MAORI GULLY.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 696, 5 July 1870, Page 2

MAORI GULLY.

[TROiX. AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.]

The late extremely wet weather has been very favorable for sluicers in this and the adjoining gullies, but the - old adage that it never rains but it poors seems to be literally true of this country, and we have had a good deal more rain than has been altogether agreeable. The mailman, for the first time since, he took the contract' nearly twelve months ago, failed last week to deliver the mail here on the day it was due, viz., Friday, and did not arrive till Sunday, owing to the flooded state of the : Grey: River. Mr Cooper, the surveyor, was -'op., here last week and completed his work in spite of the weather. I observe that Mr Richard Reeves stated the other day in the Coiincil that the present District Surveyors did the Government stroke. All I can say is that if Mr Reeves had been on.the suryey party here, I thirik he would have 'gist, a benefit which would have lasted him some time, and opened his eyes a litfle. •■= The long tunnel under, the Camp Terrace which the Cornishmeh have so patiently and pluckily worked j at (for nearly two. years is ' at last approaching completion^ the length already; driven is; about 3000 ft, and about six. weeks more will, .itr is ex-f pected, take it into their, ground, when I hope they will be well rewarded for their? enterprise. • They hold 5 acres as a special claim, granted them by the County Chairman, in consideration of the great labor and outlay they have been at. The tunnel is mostly through; sandstone ieef, whicH. stands -without timbering; it is sft 6in high, and .the_trucksare_dcana» fey- horses, and although it is a cloße fit for them, they seem quite at home at the work. The proprietors, however, had some difficulty to contend with, as several horses Which 1 ' they got could not -be made to do the work, and one in; partiirnlar did not seeriv to relish the tunnel 6r anything in it,, for he kicked till he smashed the harness and truck, and was with difficulty got, ou,t again to the open air. It may easily W imagined that a vicious or unruly horse, in sueh 1 a' confined space/ would 'be an awkward customer to deal with. At Italian's and Reilly'sj many parties are doing well this weather, and several fresh parties are setting inf Two extended claims have been applied for in the formejr.,, I think it -is high time Uhat Governments made some sort of a horse-track? iiiio tMese two gullies. There; (is plenty of ground waiting to be ; but when tucker has to be packed from Maori Gully over the range on men's backs, ife f is only good ; ground that will payr The cost of a treck would soon be repaid by /the additional gold that would he raised in consequence, besides the benefit derived by the increased , consumption of goods. If Government: would carry out works of this sort, instead of spending thousands on such roads as that from Hokitika to Arahura, it would be far better for the community, and the' Treasury chest would not be as empty as it is;. •■■".• '•■■■•' -•• : ' - •■■ ■'■' In German Gully, many new hands have lately set to-work. A store has been erected near the head of the gully by Mr Phillips, and he is at present engaged* in' making a pack-track from it to Maori Gully township. When will the Government, give this place a proper name, I \ , wonder 1 A good deal of work has been,: : doney but the late rains have caused' it to be greatly cut up in those portions which are not yet Qom'plQted. The County Engineer, Mr O'Connor, was up yesterday, inspecting the road from the Coal Pits. It is in a very bad state, as very little has been done to it in the way of repairs since it was first made; but tenders have now been called for to repair and maintain it, and it is to be hoped something will be done. When we are likely to have the road completed into Greymouth I should very much like to know. . One thing is certain, . thax it is r yery much wanted ; for directly the river is up, communication becomes dangerous, whereas, if the road was carried through, there would be a good communication betweea the port and most of the Grey Valley in all weathers.