THE WAKAMARINA GOLDFIELDS.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 124, 28 May 1880, Page 3

THE WAKAMARINA GOLDFIELDS.

( From our 0 \vu Correspondent. } Deep Creek, May 23. The Company formtd for working the gorge claim lias got its machinery from Wellington on the way, and will soon he in active operation. The claim -is ■situated at the mouth of the Deep Creek, at the point where it empties itself through a deep gorge into the Wakaniari'na river, and where’, some years ago, a large quantity of the precious metal was obtained. The prospects of the Company appear to bo most encouraging, and great credit is due to Mr Crichton, of the firm of Brownlee and Co., of Havelock, and to Mr Moeller, of this place, for the manner in which they have held to this claim, and endeavored to promote its further developemont. All the miners here heartily wish them -success. This claim will be.worked with pressure cylinders,' and with all the latest appliances. George Edwards, a miner, had a narrow escape Fast week by a tree falling close to him whilst lie was at work, trying a prospect. He saw the tree was atyout to fall, and ran for it, leaving his disli, which was smashed to pieces. The Dead Horse Terrace claim, where the unfortunate men Edwards and Pike were killed, some months ago, is now being worked by Messrs Brown, Thomson, and party, who were in it at the time of the accident. They have succeeded in securing the ground, and have good hopes of its paying them. A wedding took place here to-day, when Mr Robert Nesbit, of Havelock, was married to Miss Isabella Dimante, daughter of Mr Chas. Dimante, storekeeper, of tins place.. The yomig couple carry with them the good wishes of all their numerous friends. Peter Smith, miner, who recently met with an accident by a boulder falling on hi 3 ankle, has now so far recovered as to be able to resume work on liis claim, after being laid up for some time in the Picton Hospital. Shares, I hear, are going off well here 111 Oliver and Co.’s sluicing claim. The. toad is ! now formed from Canvass Town to Ahern’s,- hut it will be of very little present use. to .the diggers Imre unless is carried up to-Deep Creek, a distance of about three miles. , -

OPENING OF THE BATLWAY ; . , s --.- INTO'BLENHEIM. ( -.■ ■* - As announced in our last issue the auspicious event of the opening ;of The railway from P-ieton into the town 'of Blenheim! took) place on -Monday last without.any ceremony. The Mayor.and. Corporation of Blenheim, however,, determined- to do I something 1 in h'onor- of the occasion, and l accordingly invited the Mayor and Corpor-

r.tioji of Pic ton to a luncheon wnich toox place at the Club Hotel on i'uesday. ami was got up in a manner which reflected the utmost credit on the resource:? of_ that establishment. Shortly after one o clock the guests assembled. There were present the Mayor and all the Corporation of Blenheim. Mr .John T. Robinson (the a own Clerk), tiie Mayor of Picton, Councillors Thompson, Swan wick, I!. C. Seymour and Niehoils, and Mr Seymour, M.li.lt. for M'airan. The chair was taken by the Mayor of Blenheim (Mr Farmav.)

Full justice having been done to the luncheon the following toasts were proposed :—“ The Queen and ]loyal Family.” The Chairman then proposed the health of the Mayor and Borough Council oi l’icton. saying they were all gentlemen who were very well known and anything that he could say would fall very short ol what they deserved. The present Mayor of Picton (Mr Williams) had long enjoyed the confidence of the burgesses whom he had represented ever since the establishment of the Municipal Corporations Act, and the other Councillors were well known and esteemed settlers in the district. 1 hey had met together to-day to celebrate the opening of "the railway from Picton into the town of Blenheim, ami the two places were now connected by bands of iron and lie hoped would be found working together for their mutual benefit and for the good of the public. Although the line had been open for four years to the Opawa it had been felt to be a great drawback and inconvenience that it had not been opened into the town until the other day. This was the completion of the Northern portion of the main trunk line connecting the South of this Island with the Northern harbor of Picton, which, in his opinion, ought to have been one of the first lines constructed under the Public Works scheme, and have brought Picton into daily communication by water with "Wellington. He congratulated them upon the completion of this section of the line and hoped shortly to see it carried on to the Awetere.

