THE WEST TAIERI.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 63, 5 December 1863, Page 6

THE WEST TAIERI.

The correspondent of the Daily Telegraph of the Ist inst., says:— We have had two rushes thi3 week, one about three miles from here, on the draytrack towards Dunedin, and the other about fifteen miles distant, and situate upon M'Gregoi's run. I have visited them both. The first-mentioned was of very short duration, not existing more than twenty-four hours, at the end of which period a unanimous verdict pronounced it an unmitigated " duffer." The more distant one met with almost as untimely an end, but as there are several other gullies in the neighborhood, all of which I visited, I will now describe as accurately as I can the information I obtained concerning them during my journey, and may commence ly stating that after a travel of about four miles from Hindon, in a north-easterly direction, over a country not particularly felicitous for the level nature of its land, I found myself at a crossing place of the Taieri, where two boatmen were plying their avocation in rightdown good earnest. I learned that about 300 miners had crossed the day previous, together with about fifteen pack horses ; and that about a hundred more had gone on some hours before my arrival. This information determined your correspondent to have ocular demonstration of what was doing at the rush; he therefore crossed over to the Three o'Clock Creek, and ascended a very steep and precipitous mouutain, being in danger at almost every step of breaking your legs, or perchance your neck. About two miles from the summit of the rise. I came upon what is called Tucker gully; a great number of holes had been sunk here, but with little or no success, and the diggers had moved further on, with the exception of some six or seven, who intended taking their departure forthwith. Some two miles further on, I was pointed out Duifer gully ; a great amount of labor had been expended in tbis place, but, as its name denotes, without the slightest recompense. Alter another travel of about three miles, Pennyweight gully opens upon you in all its glory. This is certainly a very likely looking spot, but some fifty or sixty holes had been sunk, and strange to say, only one pennyweight was obtained from the whole. This gully is now desertud, and 1 fear there is not much chance of beiug again tried. Another mile and I was at " Blindman's Gully," a few parties were at work here, but doing nothing of any consequence. After a stretch of about three miles, 1 found myself at the end of my journey, upon what is known as the Fifteen Mile Bush. It is situated in a Gully about three miles in length, and about six miles from the Blueskin road, by which route provisions could easily be brought to the place. There would be a fine scope for a large body of miners at this place, if there was anything encouraging found; but 1 regret to state that such unfortunately is not the case. The prospectors obtained a few pennyweights, but after that could not get the color, and they have since abandoned the claim. A great number of holes had been bottomed, all with the same result; and the miners are again on the scarcely knowing which direction to steer, but very few return to Hindon. They are scattering out in all directions; but from what 1 can learn the majority are making towards Moeraki, so that a decided rush is likely to set in for that place. I have since visited Blackman's, Sailor's, Nicol's, Frazer's, and Mullochy Gullies, and find that the population in the whole of them has materially diminished; and the few that remain do not appear to work with that energy that was displayed on my former visit. I believe that one party has applied for protection for a race in Blackman's Gully, and that they intend carrying on extensive operations uuring the next few months. I was also told that Moses Lee and party had obtained a very good prospect from a paddock sunk on one of the spurs of this gully. The depth of sinking is 22 feet, through what they consider a false bottom. The storekeepers and hotelkeepers do not take the interest I expected in the testing of the spurs and the quartz reefs of the place. I have spoken to a great many upon the subject, but the ah appear disheartened, or fancy they have already spent too much money.

SOUTHLAND. The first sod of the Southland Great Northern Railway was turned on the 25th ult. with great eclat. The Newt says : The spot selected for the performance of the ceremony was on the reserve in the rear of the Provincial Government buildings, generally known as the Esplanade, and was one of the best that could have been chosen—affording, as it did, ample opportunity for all the spectators to witness what went forward. Shortly before 1 o'clock, the Deputy-Superintendent, Nathaniel Chalmers, Esq., (upon whom this duty devolved, in the absence of Dr. Menzies), accompanied by all the leading officials and inhabitants of the town, proceeded to the chosen ground, of which, with all the gay crowd, we have no doubt that those clever photographers, Messrs Price, will in a day or two present us with a pleasing picture. All preliminaries being arranged, Mr Chalmers took the spade (handed to him by Mr Davies, the contractor for the line), and with an energy which won the approbation of the stalwart "navvies," who stood looking on, waiting to commence work in earnest, turned sod alter sod into the handsome wheelbarrow, which had been specially manufactured of native wood by Mr

Maddeiij and which furnished a very creditable specimen of hii skill as a handicraftsman* the wheel was brass, and very well turned. Having well filled the barrow, Mr Chalmers duly wheeled it down the planks, and deposited its load at the appointed place, amidst loud cheers. Then followed one or two amusing incidents. A wellknown legal gentleman, not long since from Taranaki, essayed his hand at sod turning, and having filled the barrow was loudly cheered, but also reminded that he must " pay his footing." This he did with very good grace; and his example was followed by two other patriotic individuals. The .Railway Ball proved the most brilliant affair on record in the annals of the Province. We should scarcely have imagined such an Arabian Nights' scene could have been by any possibility realised in our usually quiet and mat-ter-of-fact town. The bright complexions and brighter eyes of the ladies, with their costumes in competition with both, lent a fairy charm scarcely diminished by the inevitable black dress of the gentlemen, who reminded us very much of a number of crows in a tulip bed. Everyone appeared to enjoy the gaieties of the occasion. The excellent catering left nothing to be desired in the way of supper-table delicacies, and dancing was kept up until a comparatively early hour the next morning.

A very exciting chase occurred yesterday in Tay-street. A runaway horse, without saddle or bridle, was pursued by a mounted horseman, who seemed to consider the capture of first importance, and the safety of the lives and limbs of her Majesty's lieges a mere secondary consideration. We observed the daring (?) rider afterwards leading the runaway with much deliberation in the direction of the Court House, but whether any of our police force were in waiting for the offender is more than we have discovered. There was a time when stockriding in all its branches might have been practised with impunity in "our village," but it is past, and those who would practise feats in the "noble art" must resort elsewhere than the crowded streets of our now populous town. Considerable activity is being displayed in the prosecution of improvements in minor streets of the town j draius are being covered in, pathways brought to their permanent level, &c, &c. \ but amid all this, Die-street, perhaps the most important and busy of the various thoroughfares, remains as neglected as when fathoms of seemingly . opeless mud entrapped the unwary pedestrian. The great road-maker, sunshine, has temporarily given us a sound surface, but all the conditions which led to the old and almost impassable state remain. A few days' rain and the level and undrained surface will become once more a lively bog, defying the efforts of despairing contractors.