THE INANGAHUA REEFS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1306, 5 October 1872, Page 2

THE INANGAHUA REEFS.

(from our own correspondent.) Reefton, Oct. 1. The announcement that Messrs Cassidy and Ashton are about starting a line of four-horse coaches between Greymouth and Reefton has given unmixed satisfaction. . Whatever . difficulties may be ,met with elsewhere in carrying out this project certainly none will be met with on the new piece of road between Square Town and Reef ton. Notwithstanding the fact of heavy waggons, loaded with machinery for the different claims, daily passing over the road, one man has been found quite able to the task of keeping a mile of it in repair. As your own correspondent for Ahaura very justly remarks, any one who sneers at this road either knows nothing about it, or is guilty of making a wilful misstatement. The same gentlemen remarks that "it is doubtful whether freght by way of the Bulleris L 3 cheaper than by way of Greymouth." Instead of suph. being the case, I have hexrd of goods being brought L 4 cheaper via Greymouth. The lowest freight I have heard quoted via Westport being L2O. And this malyrc the " unfinished road through Totara Flat, the mile of liquid mud at the Ikamatua, and the rotten ground at the entrance to Square Town." 0 temporal 0 mores ! Why does not the district unite, and by steady determined action compel the authorities to put away their apathy, and, at any rate, to assist in doing a work that is so necessary almost for our very existence, as theconstruction of this two miles of road', along a level country, possessing a first-, rate hard bottom, with no engineering difficulties. If this missing link were only supplied, we should hear no more of Westport being able to compete with Greymoiith. During the last day. or two, it has been rumored that the Provincial authorities have determined on removing Mr Wakefield, Receiver of Revenue and Warden's Clerk, and much rftgret has been expressed thereat. His prompt business habits and urbanity of manner having made him a great favorite with all who have occasion to go to the office. The removal in question would be the more unaccountable as Mr Wakefield has been barely six months in the office. When he entered on the duties, he found everything in a state of "confusion worse confounded," and his leisure hours have ever since been occupied in the laborious task of reducing the chaos to order and regularity. If the rumor has any foundation, in fact, it is to be hoped the authorities will see fit to reconsider their determination. •' , ' A requisition is in course of signature, requesting Mr Win. M'Lean to come forward as a candidate for the representation of the district in the Provincial Council. Should he consent to stand, in all probability be will be elected, and he would make a very good member. For some time he has taken an active part in politics. During his residence in the County of Westland he, on several occasions, did much service by exposing, both in the Press and ou the platform, the maladaiin- ' istration of Messrs Hoos and Co. ODe thing the public appear at any rate to have determined on, and that is to return some whose interests are exclusively connected with Inangahua, and they will do well if they only stick to this determination. In social matters I have very little to chronicle. Dullness reigns supreme. It is impossible to effect a sale of house property, and the very town sections which were considered worth L] 00 only a few short months ago, are scarcely worth that number of shillings. While on the subject of auction sales, I may mention that Messrs Richard Reeves, and Co. have lately held three most successful sales of cattle for Messrs Carter, Groom, and M'Grindloy. The prices realised ranged from 45s to. 50s per lOOlbs. These are the first cattle ever sold by auction in ReeftoD. Messrs Isaacs and Co. sold a quantity of scrip during the week, but the prices were unsatisfactory, the purchaser in each case having to make good unsettled calls. Mr Warden Broad has been on his monthly official visit to the Lyell, so that I have no Court news for this letter; even had the Magistrate been here, his services would nob have bepn required in the criminal .jurisdiction. A new reef has been discovered in Scoltif's Gully, near the Lyell township. The party applied for a prospecting claim, but a portion has since been jumped by Dalton and party. The absence of alluvial workings is one of the principal causes of the absence of trade, which is the chief characteristic of Reefton. It is therefore with an unusual degree of pleasure that I am able to state that a party of men, John Whelan and party, are at present employed putting in a tunnel to turn the water from Boatman's Creek, at a point about mid-way -between Thompson's aud Caples' line of reef. The bed of the creek is believed to contain a ; deposit of coarse gold. In the same district, W. Barnes has just completed the survey of a head-race for Caples and party. The race commences at the creek not far from the forks, and terminates at the company's machine site. This party let another contract on Saturday for driving in their tunnel. All the work connected with the claim is being pushed on as rapidly as possible. Anderson's. Some idea of the magnitude of the operations 'at present being carried on in this district, and of the expense attending the successful opening up of a quartz claim, may be gathered from the fact that

