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Dunstan Times, Issue 1139, 29 February 1884, Page 3

when I crossed the range in the end ot last month. As far as the hush is concerned there is a large extent of it, and goo.) timber, les'i mate there is aneut 8 square miles coven. 1 with serviceable timber,u uondderahle quaiitity ot which is red birch (fagus jusai). With regard to constructing a di av r« a I over the Obi Man Range 1 do nut think it would bo of any real service tor getting timber, as it could only be used at the utmost forsix months in the year, and timber could he aot eq a'ly as cheap by ra'lway to Smith’s (Swift) Creek, which is on y about 25 miles from Roxburgh, and a road with tolerably easy g-aifes. The only benefit that could be derived by having this road constructed is that it would give greater facilities to encourage prospecting for quartz reefs in the Old Man Range, but there has not been a great deal of prospecting yet dona to ascertain whether the quartz reefs are payable or not. 1 certainly could not recommend this road to be constructed, as the benefits that would be derived would not justify tha expenditure of so large an outlay. (Signed) Henry A. Gordon, Inspecting Engineer, Mines Department.