NAPOLEON.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 715, 18 August 1870, Page 2

NAPOLEON.

August ,16^., The new road to Napoleon from the'/ Ahaura, which was opened for traffic on the 6th of the month— ten^ days d^o'-^is virtually impassable already. At the upper end of the. section past Mathewia', Hotel, the "water tables" have become sloughs of liquid mud, and'on the ascent of the range to Napoleon, it is not only bad, but it is dangerous. The track has been formed through stiff, mullocky clay, which abounds iii some p&ces," and, atr might have been expected, there being no gravel put over, it, the first shower of rain converted it intp T "a glue-pp.t.." ; , The contractors performed their work faithfully, according tb the' ; specifications, ifnd there is no fault to be found with ; the specifications, with the'excep^ion of .makr, in? the turns in the track' at too isharp an angle, which prevents the^possibility of, its ever being made into a- xlray roadj 1 should it ever becoriVeriecessary to dp so, , The fault- lies with' the Government -at' Nelson, in n&t. giving the Inspector of Roads, who is on the spot j a discretionary; power to authorise' an extra outlay," beypnd the terms of the cpn tract, whenever he considers, it necessary, for- the ; proper performance of the work. Packers, have abandoned the new road, and taken the, old one by way of Orwell: itownship*: The rest of the road, with the exception of the two. places I have -mentioned, is in fair condition. Yesterday being the "Feast of the 1 Assumption, «r Lady Day in-Augustj" and it being also the anniversary of the Fete Napoleon, it was celebrated as a general holiday throughout the district. Towards evening the miners came" pouring in from .Nobles, Half-ounce, Mosquito, and the surrounding diggings ; there was, a display of fireworks, that is, as far as noise went, in the evening, and the ifesti-: vities were wound up by a ball and supper at Madame Blanche's Hotel.' ; •«■ A case was heard at the, last sitting of the Resident MasistrKte'si Couttr here, which has given the scandal-mongers of this place a congenial subject to enlarge upon. One man sued another for an alleged debt,. and the wife of the defendaht appearedin Court and gave evidence in favor of the plaintiff, with whom she was, she said, now living. Much sympathy was felt for the injured husband, and an immense -amount of virtuous indignation was given expression to by our '.' pioiismeri "—but they have been sold. It nPw turns out that the bereft one did not require, or seek, the sympathy bestowed upon him, for he had no sooner "lost his tpissus" than he proceeded/ straight to Hokitika, and returned within a week .with a lady companion— no doubt ssomebody, else's wife— arid installed t her in the nest his own bird had flown from. Several ; of o"ur business people are putting up branch places at Half -ounce ; this, and the rush itself, has made business unsettled here. • . As the inquiry is often made by. those not acquainted with the district as tb, where Half-ounce is situated,' I may state' that Half-ounce- Creek is the first righthand branch of Duffer Creek. It can be reached frorii the Ahaura by way of Totara by taking the road behind Doolen's fartn, opposite Lardi's, on the Flat, and following it up through Duffer Cre,ek arid the junction of Half -ounce ; then by following ; Lardi's track the township can be reached in about two and a-half miles The distance altogether, from the Ahatira to Halfounce, by way of Totara Fiat, is 13 miles. The rush, is about' five miles from Napoleon along Lardi's track, which, is ktspt in splendid condition. Since my last report from Half-ounce, Ask Brandt, arid party have had a washing of about 16 loads, with a yield of nearly -30oz. This is the first gold obtained by this party, after nearly nine months' work. This company's tunnel,, tail-race, and tramway is over 2000 ft long. '. The water is very troublesome at the lower end of the le&d — after striking the false bottom.'^ Faller and party lost their new shaft yes-i terday in consequence of the water.