TRACES IN THE EIGHT-MILE DISTRICT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1167, 25 April 1872, Page 2

TRACES IN THE EIGHT-MILE DISTRICT.

[to the' editor.] Sir — Being an old resident of the New Biver district; 'and one* who has taken an" interest , in ., maintaining}; its permanency and advancing its prosperity, 1 feel that I ram .justified .at ; theu.jpresent time in making, through' the 'columns of the ; Argus, some comments.: on, a .matter or two 'that ' vitally 'afreets the in t'er|sfe an d welfare of , } aj; large,; portion of;the"populaiion settled iiii it. I think I aai ! correct in pointing out that dnririg thelastrsitting of the County <3aancil,;rthrough:: r the < exertions Tof the member for .the district, arid with the fuU assetft of the Council by vote, the construction ;P,i,-a ;pack .tragic between . Maorr y.CrejJk^WcJ^.Sei^^^gal^r. was provided for, paymepFto be~made in' land in any part 6Mh¥Gbunty ; the necessity and the urgency- of- this work being admittedjltd.a'yoid the dangerous<thorjbugh--fare of the-bed oMhe'ftew River,; to give easy and ready transit in packing goods, with a means of safe travelling' to .the .large,, body of lniners scattered over some, 'miles- s of surrounding' .country. ' i<: I may , now draw attention to the fact, that it is 'neariy two raonjths ;sinde. this ; gtpkt want; Tvd's recog'hised-^the provision 'made feeing a strong induce rae^nit. tb at this track would be uhdertakeri by some en^rpijising [ pe'raons. People _gro wi' ahd.say "f * "who is" to Ham c V It is the. duty of the County Chairman, with works of this sort so muchihe'eded, to.,pjashithemahead ; as quick as possible ; arid as yet nothing has been done in the .matter. ,;\^h.at ; an . : admirable, commentary is this despatch of business ; this assiduous display of attention and energy, -in'havinga public-work carried ouU And it is noteworthy in this speciat'easej the stock excuse of the a " County -'Ghairman, " having no ;funds;in%and," does not present as : an insurmountable obstacle, a convenient scheme for either apatly or indifference, as the bearing of things may suggeW ■■ The" means* at' his command are •;am,ple. ;.the way/clear itf dealiugwitt this work :; fstill,- -a manifest'disregard is appa--Teni;. in reference, to, it.- u) ;. Perhaps the ' County Chairman, * at thef next- session of* .the [County Council,; in. his f opening address, may allude in melancholy strain, is.so..touching,"-in a-sort-of-mock-fienti-ment,fi)rp,qlaim tiia.fc iv : consequence of so' many "miiiers leaving the Coast, a marked" .falling off . in . the revenue is v obseryableV Doe's 'it riot strike the gigantic intellect of the august flhief of our Executive"? or ■can- the coinnioiiplace idea : his pandering mind, that the dislike engendered,'-!; the -disgust' Tmade { paramount amongst the mining community on the. Coast on leaving it, rifainly springs from- their hard- life~inland ; - having to toil seasbns," ti and;. tramp at all times through broken country, at the risk'of-, -life, >; limbj- and ; healthy in« ,the absence, of : . track. , on. roads? If-1 this simple truth be : difficult to nlriderstand, its stern reality being incontrovertible, then 1 am. presumptious enough to point out .that a prvbatiqriavy.qareer,; had,- better ; fee recpmmen.ded of what .ithe country so plentifully affords:— a bush residence — prospecting the ranges, work- for tucker, •wade»creeks}rand*swim rivers,- become im— pervious .to, cold. aadii'aib, travelling miles for uro visions, with the delightmg thoughts and pas&timo of knowing' your own:pick-f • horse.-. -'Tis; enough. A little bitter bxperience has a c mighty coayincing effect of imparting a good sound knowledge as to' the wants' and reo^uiwments of a gbld field. . • J .M' ..->• ■•'-..• lam,;&o,y,- ap. < ; ■ ■■-. :'i. ..t, '• : .-.»■ Obsbrvbrl ■:': N,ew llivei*, -ApjillS. ... ;':/