Lyell Times. SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1886.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 278, 19 June 1886, Page 2

Lyell Times. SATURDAY, JUNE

The wretchedly bad state of our roads has long been a subject of serious complaint, and " curses not loud but deep," on the part of travellers of every degree, from the swagger to the passenger by Newman's coaches, or the more aristocratic tourist, who comes to our beautiful West Coast like Dr. Syntax in " search of the picturesque." Voice was given to the general dissatisfaction in our columns a few issues back, in a communication from our Fern Flat correspondent, and that communication has already borne some fruit, the first fruits let us hope of similar wails from various other portions of the district of which this township may be said to be the natural centre. Having ourselves had occasion the other day to make the journey to and from Westport, we found a similar lamentable condition of affairs, and similar dissatisfaction. Our travellers have had their growl, our correspondents have had theirs, and it now 1 eaomes our duty to clinch or rivet the nails which have been already driven into the subject. This task is fortunately a sufficiently easy

one. It must be assumed, as a starting point, or axiom, that the people

settled on the Coast, and indeed the

western slope of this Island generally,

are entitled to participate in thfe benefits of settled government, and to be placed on terms of equality with the inhabitants of the eastern seaboard.

Indeed, we go further, and say that we' are on this side of the Island entitled to have even better roads, and to have every river and every creek safely and securely bridged, inasmuch as we have for the last twenty years or more been obliged to bear the burden of a large portion of the moneys required by the State for building railways from which we have received no benefit whatever. And when, after a weary interval of suspense and hope deferred, there is a prospect of our getting an innings in the shape of railway communication with the outer world, it would be too much to expect that the railway should be built on the same financial principles as were those elsewhere. We are all so very pleased, however, at the prospect of getting a railway on the Coast, that we have magnanimously agreed to forgo our growl, and to accept the " gift horse " without too narrowly " inspecting its mouth." But, if our road lines have proved inadequate in the past, and he would be a bold man who would say they have not, how much more inadequate will they not be when the traffic is doubled or trebled, as it must be in a very short time ? Sir Julius Vogel's famous expression about the Colony becoming prosperous "by leaps and bounds" was received at the time with laughter and incredulity in many quarters; but to our mind it is singularly happy as regards the fortunes in store for the West Coast. Now, in order to enable us to profit by the turn of the tide our arterial roads must

forthwith be thoroughly overhauled, and made something less than mantraps ; our rivers, which are wide, dangerous, and liable to sudden and frequent floods and freshes, must be securely bridged; and the punts, which do duty for bridges, must, as in other more favoured districts, be to all lawful travellers, whether on foot or horseback, or in wheeled conveyance, absolutely freee of charge. To bring these desirable things about it is above all essential that our Parliamentary representatives should sink their local jealousies and minor differences, and combine as one man to insist upon justice being at length done to the Coast as a whole. The petty bickerings we allude to, which now and then crop up even in the House, have done more than anything else to retard our progress as a community, and. they ought now to be stamped out and a new era inaugurated. With railway communication, good and safe roads, and free bridges or punts, there is a great future before the West Coast, and by necessary consequence for the Colony as a whole. But our readers may depend upon it little or nothing will be wrung from Parliament by a set of members who adopt towards each other the traditional tactics of

the Kilkenny cats, which are said to have fought till nothing was left but two tails. Let us all then " agree to

differ " in regard to the relative importance of our respective locations. The benefits which may be expected to follow the improvement of our

roads, and the construction of our railways, are manifold and multiform. Not the least is the total extinction it is certain to produce of the noisome petty scandal and the cliquism which are the necessary outcome of isolation and the non-introduction of fresh blood from the outside world. Nothing is surer than this. The railway whistle will be at once the signal of progress and prosperity, and the death-knell of the reign too long continued of Mrs

Grundy, Sarah Gamp, and all that crowd, who have all these years ruled and guided the thoughts, words, and actions of all and sundry with an iron hand. We shall hail the downfall of that oligarchy with the most sincere delight, and welcome the advent of the more benign sway of healthy public opinion, by the exercise of which the bad amongst us are made less bad, and the good are made better than before. But, let none of us forget that we have a duty to discharge in the immediate future, viz., to have our highways rendered at once passable and safe. Every private individual, every public man, and every Parliamentary representative has a share of the responsibility of bringing that about, and the duty lies 011 us and our contemporaries of taking notice that that duty is duly discharged. Shall we have to revert to the subject again ? Or have we said enough ? Time will tell. Meanwhile let it be remembered that Parliament is now in session, and that further delay may prove most disastrous to the prospect of having the evils we have alluded to set to rights.

In consequence of an accident to the conveyance after leaving Reefton, last Tuesday, His Lordship. J)r. Francis Redwood, did not arrive at Lyell as expected. His Lordship will reach here at four o'clock on Monday afternoon next, and the following day will hold two masses and confirmation.

The United Alpine returns for past nine days' eight hours crushing, from the plates, resulted in 6640z5. of amalgam from 337 tons of sione treated. Everything at the battery and mine is going forward as usual, There i 8 nothing fresh to report from the crosscut in No. 6. Tenders are called in this issue for 300 feet of No. 7 level.

The tunnel in the Larnach is now driven a distance of 155 feet, the last 20 feet having been in hard slate formation, and has every prospect of a reel being obtained at no great distance. His Lordship Bishop Suter, of Nelson, arrived at Lyell on Monday evening, accompanied by the Rev. T. B. Maclean, and held service in St. Matthew's Church. The Rev. T. B. Maclean conducted the service and his Lordship preached a very impressive and eloquent sermon. The attendance, owing no doubt to the cold and inclement weather, was not what might have been expected, taking into consideration the necessarily long intervals between the visits of Bishop Suter to Lyell. His Lordship left for Nelson on Tuesday morning, and held service at Fern FJat that evening.

