HAVELOCK.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 198, 9 October 1869, Page 5

HAVELOCK.

(From our Own Reporter.) We paid a visit to Havelock a few days ago on business connected with this journal. Being the first time we had passed through the Kaituna Talley, we were gratified to find the road somewhat better than we expected, but yet shocking bad, deep mudholes frequent, and bad enough for a horseman, to say nothing of drays, although some have used it. Some project must be attempted in the next Council for increasing the facility of tx-avellxng by this important trunk road. Nelson, Havelock, and Blenheim will soon be placed in direct communication by its means, and travelling by it more common, when the mailman resumes his duties. A great quantity of really good land covered with valuable timber, lies along the roadside, inviting settlement, and will sooner or later be covered with smiling fax-ins. Five xxxilesthis side of Havelock ax-e Fai-nall’s mills, but we had no opportunity of seeing them. The Kaituna river did not come up to our expectation, and is but a small stream. The bridges seemed to be all in good ordei-. Three miles further on is a small village springing up around the mill recently erected by Mr. Brownlie, which, when finished, will be superior at least in magnitude, to anything in the Province. Maclxinexy of an entirely new construction is being erected, including a pair of large circular saws, one of which is placed exactly above the other, but slightly in advance—a xxew’system in lieu of vertical saws for the purpose of “ breaking down” the logs, after which other circular saws divide the sections into boards. A pair of lax-ge horizontal engines supply the motive power, and it is expected tlx at the weekly produce of these mills will be about 40,000 feet. A tramway two miles long, and very substantially built for conveying logs to the mill, and timber to the punts on the Kaituna for Havelock. The town is situate on the Pelorus Sound, and is suri-ounded by high hills, covex-ed largely with tirabei', except on the westex-n side of the town. The houses ax-e somewhat numex-ous, and the people looked prosperous and thriving. It contains at px-esent a schoolhouse, Catholic Chapel, a saw-mill of considerable dimensions, belonging to the trustees of the late firm of Denham and Co., now being wox-ked by Mx-. Wells; thex-e is also a Custom House, which serves as the Post and Telegraph offices. The Police Court is a mean looking room about 10ft. square, in a cottage, and is, we believe, devoid of furniture, except what is borrowed for the puxpose. On Monday last, three cases wex-e Ixeax-d, which occupied the whole day, and began a second. Both our Blenheim lawyers were engaged in these, but the only one of moment was an information by the master of a ketch trading between Havelock and Nelson, named Windover, against Mx-. Wells, of the saw-mill, for selling less than two gallons of spix-its, contrary to the Licensing Act. Mr. Pitt x-epx-esented the informant, and produced an account, in which but one gallon was charged. Mr-. Nelson exex-ted his utmost powers of eloquence on the other side, and urged that the evidence was not reliable. The case was closed by the infliction of a fine of £SO on the defendant. The other two cases were against Windover for debts due to Wells, and to Denham’s trustees, wherein judgments were given for the plaintiff for full amount and costs in both instances.

About <£l2o has been subscribed towards the erection of a place of worship in connection with the JSnglish. .Church. Some valuable flax land on the Pelorus side of the town has been taken by a gentleman from Blenheim, and great hopes are entertained of the enterprise. The Havelock residents are proposing to establish a Board of works there, but some hitch prevents them from at present carrying the design into execution, although the Act requisite was passed several months ago. We were informed that letters had been written to Nelson to ascertain how it was to be brought into force. A tew miles distant is the celebrated Wakamarina Goldfield, respecting which, we learned that many

men are still getting gold in payable quantities, but their great difficulty was the want of roads. At Mountain Camp Creek Mr. Levien’s party have got a terrace, containing I] acres, from which great things ai'e expected shortly. The next claim is occupied by three Blenheim men, Venimore, Sweeney, and Beamsley, who have; just completed a race, after several months’ hard labor, and have every probability of gold immediately. As soon as the new saw-mill of Mr. Brownlie is completed, which will be in ten days or a fortnight, it is expected that Havelock will be considerably improved, and all the available labor fully employed. It is supposed from the quantity of timber land this enterprising gentleman has secured, it will be about ten years before it will be worked out.

On our return we called at the Kaituna Flax Mills, which we found in full operation. Since our last visit, several improvements have been made. A simple apparatus has been contrived for washing. In a trough connected with the fiuming, about 14ft. long, Ift, wide, and some 8 inches high at sides, three pairs of pegs are placed ; after soaking, the flax-hank is placed round one of the pegs, and removed as the rest get filled, while the water washes out the gum. Messrs. Sinclair and Logan have tilled tMlFpremises ’ with" the produce of their industry, and have begun to press it into bales in readiness for export. They state that there is not " any perceptible diminution in the amount of flax growing around them, as it shoots up again so quickly. They have also opened an evening jgpfiQnl fax- the lads employed in the mill. We are Mr. Gibson 'afitk Mr. M. Maher have a considerable amount of flax land still to dispose of, and as it might be of service to some of our friends, we give the statement publicity. There are splendid places for obtaining water power in the neighborhood.