THE INANGAHUA DISTRICT.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1347, 22 November 1872, Page 2

THE INANGAHUA DISTRICT.

[prom oub, own correspondent.]

Reefton, Nov. 20.

John Williams, of Fern Flat, ' and Margaret Hearse and Annie Quadri, of Black's Point, will be charged by the police to-morrow morning with sly grog selling. Shanties, where this practice is indulged in, almost with impunity, are rapidly establishing themselves in all parts of the district. There are only three police officers stationed throughout the whole of the Upper Buller, and they are expected not only to perform theordinary police duties, but have also sole charge of the Reefton gaol, and are responsible for the safe keeping of the prisoners therein. The wonder is, therefore, not that sly grog selling, with all its attendant evils, should be on the increase, but that other species of crime are not more rife. The utter insufficiency of the police force is perhaps felt more keenly at the Lyell than in any other part of the district. At this place there is now a population of about 400, numbers of whom are notoriously bad characters, who have recently been attracted there in consequence of the exceptionally good crushing^ which have lately taken place. The Provincial Government have been repeatedly appealed to in this matter by the local authorities, but as yet the appeal has been in vain. It is, however, satisfactory to feel that the claims of the district are not being entirely overlooked. The sum of L3OO is actually being expended, for which amount a stable is being built, the cemetery is being partly cleared and fenced, ami the Buller road is being finished — such is the case. MEETINGS. During the week there have been three different Committee meetings. The Church committee have had a meeting in the Court House. A meeting of those interested in the formation of an Amateur Dramatic Club was held on Monday; and the Exhibition Committee met again this evening. At the first of these, namely, the Church Committee, the Warden presided. It was decided amongst other matters bhat there should be an entertainment, if possible on the 9bh proximo, for the benefit of the funds of the Committee. The Rev. MrFlavel, of Charleston, would, it was ascertained, arrive about the first week in January, to take permanent charge of the district. Arrangements were made for providing a parsonage-house; and it was decided that Lay readings should be held every Sunday during December, Mr Greenwood officiating as Lay Reader. At the second committee meeting, the business was chiefly confined to the appointment of officers ; Mr Broad wa,3 made Chairman, Mr Parry Musical Director, and Mr Raphael Stage Manager. It was also decided that the first performance should be for the benefit of the funds at the disposal of tha committee of the Roman Catholic Chapel, and, that it should be held during the ensuing Christmas holidays. At the Exhibition Committee held this evening at the Court House, there was a very large attendance, and a good deal of interest was evidently felt in the work the committee were endeavoring to carry out. A letter was read from the secretary of the Hokitika Committee asking the Reefton Committee to forward any duplicate or spare specimens they might have to Hokitika. It was decided that consideration of the letter should be deferred until after the meeting of the sub-coramittse appointed to examine the specimens bad brought up their report. Mr Mathias moved, and ii was carried, that the specV mens should be on view in the Court House o» Saturday, between the hours of two and four p.m. Fair average samples of stone were received from the following claims :— Anderson's, Invincible, Caledonian, Victorian, North Star, Energetic, Golden L.edge, Wealth of Nations, El Dorado, Jqst in Time, United Band of Hope, Thompson's, and the International. The Committee then adjourned to Friday next at the same place. I forgot to mention that Mr M'Lean reported that he had collected nearly L2O, which he handed over to Mr Greenwood, the treasurer, . ' AMUSEMENTS. • . ' There will be no dearth of amusements during the holidays. Already three entertainments are announced, in addition to which the Burford-Stephenson troupe are expected to shortly put in au appearance, and a committee • has been . appointed to arrange - a programme of athletic sports, and to canvass the town for the amounts required for the different prizes. mining. ' The Golden Hill Company have finished their washing-up, and report the result as 2470z gold fr ;>m 580 tons of stone. The Ajax Company stopped the engine on I'riday, and on Saturday last were occupied in "scraping. They give the result as GJOoij gold from QOO tons of quartz.

