MOTUEKA RIVER DIGGINGS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 223, 21 September 1870, Page 2

MOTUEKA RIVER DIGGINGS.

To the Editor op the Nelson Evening Mail Sir —l and some eight or nine others visited the table land, " Salisbury's Open," last week ; and we quite agree with O'Brien in recommending no diggei's to go there for some time yet, as it is impossible to get about until the snow has gone, which, at the earliest, I think will be in November; when, from what I can see and hear, there will be room for a number of men. As to the road now used I think it is the worst I ever travelled (and I have walked over some of the worst the Proviuce can boast of), and certainly it is taken through the most difficult part of the country that could be found to get to the place; but I understand that the Provincial Council voted a sum to make a better road, and it seems strange that it is not being gone on with. I was told that during tho rainy season last month, a " Government man " came to look for a better track. Well, what did he do ? He spent a week at the accommodation house, waiting for the weather to clear up; then started with two hands to the edge of the snow (we saw their camping- place); they spent one day looking at the country, then

came down again. The " Government man " disappeared, and has not since been heard of in these parts. While we were out, of course we had a. look at the \ country, and could see no real difficulty ! in making the track that Mr. Dobson i proposed in his report; certainly there is ( no snow now along it until you yet on to i the "open," for we fell in with two i •' Riwaka boys " who had come through : from Takaka, and, in order to miss the i snow on Mount Arthur and the Table s Land, they had followed the Takaka { River up, then come by way of the i "Horse Shoe" aud "Flora's Creek," and i so missed the snow altogether. They say < that certainly there can be a much better ] and easier track made the way Dobson ] proposed, and there is no difficulty in I going on with it at once; and we could i all see there is no difficulty (that is through < snow) in going on with it as far as the I " Horse Shoe." If something is not done before the rush sets in the men will leave in disgust, unless the goldfield turn out i extraordinarily rich ; for having to hump tucker along the present track in some- 1 thing frightful. < I am, &c, i A Miner. '