SALTWATER AND NEW RIVER DISTRICT.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 406, 20 August 1868, Page 2

SALTWATER AND NEW RIVER DISTRICT.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Rutherglen, August 18. The action that is being taken by the Road Board in making a road between Paroa and Welshman's Terrace is being severely commented on by the residents of this district generally as unnecessary and uncalled for. It is looked on as a useless expenditure of the public money, ana for the members of the present Board to instruct their surveyor immediately to lay off tlie road and call for tenders for the same, so that it shall be passed before a fresh election can take place, shows &reat disregard for public opinion. They ought to leave a matter of so much importance to be decided by their successors. Already Pavoa and Welshmans are connected — part of the way by the tramway and the rest by a track, most of which is corduroyed. The Tramway Co. are prepared to convey goods for LI a ton, and what is required is for the Road Board to purchase Hamilton's private track from Rutherglen to Welshman's, and throw it open to the public. This being clone, a saving of some hundreds of pounds would be effected, and which could then be expended in making a horse track from Welshman's to Card's lower store, or in that direction, till it reached the bed of the New River. If that were done a communication would be opened with Pile Creek, where some 400 or 500 men are now located. A track must be made to this place, and for the present Roarl Board to mortgage or anticipate the revenue for the next twelve months is most preposterous, as it will deprive their successors of all means of opening up the country. It is no use disguising the fact that already a great deal of dissatisfaction exists amongst the miners of the Eight Mile Terrace that no steps have been as yet taken to provide a public track. Some go so far as to say that they should have been better off without any Road Board, for then they should have had some chance of the Government making a road, instead of which the money is being all expended in Greymouth or near the beach. It will be well for the reputation of the Road Board to defer for the present the consideration of making this road, and leave this subject to be dealt with by their successors shortly to be elected. Nothing fresh has come to hand from the Eight Mile Terrace this week; in fact it is expected that it will take nearly a week before it is known for a certainty the line of the lead. 1 have promised the mil e.s that I will pay them a visit in a few days, and I have no doubt of being able to obtain information that may be relied on, as I am personally acquainted with most of the men, some of whom have expressed much dissatisfaction at.it being reported that an application for a prospecting claim was about to be applied for at the Arnould last week, such not being the case.