Adam Smith's Line. — Wealth of Nations. —On Saturday last the first truck was sent down the tramway which runs from the upper tramway to the machine site, and which like Anderson's runs down the face of the hill. The truck came down very well ; there are, however, two or three weak places, but they will be easily repaired by placing a few stays underneath. The manager has lately discharged several hands, being unable to find work for th,em until the machinery' is hi. working order, which will be the case in a few days. They discovered gold in the blow Of quartz on the top of the hill, and are now going to quarry it out. In addition they have, of course, a reef supposed to be the same running from the Energetic to the Golden Ledge, and from which very good stone has been got, especially in the Golden Ledge. The Efroadsider g,re driving about 150 ft below the level of Adam Smith's party. They' are endeavoring to get the underlay of the reef.— The : Energetic have got their battery in its place, and ere this meets the eyes of your readers

the machine-house will b«* nearly finished. The battery, which consists of ten head of rather light stampers, is to be driven by a turbine wheel, which is already in position. The iron piping for the water v is, however, not yet laid; it is lying ready. - Shieis' Line.— At the Band of Hope they have got the bed ready for the machinery, and the lighter portion of^ the ironwork has arrived on the ground. The balance is expected to be up before the end of the week. . Kelly's Line.— tfhe Westland battery will commence crushing for the Victoria Company en Monday morning. A favorable return is anticipated. Some of the stone is really first-class. — Work, is steadily proceeding at the North Star.— At the Inglewood they have commenced their tramway to the Westland. They have riot been getting out much stone for the last week or two, but what they have got looks equal to the 30 tons recently , crushed to test the claim. ' Anderson's — At this claim the crushing ing- is steadily proceeding. Some very good stone is everyday being procured from the lower level. They are, however, crushing stone from each face. There--turn will be very favorable— they are crushing at present only from sixty, to seventy tons per week. At the Invincible work has been discontinued for a time, pending arrangements for a crushing. It is as yet doubtful whether they will erect a machine of their own, or crush at Anderson's. Boatman's— Last Friday week -the township which is called George Town was surveyed. It is situated about one and a half miles from the reefs. Messrs Archer and Brunn already have stores there. The latter has been waiting for the survey, to commence building a substantial accommodation house, 33 x 60. The timber is already on the ground. The manager of the El Dorado has recently been examining Boatman Creek, with the view of ascertaining the practicability of clearing out the bed of the creek, so as to enable waggons with machinery, &c, to get up as far as the gorge from where they would only have to make thraequartera ot a mile of track to their machine site. . The contractors are makiLg fair progress with the driving, and they expect to ' strike the reef daily. At Thompson's they are . still driving, but as yet have no sign of the reef. The Just in Time looks well. No other claim is working in this localitj . Gaffney's. — On going up to the prospecting claim at this line, I was amazed to find the place deserted. . Three huts were standing, but not a soul was visible. The huts looked as if they had been abandoned for a week or two. Their tunnel cannot be driven in more than 50ft. If it be true that an Inspector of Leases has been appointed, it is certainly highly requisite for him to pay an official visit to, Gaffney's prospecting claim. In the '< Hit or Miss," No. 1 north, work has also been discontinued. This party however, de* serve more credit than the prospectors, as they have driven about 350 ft. Some twelve months ago, there was a dispute about this claim, and the Warden decided that it. should belong to the first men onthe ground, when a most exciting race took place, one man jumping out of the. Couri House window, in order to have a few feet start. Whelau and party have constructed an expensive tail-race, and are about commencing sluicing operations. They report that they have obtained excellent prospects. (It is much to be hoped that they will succeed, as the searoh after alluvial gold v has been all but neglected in this locality since the advent, of the quartz fever. A man came into town on Saturday, and reported the discovery of a new line of reef. Nothing more has," however, transpired, and no excitement has been, caused thereby.