NASEBY AND THE HOGBURN DISTRICT.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 131, 1 September 1871, Page 5

NASEBY AND THE HOGBURN DISTRICT.

(To the Editor of the Mount Ida Chbonicze.)

Sir, —Raving, during my peregrinations in various countries, extending over a period of upwards of forty years, been in the habit of noting and weighing passing events, and the nature and prospects of places, perhaps some of your distant as well as local readers might wade through a letter containing some impressions and suggestions after a few days' residence amongst you ; and if the suggestions should eventuate in any good to the district, you and I would each be rewarded by the satisfaction we should experience. First, as regards the town of Naseby, it wears an air of stability rarely found on Groldfields —everything denoting the existence of the fullest confidence in the future. Hotel accommodation is rather superabundant, some possessing excellent accommodation for official and commercial travellers, &c, while the scale lowers to such a degree that some might be very well dispensed with. Well-filled stores supply every requisite, some of them containing supplies that would sustain the population for months, should the roads become impassable ; while nearly every tiade is well represented, and most ol them well supplied with materials. The butchers' shops exhibit me it, in quantity equal to any city shops in New Zealand, while the quality much exceeds any to be obtained at the latter places. A local brewery turns out beer to equal any in the country ; a number of dairymen keep the population well supplied with milk ; while John Chinaman and other market gardeners supply vegetables in season. There are two (Churches, two Banks, Resident Magis-

Urate's Court, Telegraph and Post Offices, School House, large Freemasons' Hall, your own (very useful) Printing Office, &c. ; and amongst the residents are some clever gentlemen of large experience as Mining and General Goldfields Agents; a Barrister and Solicitor (recently settled); and amongst the most important (where accidents are unavoidably frequent) there is a clever ex-Navy Surgical and Medical Practitioner. Indeed, the population "seems to combine almost every link in the chain of human usefulness, and in spite of the dullness occasioned by the lack of water during the past few months, the town is evidently making good strides in improvement, both in extent and appearance. I notice one want—that of a brick and tile yard. Brick chimneys would soou replace iron ones, being more comfortable and safe, and calculated to reduce the cost of insurance, while, in a climate subject to much frost, snow, and cutting winds, the practice of " brick-nogging " houses would soon become general, and roofing tiles would soon supersede iron; but another important production of such an establishment would be drainage, or sewerage, pipes of various sizes, which would soon come into use in various ways.

With respect to the digging community, they appear of a more settled character than it has been my lot to witness elsewhere. Nearly, if not all, have established themselves in comfortable homester ds, the majority havino- _ cultivations attached theieto, and evincjing none of that migrat. ry disposition bsual amongst gold-diggers, and on all liands you hear that nothing but a steady supply of water is requisite to render JNaseby happy and glurious.

Despite the dullness occasioned by the want of rain or.snow for some months past, the tradesmen continue to supply goods freely, and contentment reigns to a larger extent than L have witnessed anywhere else.

The ground does not appear to be rich—that is, no great finds are made. —but it seems to yield from 50s. to several pounds per week per man when not lacking water, and it occurs to the writer that a little capital invested in machinery, to raise water from streams below the levil of portions of this field, would well repay the capitalist, and be a general boon. I also imagine that by forming a series of dams below the township for the water to settle in, the use of similar machinery to raise it, and a little fluming to convey it back to the claims, the same water might be used two or three times. And it is admitted on all hands that many thousands of acres can be worked with results equal to the past and present claims, provided the water can be secured. Thus, to invest in such manner would, without doubt, prove advantageous to either a capitalist individually, or a company. However, while this scrawl is being penned, a continuous heavy fall of snow has cheered up all hands, and though shut out from the world around by the breaking of the telegraph wire and the mail coach being unable to travel, all is gladness ; and old and young are playing a game at snowballing, which reminds old men of happy days at home. There is one want about the district which forcibly strikes a newcomer, both as respects the appearance of the district and the com ort and lasting progress of it—i.e., the want of wood for ornamental and useful purposes, scarcely a vestige being visible beyond a few fruit trees and shruos recently planted. A few months ago the subject of planting large areas with forest trees was promulgated by the Government, and the ' Otago Daily Times' gave prominence thereto in a leading article —a correspondent advising the so\vin<» of blue gum seed, on properly pulveri ised land, broadcast—but as vet we hear of no steps being taken to" secure so desirable an object on the Goldfields; It is possible that many have been deterred from attempting it by the fear of King Frost destroying their efforts. Such fears may now be dispelled by examining some blue gums in the garden of Mr. E. Hall, at the lower end of Leven-street, which, although cut down by the frost during the winter of 1870, made prodigious regrowth during the last spring and summer, fully proving that the cultivation of blue gums in blocks may be safely undertaken; and despite the market being well supplied with Kyeburn coal (nearly equal to English), yet the trimming which would be requisite could not fail to produce a supply of lighting wood, highly remunerative to the producer and beneficial to consumers, making the district more agreeable to live in. And, in the event of deep sinking turning out, no good can be done without timber being immediately available, hence it becomes necessary, in a district so treeless as this, to accomplish the growth of timber by some means or other without delay. And, as the Government grant areas of 250 acres to individuals for that purpose, I presume they would make a similar grant to a company; and, as it would take but a small capital to try a block of the dimensions stated, surely the town and district of Naseby might make a trial. Even a few acres sown with Cape broom would enliven the scene and prove remunerative to the grower. Apologising for the length I have allowed my remarks to ruj.—l am, &c, Peogbess.