HAVELOCK.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume I, Issue 90, 30 January 1880, Page 3

HAVELOCK.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

January 27. It has been pointed out more than once in your journal that the present mail service between Blenheim and Havelock is very unsatisfactory. There is another matter in connexion with postal arrangements in this district about which people complain. Formerly there was an overland mail between Havelock and Nelson, which was a great convenience, and afforded means of communication to places now left isolated altogether. This mail service was subsidised By Government to the extent of LIOO a year, and the work was well and regularly performed. There is now no mail carried westward of the Wakamarina. This is hardly progressive policy, and it is not surprising that people are dissatisfied. One cannot help thinking that if the leading settlers of the locality represented mattersina proper way to the Postmaster General, that the Minister would have the matter enquired into. The withdrawal of this small subsidy of LIOO a year for the Nelson overland mail eertainly looks like false economy. It is possible that public attention being drawn to the matter in the columns of the Press may have some good effect, but those who are the direct sufferers should stir in the matter themselves; simply grumbling about it will not effect a reform.

I referred in my last letter to the bridge about to be erected across the Wakamarina river at Canvas Town. I have not seen the plan (which, I am informed, is in the engineer’s office at Nelson), but the Inspector of the work, Mr Salmon, showed me the site and explained the kind of structure this is to be. If I understand him rightly it will be a timber truss bridge of three spans, one of 80 feet and two of 20 feet each ; the floor will be about 25 feet above the river bed and several feet above the highest water line. It will be 18 feet wide so that two carts can pass over it at one time, n desideratum in every traffic bridge which the powers that be (or rather the powers that were) appear to have forgotten in the matter of the Opawa bridge at Blenheim.

Since sending my last letter to you, I have paid a visit to the Wakamarina gold field, a locality with which I was previously unacquainted, and as such is probably the case with many of your readers, it may not he out of place to give you a brief description of the place. To the “old hands” this is familiar ground, for it has been a goldfield for the last 15 years, and although present results have not fulfilled its early promises, sufficient gold has been obtained to prove unmistakeably the precious metal exists in quantities which, if the- country were worked with science and capital, instead of, as now, by a me.re handful of diggers—not exceeding 100 in number—would in all probability be remunerative, After leaving the main road at Canvas Town, the track to Deep Creek which may he regarded as the centre of the diggings is carried along the narrow valley through which the Wakamarina river runs to its junction with the Pelorus. On either side are steen hills covered with timber, principally birch and rimu, some of the latter of good size but the majority 'apparently small. The track is at present rough and and harrow, and available only for foot passengers and horse traffic but a road is being cleared for cart traffic, following the same line aS near as possible but with easier grades. The distance from Canvas Town by this route, which is the only available oue, is about six miles. As the rider proceeds along thettack he passses a few clearings, the iargest one being that of Mr Ahern, who has several acres of land under crop. A little further on Mountain Camp Creek is crossed. This creek runs through a valley well timbered with rimu, matai, and tvhite pine along the slopes of the hills which are rather steapHere there are the remains of old workings Which have been abandoned, and the signs of much labor having been done in times past. A water lace is hare carried at a considerable elevation over the road and for two or three miles this race follows the track, Abandoned flumes, shafts, and tunnels may here be seen in abundance, hut there is little or n 6 work going on at the present time. There is a party Working on the hill at Deep Creek, and one or two more at the river below, and at the Forks about six miles further on a party of four are prosecuting hydraulic works of considerable magnitude. They have lately finished making a Water race which has taken them 12 months to complete, by which they utilize the Doom Creek. It is old ground on which they are at work an<l their prospects are considered good. It is quite obvious that there is neither sufficient money nor sufficient hands now on the ground to develop its resources, and there does not appear anything to warrant a rush to the locality. The appearance however of the district is such that, in addition to knowing how rich in places the rina has been in former days, it is no very violent presumption to anticipate, .that- science, labor, and capital will, pome day restore the former reputation pi this goldfield, if not altogether eclipse it. The township, if so it may be called, of Deep Creek presents the appearance of a place that has seen better days. It is pleasantly situated on an open piece of ground at a considerable elevation above the river and commanding a view to the southward of the precipitous hills beyond the Forks forming the lower part of the great dividing range between the Pelorus and Wairan valleys. There are about a score of wooden houses dotted about, all bearing the appearance of having been built some years ago, and having gardens and small paddocks attached. Centrally situated is a building now falling to decay, which was formerly used as a Court House and Police Court in the days when there was a resident Warden to administer justice to a miscellaneouspopulation of 2000 or more. The few residents left appear to live comfortably, and it may be worth mention that one

family—named Morgan—have lived on the spot for the last fifteen years, ever since the discovery of gold in the locality. The place is a’picturesque and interesting one, and should any tourist who has not yet explored the neighborhood feel disposed to pay it a visit, I think he will not be disappointed, and it may not be out of place to mention that excellent accommodation can be found at Mr Wilson's Hotel, at Canvass Town; or indeed, if the party be not too numerous, on the field itself, at Mr Morgan’s and elsewhere. Better quarters than a friend and myself found there last Sunday it would be difficult to find in any part of the bush. The residents say they are not often honored with the visits of strangers, of whom they would be glad to see more. I cannot help thinking that the place deserves more attention than it is receiving just now from the public, although, as I have before said, any thing like a rush is to be deprecated. Whilst on the subject I may mention, that indications of gold and specs of it have been found lately, as well as in times gone by, in the creeks running into the Pelorus from the range commencing at Havelock, and cut in two by the Wakamarina near Mountain Camp. One gentleman, at the time I write, on whose land some of these specß have been found, iB prospecting one of these creeks, and has erected a "tail race” in order to test some stuff obtained by sinking. In the creek referred to, trout placed there by the Acclimatisation Society have been seen lately, alive and grown to a good size. The creelca in the locality seem well adapted tor the purpose, and unless I am greatly mistaken, the Pelorus will some day be oue of the finestsalmon rivers in the Colony. Whilst in Havelock I met a gentleman who had travelled, on horseback incompany with two ladies from Nelson by way of the Rai Valley, on which road great improvements have been made. The party made the journey without difficulty, in between 10 and 11 hours. This route is much longer than that by way of the Moketapu, but. i» better road. My informant says the road through the “ Happy Valley ” ia very good, but on coming to the Wangamoa \ alley, more is required to be done. From that Valley to the Saddle there is a good road, and along the Rai Valley a good bridle track has been formed to the junction with the main road from Havelock at Cooper’s. Along the line of route there is an almost unlimited supply of fine timber, which will be reached ultimately by the Pelorus tramway, now partially completed, but at present at a standstill in consequence of some matter* being disputed between the parties concerned. This tramway so far as it is made Is a most substantial affair, and could be convored at a little or no expense into a railway, —in every ways as good as the Picton to Blenheim line. It will also be easily connected with the eight miles of tram way, also of a most substantial kind, winch runs south of Havelock into theKaituna Valley for about eight miles. There would then be some 20 miles of railway along the main line of route from the Wairau to Nelson. Two of the great guns of the Police Department have been on a visit hero within the past few days,—Mr Commissioner Weldon and Mr Inspector Smith. The visit was an official one. The Commissioner, I hear, was “interviewed" on matters connected with the department in this locality, with what result I atn unable to aay. Mr Maudslev, the Manager of the New Zealand Bank here, has obtaiued a welleatrted holiday of six weeks, and will be succeeded, I understand, temporarily by Mt 1 Grlbble from Blenheim.