The Mayor of Picton (Mr Williams) responded to the toast saying he hardly knew how to express his thanks for the kind manner in which they had drank his health and that of his brother. Councillors, lint lie should have great pleasure in conveying to the burgesses of Picton a sense .of the° handsome and friendly manner in which the Blenheim Borough Council had received them. The extension "of the line into "Blenheim would not have been accomplished but for the prompt action taken by the Corporation of Blenheim and the manner in which Mr Fell and other members of a deputation which waited upon Mr Macandrew, then Minister of Public Works, pressed the question upon him. When driven into a corner he (Macandrew) said the matter was shelved and he did not intend to go on with the battle, for lie found that the extension of lines into towns meant simply enhancing the price of land and enabling the owners to come upon the Government for large compensation. The deputation, however, did its duty and the Minister had to give way. The work was now so far completed that the line was opened into the town, and this was a step in the right direction, but he hoped to see it carried farther, and thatthev would soon meet a vain to celebrate the opening of the line to the Awatere. Picton and Blenheim, now that they were brought more closely together would, he had no doubt, work cordially together for their mutual benefit. There were great mineral resources in the district which wore not yet developed. It was true that much money had been spent in labor in the coal-fields, as yet miproductively, but it was well known that coal did exist and something more should be done to see what lay beneath. He understood that Dr Hector had imported a Californian diamond drill, and lie thought it would be well if our members could ascertain on what terms this drill could be. obtained for- testing the coal in the valley. All should work together to devclopc the resources of the district in which we live. Agriculture and farming were interests which were looked after but the great mineral resources of the district appeared to.be neglected. He felt certain that wc were in the midst of great but undeveloped'mineral wealth which would some day be brought to light. In gold they had good prospects and a recent return from .Jackson's Head of 1 “20 ozs. was very satisfactory. The prosperity of Blenheim and Pictoii were almost identical : when one had reason to complain so had the other, and when one rejoiced, so might the other. He hoped there was before them both a long time of rejoicing. He thanked them again most heartily for the cordial manner 9 iu which the toast had been drunk and hedged to propose the health of the Mayor and Corporation of Blenheim. It was unnecessary for him to say anything as to the esteem and respect in which they were held. They were well"known to each other as old settlers and friends. He felt deeply sensible of the kindness and good feeling shown by them this day in the manner in which they had entertained their guests, which he felt sure would be regarded as a day long to he remembered by all present. ’"With the health of the Mayor and Corporation of Blenheim lie begged to couple the name of Mr John Tucker Robinson, the Town Clerk, whom he had known long as a personal friend, and regarded him as a man possessing as much brains and ability as any man in New Zealand. The Mayor (Mr Farmar) returned thanks for the very handsome manner in which the toast had been received, and said although this was the first occasion on which they had met together in this way he hoped it would not bo the last.

The Mayor next proposed'the health of Mr Seymour, M.H.R., and Captain Kenny, M.H.R., the members for Waiiau ami Pieton districts, saying they were both well known and had long enjoyed the confidence of the electors. To the efforts of their members they were very much indebted, and he doubted if, without their assistance, they would have been here to-day to celebrate the opening of the line into Blenheim. Mr Seymour, who, on rising to respond to the toast was received with cheers, said as time was running on fast, lie would not detain them by making a long speech. He thanked them'heartily for the kind manner in which they had drunk the health of himself and liis colleague Capt. Kenny. He did not deserve all the praise and credit that had been bestowed upon him, except so far as he had done his duty. For many years this railway had engrossed his attention, and he had devoted his best energies to it. In ISGI the Province had tried to get this line made, and a Loan Bill was brought forward for the purpose, but the Government of the day was not favorable to the scheme, and advised that the Queen’s assent should not be given to it. In those days it was necessary that ' thi3 assent should be given to a Loan Bill, and the mat ter'fell through, but'it was not lost Sight of. When he whs Superintendent, and consequently i n a better position to. devote his energies to the work, with a prospect of success he again did all he could to get the work- proceeded with, but notwithstanding this, it was only now that Picton and Blenheim were united together by a band of “iron. He apologised for the absence of Captain, the member for Picton, who, both m