the average monthly expenditure in Anderson's claim for the last three months • has been a few pounds over LSOO. The men working in. the tunnel during the week came across stone superior to any yet got in the claim. They expect to be crushing in about ten days, and, at the risk of being considered a bad prophet,! predict for them a most successful washing up. The Invincible are workiug away. Their stone looks as well as ever.ADAM SMITH'S. This line of reef is the fancy line just now, the Energetic and Golden Ledge having 'produced stone (tin latter espncially) that resembles stone from the Little Wonder, Lyell, more than anything else. In Adam Smith's claim, called also the Wealth of Nations, the wheel is nearly -finished, and a great portion of the. machinery is on the ground. This party have the advantage of the machinery unloading right alongside the machinesite. They are 'thus saved from the task of rolling ihe boiler, &c., up the steep hill at - Black's Point, which haa to be done both by Messrs Mace and W. M'Lean. Their race is being brought in from the river about a mile above the machine site"; Their reef is about 4ft 6in thick, and is supposed to go from 3oz to 4oz to the ton. Gold can be seen thickly throughout the stone. Some people consider the reef in this claim is the same as the Energetic, while others consider it merely a continuation of Anderson's. Keep it Dark.— This claim is situate next to the Golden Ledge, and is very much in favor just how. Seven men's ground- was jumped in it the other day, so that there is every prospect of an amount of litigation. The contract for the conveyance of the machinery for the Energetic from Greymouth, is probably signed ere thisr They still continue to get very good stone. The machinery for the Band of Hope is being conveyed up Murray Creek as rapidly as possible. Their water wheel is 50ft in diameter, and is situated on the edge of Murray Creek, from which source they intend drawing their motive power. Practical men are.ot opinion that, this source will be insufficient during the summer months. The drive in the United Band of Hope is 200 ft lower than Kelly's lowest shaft. There is not the slightest reason why *he Westland would not get the same stone -if they only went down to that level, 'it jis the genera] opinion that the reef has never yet been found in the claim. One enthusiastic individual connected with the working of the claim has, I believe, offered to find the reef on consideration of receiving a bonus of LIOO should he succeed in his attempt. Might it not be advisable for the official assignee to look him up. Between the Westland and the UnitedBand of Hope, is the Golden Hill, better known as Kelly's, or the prospecting claim of the line. Their tramway, paddock, and shoot are all finished. They are waiting to crush 600 tons of quartz, for which they have engaged the West-' land machine. The stone is a fair average, and great hopes are entertained by the shareholders* So soon as their crushing is completed, the same machine will crush 1 for the Victoria claim, who have 300 ton 3 at grass. Shareholders and contractors ;are hard at work making shoot, tramway, and paddock. It will thus be seen that all the claims on the line are in a very forward state. Ere long it will have ipassed through a most crucial test, and it is expected thw public confidence will be once more" restored in what was once regarded as the fancy line on the Inangahua. ; October 2. At the Resident Magistrate's Court today, George Barton, alias Yorkey, was brought up again charged with the murder of Costello j but as the police were not v prepared with further evidence, he was discharged ; and so far ends the case. Nothing whatever more has been elicited, and the murder, if a murder has been committed, seems shrouded in impenetrable mystery, which it is to be hoped will one day be cleared up. There are many who still believe that Costello is alive, but in this opinion I certainly do. not share. • It was mentioned recently that the Ingle wood Company at Murray Creokwere having a trial crushing at the Midland Company's batteries. This has beenT completed most satisfactorily, and to-day ? the washing-up took place. The stone; it must be remembered, was a fair, and not <a picked sample, and gives a thoroughly reliable estimate of the value of the reef. A track had bben made from the claim to the machine, and 27 tons of '* quartz were packed down for trial. This was washed' up, and the amalgam yester- ■ day yielded 530z of retorted gold, 6r| nearly at the rate of 2oz to the tou. This quite equalled if it did noi exceed expectations,' and as a matter of course shares have risen in consequence. Mr R. Waite is here obtaining slgria- ■ tures to his memorial to the Assembly, ■ ■ praying for redress for the injustice he ha 3 suffered at the hands of the Nelson Provincial Government. I need hardly say that he is most successful, and every- ' one sympathises heartily with him in the. matter. $