THE LATE BUSH TO THE HAAST.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 275, 12 June 1874, Page 3

THE LATE BUSH TO THE HAAST.

The 'West Coast Observer' 'says:— " The unhappy ' policemen stationed at that flourishing settlement, the Haast r . • ' are by this time, we believe; but: shadows of their former selves. The rosy cheeks of Sergeant Sugrue must have become pale from'the constant attacks of the blood-thirsty mosquitos, though even the--mosquitos cannot be perfectly satisfed. with their feast on the llbdies of th«ie myrmidons of the law, seeing that rancidbacon as a constant dish is not apt to cause richness of blood. Policemen Sugrue and M'Kenna being by this time the only inhabitants of a desolate region,, we shall be curious to meet them on that,, apparently, distant day when they shall return to the haunts of man, clothed,, probably, like Uobinson Crusoe, with the skins o't wild animals, and with long hair and matted beards reaching to their kneesWhat an admirably conducted police force Westland has, and how plentifully supplied with men, seeing that the absence of two of them for six months in an uninhabited spot- has not the least impaired the ' efficiency of the force.' " Later news states the police have sincereturned" to Hokitika by the Waipara. The 'West Coast Times' says —",'By the arrival of the Waipara we are placed in possession of the latest news from the South, the Haast especially. The unfortunate police who were doing the Robinson Crusoe life, returned to civilisation by that vessel, and from what we can learn they have had anything but a cheerful time ofjit since leaving. Sandflies and mosquitoawere abundant, but no other population troubled them. The township on which, they were located, originally laid out by > Mr. Warden Tizard, was so far favorably situated, that, whilst on Occasions of freshes or heavy rains, the Haast river eat away its banks in their front, a kind of. tidal creek attacked them in the rear, and on more than one occasion they had to take refuge in the harbor boat, which. > they fortunately were able to stow them- - selves in till the floods subsided. Added to this, that of late the weather at the foot of the ice-clad ranges has been bit-" terly cold, and their provisions have been of most primitive kind, and by no means abundant, we may fairly assume that these members of the force are entitled to a large amount of absolution for sins committed/in this world, after so many months'" penance as they have undergone. The mining news is by no means of a lively character. There are eight miners at work at Ship and "Bullock Creeks, but they are not doing much, though sticking to work like Trojans. A party of three named Murphy, M'Eenna, and Walsh, are bringing in a race from Maori Creek to the beach: They expeet to have it through in about six monthi, and when it is accomplished, they are sanguine of doing well. Mr. J. Collyer, well known in this town, has taken up some land, and got protection for a ferry at the Okuru„ and N eil Carmichael, formerly of the Waimea,.has a ferry at the Waitoto, a little further South. The only store at the:Haast is that of Messrs. Marks and M'Ereitch, who are said to have sufficient flour, 'to last the existing population ;fortwo. years. The judgment of Mr. Mueller, Chief Surveyor/ we may : add, ha s been abundantly manifested by ■ the last heavy rains, there being no doubt" the township he laid out,"if ever the place be occupied at all, must be used, as tha '■ original site is being washed away.. -