THE ARNOLD.

Grey River Argus, Issue 106, 15 September 1866, Page 3

THE ARNOLD.

[ . (FROM OUB OW.X'COR»RBPONDEN-T,j ■ " ' . .- . ; - September 12. The late gale— which, I understand, has coimiiitted some ravages in the Greymouth neighborhood— has had, consequent upon the accompanying, rains, a most beneficial effect upon 'the mining interest in this district. For a long time we were afflicted Tvith an almost , uninterrupted drought, and many of the best races were comparatively useless, some being completely so. The late" heavy fall of rain has caused a material alteration, and all parties arc now, busily at work, with good prospects before them. As respects your correspondent, the he had to make from Greymouth to the Arnold, on the Bth inst., was not attended with serious consequences, but -did certainly entail, a" vast amount of inconvenience. Upon arriving about one o'clock at the Stillwater- Creek, I made the gratifying discovery that the bridge across that usually sluggish stream hud been swept away by the unwonted force of its current. There was nothing for it but to. return disconsolately to the/publio-house opposite the Coal Pits, where 1, in company with twenty otheivunfortunates, had to remahi, chafing at the delay, until lialfpast three o'clock on the f ullowing afternoon, when, by dint of much persuasion, und a guarantee, we induced- two men from the Coal Pits to proceed in a boat to" the mouth of the creek and there cross us. It is excessively annoying that from such causes all communication, not only with the Arnold, but with all the impoi-tant Gold Fields on the Nelson side, should be interrupted evenior a day. The Stillwater Creek is property^ named— there is not a more sluggish stream in the Provinoe, and the explanation of the fact of its having swept away a bridge , must "be looked for in" the nature, of- the structure of that bridge,. The one whicjihas ■ just been-de-stroyed was of the most flimsy description; The piers were more like pipe-stems than aught else to Which I can compare them, '■> and. these, were placed too close to admit of the passage of a decent sized log ; and even the Stillwater must he expected^ to bring down such occasioilally. It is,* I believe,^a question to which of the Provinces the blame of having passed such a structure should attach, for while it undoubtedly stood in the Canterbury Province, it is said that it was erected, in connection with the "Arnold Ferry and TwelvfrMile -Bridge, In ajiy case a bbat should always be. kept iv the neighborhood of a wooden bridge ii\ case of accidents,, " In reference, to the damage which tho geneva! floods. were likely to occasion, I may- state that Maori Gully escaped almost scatheless j all the. dams there being, of the most substantial nature. 'But at Liveiv pool's,. New Rivei", German, and Reilly's GvUlies the case was different.' There the creeks rose to a height of seven feet above their ordinary level, in many cases sweeping away in their devastating careers dams, /boxes, and heaps of washdirt. Less damage, however, was done than I had anticipated; and I believe that in less than ten days all will be again in working order, The " chief loss* has been "in^ the quantity of washdirfc swept away. The tracks via the New River to Grey-~ mouth have suffered ; that by which goods, are conveyed on horses from 'the boats' landing-place to^ Liverpool's, lying mostly' in the river bed, and having to cross the stream no less than seventy-eight times, is particularly susceptible of damage from floods. , A rumor, for the truth of which I cannot, vouch, obtains', that good gold has been struck at Lake Brunner ; more than one party having gone there, we are likely to know the truth in' a few days. I am glad to have it in my power to apologise, to the Hospital Committee for having ma.de some rather severe strictures regarding the admission of patients. The explanation of the Secretary was most satisfactory ; and I wish the mining com-i munityto bear in-mind,. that in nb single instance has a patient been turned away for not being able to pay the -entrance-fee. "Wliere a candidate for admission is in", a position to . pay a moderate sum weekly while receiving medical attendance, he should certainly be compelled to do so. The Cpmnutteeliavedone a. wise thing in having sent boxes to the different stores, and -I trust that many a shilling which would otherwise be, heedlessly thrown away upon a nobbier will find its Avay thereto, giving to.the donor the satisfaction of knowing that he.*has contributed, in hoAvever' humble^ a manner, to a good cause — - that' of relieving his fellow- v creatures. .: