THE BULLER.

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

THE BULLER.

(FROM OUft OWN COKRESPONDENT.) Westport, Sept. 12.' . I have not much to ' chronicle since my last letter, but must say that tho place seems gradually. to be improving, although' at present business is riot so* brisk as might be\desirM. Several new stores arid* hotels are rapidly ajyproaching ♦completion, and are chiefly being erected by parties who have been xhere , for * some' time, and who therefore ought' to have a good idea of, the prospects of , the place. '. Messrs Porter, Martin, and G. White are each, building . substantial two-storeyed buildings, and other minor edifices tore being raised in different directions. Mr Dreyer's wharf will be speedily commenced, and a brewery is to be" started, I Altogether the people' seem determined that the Buller must and shall go ahead. ; We have unfortunately a sprinkling of: suspicious characters amongst us, have been reports of late of attempted '^sticking up" of .tents, and one man's hiouae was broken open by an individual. ;who, , when detected, made a 'confused' statement about being " rather tight," and generally ignorant of his whereabouts and proceedings. TMnga became more serious when Mr Thomas Askew was robbed on Monday morning, the 3rd instant, of the sum of three hundredjpauricls in notes, while absent from his house -for-; about half an hour. The thief must have known where the money was placed, and Watching his. opportunity., when Mr Askew .^as away, must have, slipped upstair!,; and climbing over; a partition,- wrenched' off the .lock of .a- trunk containing the .motes'an'd abstracted the nioney.^Strange. to. say he left behind two loose notes and

'■-.■■ x ... * ' , ' . a nugget, which were ii\ the same .cashbox, and a bag of gold which was underneath. A man" is in custody on suspicion of being concerned .in tlie robbery, and will be tried before Mr Kynnersley, who is expected here daily. A reward of £80 ,is. offered for aliy information that avill lead to the recovery of the money. ■ Anotlur robbery took place at. the Landing about the end of last month, Mr Adam Porter's store beuig robbed of 330z. of gold ; but no trace whatever has been found of the thief, or the way in which it was stolen. The Customs * Returns show a considerable" falling off in the value of goods imported, July showing over £7000 to I August's £2000. * The amount of gold exported is, however, nearly, tltfc same, about SOOoz. being seat away in July, and 740oz:in August, a considerable amount is expected froni- up-country, as for the last week or ten days no boats have been able to go up, and from the crew of a canoe which came down to-day, I hear" that horses are ac'ually starving for want of food-" and diggers have been obliged to hump their own tucker, in • consequence of the pack-horses being disabled. .. - The shipping arrivals this month, have, been the steamers Lyttelton and Kennedy, and the schooner Riipid, all with cargoes from Nelson. The ketch Constant, which has been for a long time ashore at .the Mohikinui, arrived here last week, seeming but JLittlo tlie worse for the spell ashore. The Kennedy, bound for the Grey, put in here this morning for shelter, and the Lyttelton is again expected to-morrow. There is a report of a rush to the Totara River at the Parkees. Five men, who have been working there all winter, came this week to the Buller for provis.ions,.and stated thatabout forty men had recently arrived on the spot. The river is the third from the Bulier, and the .diggings are stated to . be five miles inland. The ketch Constant is engaged to.go there with supplies, and on her return I shall be able to furnisliyon with further particulars. ' .