The Rev. T. B. Maclean returned from Fern Flat on Wednesday afternoon and conducted divine service in St. Matthew's Church in the evening. The sermon was both instructive and interesting, being listened to attentively throughout. Several of our local speculators returned during the early part of the week from a visit to the Owen reefs. They speak in high terms of the prospects of the district.

The weather, at Lyell, during the week, has been bitterly cold. A slight fall of snow occurred on Tuesday morning.

It will be observed from an advertisement in another column that the Provisional Committe of the proposed Lyell Hospital, having used every endeavor in their power to carry out the desire of subscribers, find it necessary to abandon the object and hand over the rnonej now in hand to the subscribers, about <£l4o. This determination is the result of the firm opposition of the .Westport District Board to a Branch Institution at Lyell. Their action in this matter is to be reg etted from many points of view, and not the least will be contained in the fact that should Lydl at any future time improve to such an extent as to require an institution of the kind, it will be found a matter of difficulty to stir up the same enthusiasm as has been so amply and generously accorded on the present occasion,

The tributors in the United Italy, Luke Fantella and party, are now driving in Potter's level, on a small leader carrying splendid gold. This is the same leader which yielded some seven years ago 21ozs. to the ton, and was lost on that occasion at a break in the ground. This party by driving 80 feet, again met the leade-, and are now working it with similar prospects to that occasion. There are four men employed. Mining prospects on the eightmile are now looking better than for years past, and shows every indication of returning to the palmy days of the old Break o' Day and the Maruia. The Bon Accord, the next claim, eastward, to the Maruia on the Eight-mile Hill, has now two good gold-bearing leaders exposed to view. They have driven on them some distance, and have

four tons of stone out. These leaders are going towards the Maruia boundary. The country is loose and slightly jumbled up, although the stone can now be plainly

followed and has been met in several places in the tunnel. The party is known as Ritchie, Burns and company, and they confidently expect to go to the mill with a good crushing about . Christmas. At the Tyr Connell all hands are now stoping stone of excellent quality, and a crushing is expected in August. As some misapprehension seems to exist with respect to the action of our local representative in the County Council, Mr John Fennell, in connection with his advocacy at last meeting re footpaths for Lyell township, we have procured a copy of his letter sent into the Council on that occasion, from which it will be seen that his object was that every property holder so desiring should participate in the concessions prayed for: — " To the Chairman of the Buller " County Council — " Dear Sir, —I would beg to draw the attention of the Council to the want of some kind of footpaths in the Lyell township. As you are aware, the street is narrow, and there being no defined path for passengers (and children who have no place to run but in the street), it is o ten very dangerous when the coach and other vehicles are passing through. You are also aware that in that part of the township where my premises are situated the street is very narrow, and that being the low side of the street it becomes almost impassable in wet weather. I would therefore ask the Council to provide the kerbing and gravel lor this portion of the footpath, and I will undertake to find the labour and tar to make a good asphalt path, and no doubt the residents adjoining would contribute in the same way for the continuation of the path past their premises, which will be a great public convenience. Hoping the Council will see their way to vote this small expenditure. I have to remain | " Yours obediently, I "John Fennell.''

An important discovery was made at the Eight-mile in the Maruia company's ground on Thursday afternoon. On their western boundary, close to the Italy ground a leader was found on the surface, about two inches in thickness showing gold plainly. The leader strikes south and dips to the westward into the Italy ground. The determination is to drive a level from the road through the Italy ground having obtained permisssion from that company. It is expected that 60 feet of driving will cut the leader in their own ground. The The Maruia is a private company worked by Hart, M'Cioy, and party, and consists of six shareholders. They have been prospecting this ground since last crushing (January) without return, and their success on the present occasion is well deserved. A new element has sprung up lately in that usually quiet locatity, Fern Flat, Central Buller. We allude to the existence of a band of larrikins, who for the want of something belter to do, find amusement in prowling about playing practical jokes, and heretofore have avoided detection. On'last Sunday night, however, Mr J imes Hart's drapery van was left by Mr Karsten, the driver, at the usual turnout close to the Fern Flat Hotel. Shortly after nightfall, Mr Karsten, hearing a noise came out to see that his vehicle was all right, when he discovered it had been draggel some chains up the road and tumbled bodily over the terrace, smashing in the top and destroy ing a large quantity of drapery stored thereiu. The culprits were almost caught in the act, and no doubt if the matter is i not settled will form the subject of an i action in our local law court. Mr Arthur Rowe, of Murchison, some time ago erected a wire suspension bridge across the Matakitaki river, for the convenience of foot passengers visiting that township. It consists of two spans, the larger one of which was washed away by a flood some little time ago. Mr Rowe has re-erected the structure entirely at his own expense, for which service to the public he was promised a reward in the shape of a bonus of JO2O per annum from the Inangahua County Council. After receiving a few instalments this subsidy was suddenly withheld, for what reason we are at a loss to fathom. This bridge has proved of inestimable value to pedestrians during floods, and we think the action of the Council is paltry in the extreme. Mr Rowe is one of our earliest pioneers; he has grown old in the service of the public, and has not amassed a fortune, so we think for the matter of a small amount of J620 a-year the money would be well spent in maintaining the bridge in question m repair. Mr Joseph Barkley, draper, Palrnerston street, Westport, announces in this issue (Ist page) an immense clearing sale of cheap drapery goods. The system of a liberal discount of 4s in the pound to cash purchasers, on an already low price list, should prove a strong inducement. Muncaster, Jeweller, of Nelson, announces a clearing sale of all the leading lines in jewellery. A speciality is offered in cheap lever watches. The ad. appears on Ist page.