THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1874.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1706, 22 January 1874, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1874.

The public meeting on Tijesday evening was in every sense a satisfactory one. Although at the opening there was only a few persons present, the large attendance that immediately followed showed that the inhabitants of the district were fully impressed with the importance of the subjects submitted to the consideration of the meeting. There was nothing remarkable in any of the speeches delivered ; in fact, the occasion was not one for the delivery of set speeches, all that was required was that sound and practical resolutions should be submitted, and, if possible, carried. The various resolutions proposed were of an undebateable character. They had been so drawn up that it was impossible that any difference of opinion could exist with regard to them. For once, the whole community of the Grey Valley district could meet on a common platform, and tho proceedings of the meeting were conducted entirely in this spirit. The resolutions carried by the meeting, which, we are informed, were communicated by telegraph, to the Premier yesterday, were such as must of necessity receive the heartiest support of all who are interested in the progress and prosperity of the Grey Valley district. The first one, moved by Mr Harrison, was, perhaps, the most important of the lot. Jt pointed out to the Government that, unless the works for making the Grey a good port accessible to large vessels were proceeded with, the money expended upon the construction of the railway and the existing harbor works would be . practically so much money thrown away. Although Mr Harrison assured the meeting that he was fully convinced that it was the intention of the Government to make tho Grey an accessible port for large vessels, still seeing that the protective works have come to a temporary stand-still, it was only to be expected that some doubt should exist upon the subject, and that t an earnest remonstrance to the Governj raent should be made. We have reason |~fco - know that lliu Ou»eiument- will— pro=._ ceed with the works necessary to make the Grey a navigable port, and that they are fully aware of the "paramount importance" (quoting the resolution) of doing so, but this intention must of necessity be strengthened by the verdict of the meeting. It is all very well for us to boast of our mineral wealth. We have undoubtedly almost unlimited areas of coal deposits, which. only require facilities for shipment to render them the richest endowment of this part of the Colony, but unless we can provide the means for shipping coal upon a large scale we cannot hope for more than a mere dribbling tj?ade which . will do good to nobody. It is a «i?w quq iw)), thai the port should be improved, and there is absolutely no great obstacle in the way of making Greymouth a. port accessible to ships of large tonnage. Of course money will be required, but that is the least difficulty. We are sure that Parliament would vote any sum within reason, if the expenditure of it would have the effect of making a good port here. The necessity for large works of the kind we mention may be -estimated by- the fact that the Brunner Mine alone could produce more than a thousand tons of coal per diem. The Brunner seam -w not the only, nor is it even probably the most important, one of the series that has beeu discovered in this district. It is most likely that valuable mines of equal richness and extent may be opened up within a few miles of the port — but there is an old proverb — "you may. take a horse to the fountain, but you can't make. him drink" — and so it is with regard to the coalfields of this district, < There is an almost illimitable extent of coal of the highest quality, but unless the port pan be so improved as to admit vessels of' large tonnage none of the great results expected can be attained. We do notprofess to any engineering knowledge, wehavesimply common sense to guide us, and we say without anyhesitation whatever th at within a comparatively small sum the Grey could be made available to colliers of four or fi ve hundred tons. There is no river on this Coast so easy to be managed for pqrpos.es of this kind. Within a mile or two of the sea it is under absolute control { all that is required is to construct works from the Gorge downwards, upon both sides, so as to confine the current, and induce it to scour out the bar. This could be done at a comparatively small cost, and if it be not done the money expended upon the railway might have, with equal profit, have been pitched into the sea. The construction of trunk water-races in the district is also of " paramount importance." It is no use concealing the fact, but it is true that, although there is no doubt, of the existence of large areas of rich auriferous ground, they are practically valueless, because of the want of water. We are informed — and we quite believe the statement — that very many miners have remained up the Grey, mainly in the expectation that the Hochstetter race would be constructed. Delay has occurred in regard to this matter, but •Mr Harrison stated at the meeting that he had goud grounds for believing that the Governmentwould, as speedily as possilbe, proceed with the first two sections of this work. If this be true, as we hope it to be, then it may be relied on that not only will the work be at once directly reproductive, but that a feeling of confidence will be created amongst the miners which will counteract their disposition to migrate toother countries. The. two resolutions relating to harb, worij* acyji water-races were really t x

most important. Upon a constant supply of water depends the future of the goldfields of the Grey Valley district, and upon the establishment of a good port depends the future of our coal-fields. _ We have plenty of coal in every direction ; our gold-bearing country is-' almost unlimited, but without a good port for the one, and a plentiful supply of water for the other, they might almost not exist for all the use they are at present.