the House and out. of it, had always united ! with him for the benefit of Marlborough. He (Mr Seymour) felf sure that Captain Kenny would have been glad to have been present on this occasion, and he could only account for absence in the fiaet that lie lived some miles down the Sound, and owing to tiie bad weather had not sent to Picton for his letters, and therefore the in vitation from the Mayor and Corporation of lUouheimhad not reached him. He himself had only received his on the previous evening. As recorded the political aspect of allairs, and in yj'-w of the fact that the next session of Parliament was close at hand, he might take opportunity of stating lift should nave addressed his constituents, blithe ..nought as he had bcenbeforc them so lately, when ad questions likely to he brought forward were discussed, and argued in all shapes, , and when what he had shadowed forth as lively to take place, had been fulfilled, it was unnecessary to call the electors togetnci. Wl ieu he last addressed them he told them that the Party with which _he v.-as allied, would come into power The Grey party liml askc<l for a dissolution, which was granted. He had said that >ir_ George Urey"must he leader either of the Government or Opposition. Jhe Grey paity deposed him as their leader and the party fell to pieces. lie believed he had fulhlled all the pledges he had given, and with reward to the railway extension, lie had m Ins possession a letter from the Minister stating that ho had given instructions for the survey of the line to the Awatere, to be proceeded with, and a formation contract to the extent of the vote of last session he called for as soon as the survey was completed. The survey, he understood, was completed, and they might confidently expect to sec tenders called for shortly foi the formation contract to the extent of the vote. The vote was T 10,000, the contract, therefore, would not be a large one, but it was an earnest that the Government intended to carry out its promises. The Premier said in his recent speech to his constituents that his Government would “do’ and not “talk,” without doing as the late Government had done. The. Grey Government promised, but did not perform. Ihe Triennial Parliament Bill _ introduced by them was an instance of this. It bait been found that their Bill, which was supposed to give Triennial Parliaments, provided for the continuance of the existence of the Parliament for five years, and then tiie three years was to come in. The present Government did bring in a Bill and got_it passed, which provided really for Triennial Parliaments. The ensuing session would be a most important one. The finances of the Colony were in a very unsatisfactory state, and would have to be placed on a better footing, and all loan accounts should be separated, and not mixed up with cuiieiit le- : venue and expenditure, as had been the ; nr act ice. B hen this was uouc they could go into tiie mariict and raise loans on satisfactory terms, and already the credit of the Colony had been vciy much improved by tiie action of the present Government in the matter, and the statement of the treasurer that ordinary expenditure should he met out of ordinary revenue. The subject of Taxation was always an unpleasant one, one, but he believed it would be the policy of this Government in imposing it to make it fall on the shoulders of those best able to bear it. In reference to the extension of the railway into Blenheim, it was a very mistaken notion that it was due to the Grey Government, for such was not the case ; it was due to a deputation from Blenheim, Picton and Marlboro’-town, whichwaitcd on Mr Macandrew, and pressed it upon him. He never, would have consented to the work being done unless he had been driven into a corner. He said he did not want any money spent on public work's in Blenheim for the next five years, and his great scheme of public works provided nothing for this district. , Cr Rogers proposed the “ Railway Authorities,” coupling with the toast the name of Mr IT. C. Seymour, the Traffic Manager, who ho said was a most able and industrious official, and would leave undone, not only for the financial success of the line, but for the public convenience. Mr H. C. Seymour said he felt very much obliged for the manner in whicn they had drunk his health. So far as the Traffic Managership was concerned, he had only held that appointment for the past three months. He congratulated them upon the opening of the line into Blenheim, which would°be a great convenience, and if the general public patronised it properly it would soon pay a good round dividend, and if this was the case they would not have long to wait for the extension to the Awatere. He hoped at the end of the year to lie able to send in satisfactory returns of the traffic, and to give a good account of himself.

Ur Fell proposed the “ Town and Trade of Picton,” saying he felt glad to have this toast placed in his bauds. There had formerly been more political than _ trade rivalry between the two places, and it was due to the good sense of the people of both, seeing that two suns could not shine in the same hemisphere, that this feeling to a great extent had ceased to exist. Now that the line had been opened through to Blenheim be believed their trade and commerce would be'increased to a large extent, lie believed some people considered him an enemy of the railway, but that was not so, and there was no reason for any antagonistic feeling between Picton and Blenheim beyond that healthy rivalry which was good for the public. In time to come Picton would be the port for Blenheim, but he did not think that time would come yet, but some day it would be, as surely as that the sun would shine. Formerly he thought Port Underwood would be the port of the future for this district, but he did not think so now. A visit to the spot convinced him that it would he many a long day before a railway was carried there. He believed the extension of the railway to the Awatere would do more for the benefit of Picton and Blenheim than anything else and would cause an increase of agricultural settlement. The trade between the Wairau would, lie thought, continue to be done by the river, but all outside would go by way of Picton. The river did not look upon; the railway as a rival. 1 ic. as a trailer, desired to make money, and if be thought he could do better by going to Picton he should pack up and go there. He asked them all to drink success to the town and trade of Picton, calling upon Or Thompson to respond. Ur Thompson said he wished the toast had been placed in abler hands, for lie felt lie was unable to do justice to it. Picton was a small place at present but it had been blessed by Nature with a splendid harbor, and he believed the time was not far distant when ships from England and from foreign ports would come direct to Picton and when Mr Fell and , other merchants would be able to’have their imports sent there without transhipment, or through Wellington. He entertained- a high respect for Mr Fell, whom he had known a long time. He was glad to be able to say that the.’ trade of Picton was improving. Timber was keepihg'up in price, and then there was the fisheries, .which he beliey ed would become great. sources of wealth. Picton, he believed, would be to Blenheim what Lyttelton: .was to‘Christchurch. It would ultimately, lie believed, be a very

Urich- mining district, ami ns regardI facilities as a harbor Picton was uneq’' • The gri-'dt commercial city of Now . was built on ill! island and luul no natural advantages as > mton. yet ” vast ami wealthy centre of popa -i has become. B it-h a judicious o capital he believed this district become in a few years one of tiie in porous portions of New Zealand. It being now nearly 4 o'clock, at w u - hour the guests from Picton propose return home, the proceedings were bn>" _ to a close by three cheers being given ri-lit good will for tiie Mayor and < m low of Picton who returned the compliment no less heartily. A move was then made to the station and :l few mmutes alter 4 o’clock the train took away the guests amid renewed cheering.