsk yoke daring the last and prasent centuries, and asserted taat the spirit of nationality never died ia tha hearts of the Irish people, instancing their periodical though futile attempts to gain their liberty. Still, those attempts show the constancy of the people te the spirit at liberty, and the lessons then taught were not forgotten bj sacasedlng generations. All these attempts have now culminated io one grate national and peaceful struggle for their rights, and one which at no distant date shall crown their aspirations with success, by gaining taat for which so much blood has been shed, so much misery suffered, asA so many brave men have sacrificed their lives. Tha lecturer then »ft» oeeded and gave an acconnt of the early life and family of the uish martyr, recounting his deep strong love for liberty, his entkosiasMo devotion to his country's cause, and hi* implicit eonfldenos ia its ultimate triumph. He narrated the tender bnt manly feeling whloh induced Emmet to seek an interview with hiafianeee, the accomplished Sarah Curran, which lead to his arrest. After referring to the otktr leading features in this short but eventful life, he referred to the tub* sequent life of the faithful Sarah Curran, and gave a brief akateh oX Bmmet's brothers. The lecturer then recited Bmrnat's immortal speech from the dock, which more than anything else has taken such a hold upon his countrymen. During the evening the lecturer was repeatedly applauded. — Many persons being unavoidably »bseut, Mr. Pope promised to repeat his lecture in a few days. At Mr. Pope's Becond lecture, M. Kennedy, Esq., occupied the chair. Taere was a good house, most of thosa who heard him the first night being present again at this lecture. After delivering the leoturo and reciting Bmmet's speech, the same as on the previous night, he sang T. D. Sullivan's song, " The Land far the People," *"t)» Dm? Little Shamrock/ and the "Wearing ef the CNeeja," which were, received with enthusiastic applause, '