KUMARA AS SEEN BY A STRANGER.

Kumara Times, Issue 493, 26 April 1878, Page 2

KUMARA AS SEEN BY A STRANGER.

A member of the staff of the Nelson Evening Mail, who has recently been "doing" the West Coast, is now contributing a series of descriptive articles to that journal. From his "remarks on

Kumara, we extract the following :_

On approaching a town of this description, the first thing to strike the visitor from the longer-settled parts of the colony is the absence of any suburban holdings or residences. For miles we had been driving (over an excellent road certainly) through wild and uninhabited country—bush and barren hills on either side, and not a sign of civilization, except the road and the telegraph wires, and suddenly we found ourselves transplanted into a town which at one time contained a busy throng, and even when we arrived, many mouths after the discovery of the diggings, showed considerable signs of life. The town of Kumara consists of two streets, one, about half a mile in length, closely built upon on one side and at not very distant intervals on the other, and the other running at right angles to the main street in the direction of the diggings. At first sight it creates a feeling of wonder how so many places of business can exist, for of the consumers of the wares offered for sale nothing is to be seen. There are the stores in great number, the hotels more plentiful still, and the Banks, of which, if I recollect rightly, there were five. How did they all contrive to carry on ? This is the question that must suggest itself to the mind of everyone who visits this township which has sprung up with such marvellous rapidity. On making enquiry, I found that although the place was overdone—no less than six unfortunates had been " sold up" that week—the tone of business generally was healthy, and when the surplus shopkeepers have sought fresh fields where there is a better opening for them, those who have established themselves firmly are likely to do well for some years to come. As the time at my disposal was limited. I started with as little delay as possible for the diggings themselves, which are about threequarters of a mile ft-om the town. . . As we' approached the, summit of the spur, the workings became more and more numerous, and the whole of the gully to our left showed signs of having been made to yield its golden treasures to the hard working fellows who seemed to be daunted by no -dim-: culty in attaining the object of th'ir pursuit. And now we were on the top of the spur, and the sight that met Our eyes on the other . ide was a strange one indeed. Immediately below u< was another town-hip that had sprung up in the co irse of a little over twelvemonths. It is known as DillimnV Town, and it is, I should say, about the funniest little town on the face of the earth. The streets, are narrow and winding—in some places two wheelbarrows abreast would almost occupy the whole of the roadway, and the houses on either side are the oddest little shanties it is possible to imagine. Some of them are ordinary dwelling houses, some stores, and some of course, "hotels." Give a child a pack of cards, and in a few minutes he would build quite as substantial looking a collection of houses—by courtesy so called—as that which forms " Dillman's Town." Dillman's Town is situated near the head of the valley, and. lower down every inch of ground is taken up by the miners, a good many of whom are to be seen at work, but not nearly the whole of those engaged, for as my guide pointed out to me, the whole of the valley from top to bottom is like a rabbit warren, and at depths varying from 40 to 50 feet below the surface, the men are at work getting out the washdirt which averages from five to eight feet in thickness. ... All round us everybody was busy. On some of the claims the dirt was hauled up by men, in others by horses, and the " paddocks" were in various stages of fulness, some being ready to was up the next day, some only half full, and others with but a small layer at the bottom, having washed up a day previous. From here we crossed another spur, and fonnd ourselves in " Larrikins," where the workings were carried on with equal vigor. . . „._ All the miners to whom I spoke appeared to be in good spirits, and well satisfied with their prospects,, for even should no new ground be discovered it is calculated that the claims they have taken up will occupy at least three years in' working OUt. ' , ; . .' '/■'■ v