THE ARNOLD.

Grey River Argus, Issue 58, 26 May 1866, Page 2

THE ARNOLD.

(FROM OjCJK OWN CORRESPON-DEKT.) Maori Gully, May 23. , There has been a complete stagnation in mining and business matters here for the last three or four weeks, in consequence of the continued fine weather; it was really mprtifying to behold, after months of the most persevering labor some five ior six of . r pur finest flumes without even a Tom-^head of water in them.. Sow, I am happy to say, we had two glorious days rain,, and all is once more bustle and activity. It only goes' to prove that we want our supply from some permanent and neverrf ailing source. The fact is that many of the races depend in a great measure upon surface water, and many of the creeks, contain only a limited quantity of water, except during very • wet weather. The Lake Brunner Race will greatly pbyiat§ this difficulty in fee course of time. The Cock Race has just been completed. This, I consider, about the largest race in the district, being about six liules in length, Th.e.ir flume ia the highest in the immediate neighborhood of the township, and likely to prove a remunerative speculation for the shareholders..- As d matter- of course a grand christening wjlj celebrate the event, which I believe is to take place next Saturday. Notwithstanding the animadversions which have occurred; about the Little Grey being a payable gold field, one, instance has come under my immediate notice, whioh I consider it .right to place before your readers. A party, whose -j names lam at perfect liberty to mention^ • after being, absent from this ' gully some ;; mpnths returned, last week on some business matters. Quo of them infonueti ./■ me that they were working between two and three miles on the other side of the Saddle ; that they had worked 103 -days, and after paying for provisions, tools, • travelling expenses, &c. , had cleared Lloo> porman. The truth of this I can vouch '•■'' for, as my hifonnant is one of the oldest and most highly esteemed men in the Gully. Tins may be out of my province " speaking of another district ; but after the popular clamour which raged a short time back at Greymouth, it is as well that - these facts should come before thepubli^^ My informant also adds that^lFPßffW^ imwsHM^^^ottfK^omWi? alniQst (■pp^Pßl^^mveat a just' estimate of ■ thepopulation, owing to the country being so scrubby and broken up into innumerable little gullies. Provisions, he thinks, will be had much cheaper via the Bullgr River. We were under the delusion a, few . months ago that we were to have, the blessings of a Post Office vouchsafed unto us. A memorial was hastily got iip to the Po^tmaster=General, signed by nearly all the' inhabitants of the district. After the lapse of a; week or two, a communication arrives appointing a Postmaster, and calling for tenders. The tenders are sujk ? plied, and now nearly two months have elapsed, and we are as near the desired * consummation of a Post Office as ever. Whether the Honorable the- Postmaster General considers the tenders too high, or the district not of sufficient importance to warrant him carrying out liis original intention ? I know not, but it certainly is a most inconsistent proceeding tt> appoiata Postmaster, call for tenders, and thenj-as a fiu-ther delay, to call from' the Postmaster at Greymouth for a return of letters for the months of March and April, as if that gentleman could furnish such a retiu'h, as in nearly nine cases out of ten the letters are. addressed to the care of parties residing at Greymouth, The Post- v master at Greymouth has done everything in his power in promoting the establishment of a Post Office here, and we record our grateful thanks for his services. A public meeting is to be held on the 2nd proximo, for- devising some means of having a regular communication. ance.^a week between here and Greymouth. The uncertain and desultory manner of sending letters, &c, and receiving news at* the soonest ten or twelve days after date, is tantalising in the evtreme. The state of the roads is also to be brought before the meeting, but that I consider a perfectly helpless case. We have quietly thought proper to remain under the thraldum of the Canterbury Government, without making an effort to free ourselves, let us remain so. * :