SALTWATER AND NEW RIVER DISTRICT.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 441, 10 November 1868, Page 2

SALTWATER AND NEW RIVER DISTRICT.

H'ROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) RUTHERGLEN, Nov. 9. On the eve of a general election for the County Council it would be desirable to draw the attention of any candidate for this district to the necessity of forming a trunk road, so that it might be useful in opening up the New River District as well as that of the Greenstone. The whole of the country lying between these two points is highly auriferous, and at present there is no public road by which provisions can hi conveyed. The consequence is that very high rates prevail for conveying goods to the various centres, and groun I which would pay individual miners if tucker could be got reasonably is obliged to be abandoned for the present. This state of aifairs must no longer be permitted to exist ; every exertion must be made to have at least a good practicable pack track made to some point via the New River, and continued on to the Greenstone. There is very little doubt that this portion of the country is most valuible, and if only a good track were made it would prove most beneficial to all parlies. The Greenstone, from Card's lower store, is not more than six miles, and goods could be packed from thence for about 8s per cwt, and from Greymouth to Card's store they cost at present about 5s Gd, making altogether 13s 6d, which would be a reduction of 11s 6d per cwt between Greymouth and the Greenstone, whereas now they cost 253 per cwt via the Teremakau. Independent of the transit of goods there is a considerable number of men who are now travelling between the Greenstone and the New River, and they have to wend their way down the Teremakau, along the beach and thence to the New River, a journey of some 30 miles at least, whereas if only a road or a track were made the distance would not exceed six miles. Without taking into consideration the great loss that Greymouth is now suffering through there being no direct communication with Greenstone, the loss of time the men are now compelled to lose in going between the two places is a loss to the country at large. Whilst they are travelling they cannot be working, therefore their time is lost, which might be beneficially spent for. the good of all. Not one farthing has as yet been laid out by the Government in opening up this part of the country, and now that it devolves on the County Council to make trunk roads it behoves all the miners aud business men to insist on their representative the imperativeness of connecting Greymouth with the road that leads from Hokitika to Christchurch. By doing so they will confer a boon on the miners, and open a country through which at present there is no thoroughfare. If this portion of the Grey district is to be prosperous, it is necessary this should be dove at once. Whatever views ourrti presentatives may have on other subjects it must be a sine qua non that a road must be made at once to open up the New River and the Greenstone, and that he will not lose a day when returned without using his influence to get a track cut between them, so that miners may not be compelled to travel some 25 miles unnecessarily. This district has been so persistently neglected by the Government that people have almost begun to dispair of anything being done for their benefit. Now, however, they have once more begun to take heart, hoping that as the County Council have the power to allocate certain sums for the making of trunk roads that they will have a chance of having one made that will open up as important a district as any on the West Coast. However, much depends on the electors of the Paroa district in choosing a n't and proper person as their representative, who will insist on justice being done this part for the future, and some little reparation made for the neglect of the past.

John waa thought lo be very stupid He was sent to a mill one day, and the miller said, " John, some people say you are a fool ! Now, tell me what you know, and what you don't know." " Well," replied John, " I know miller's hogs are fat !" "Yes, that's well John. Now what don't you know 1" "I don't know whose corn fats em."