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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 323, 1 October 1874, Page 2

Westpobt and Mount Rochfort Railway. — We understand that Mr Thomas Mackay,. C.E , has been appointed by the General Government to conduct all matters and proceedings in i respect to the taking of lands for the purposes of the above railway. The Road to. the Buller.—li is '• not often that we find ourselves able to agree with Mr Grove, a letter from whom will be found elsewhere,: 1 but on the subject on which be j I writes to-day we are entirely at one! with him. Some day we may perhaps, be made acquainted with the cpnsidera- ; tions that have influenced the Government in adopting the roundabout, up-and-down, and, in winter, snow-covered route through "ihe Big; Bush to the shorter and more easy one via tbe: Hope, but up to the present time we! have .not, heard ,0 single argument^orged ' in its favor excepting that mentioned ' by our correspondent, namely, that; there is already. a good road as far as the "Grip." All we can say is, ; Heaven help those wbo bave to cart good 8 along a bad road if the one in question is worthy of beiog called a "good tbad?' 'Some of the aicehli'dn'd descents in the Big Bush may be pretty; accurately brought before the mind's eye by a contemplation of the ielter V, and the only moans by which a heavily : laden dray can be taken that -way is, by discharging a portion of the cargo at the bottom of the gully and making two trips up the steep incline that leads out of it, or by two drays travelling in company, and both teams being used to drag up one load. In addition to this trifling drawback, the road is sixteen miles longer than that by the Hope, and passes through a bleak, barren country, whereas tbe rival route traverses -the - pastoral and grain-pro-: ducing district of the Motueka Volley. Tbe one opens up communication between Nelson, the Waimpas, Motueka Valley, and the Buller Valleys by a shorter route, presenting, easier, .gradients, tbe other is circuitous, steep, and more calculated to henefit Marlborough that Nelson. Yet the . latter has been preferred. Why ? This is a question that will, no doubt, be asked at the next -sitting: of the j Provincial Council. We shall be anxious to hear the answer. There is somethiog ominous in the ab'aridonmebt ' of " Hope" in favor of the "Devil's Grip." The play upon words may savour of flippancy, but it is suggested by the action of our Responsible Executive in this; matter. The Palmeb River Rush. — The ; Canterbury Press says : — The admeeting ;of-;ipteodiugip.asßfjiger3 to these diggings, was held last night' at the Boro' Hotel. The meeting! was ..very largely .attended ,. about 140| persons being present. Mr J. C. Stott ocoupied tbe chair, and stated tbat he had >telegFaph¥d; that morbing! to Dunedin, to the agents of the steamer Easby, and had received ai reply that that vessel' had sailed full,' the agents having to refuse fifty applications for passages. After some dia-: cusßion, a committee of' three wasj appointed, to consider tbe offers made,' and report 10 a meeting lo be held at the aame place on to-mrirrov^ evening 1 Sixty-five persons entered their names, 1 on the list of intending pussengers. j Westport and Greymouth may well! gain hope for the future from the present condition of things at the p : o>rt of Newcastle. Lately the Colooial Treasurer of New South :W»!es met his constituents at Newcastle. They are justly dissatisfied with tbe inadequacy of the port arrangements for shipping coal, aod were inclined to cast the blame on the, Government; but the Treasureput the case in a way that was no doubt flattering to Newcastle, and not ungraceful tb his colleagues. J He said:— "It appeared to bim that the difficulties under which Newcastle labors have been brought about by circumstances tbat neither tbe Government, nor the people of JJewctistie, nor anyJtodyjslfle cduidicantroL ,. The fgety $as that Newcastle, like a very fine and well-born chifd, shad outgrown its strength. It had gone ahead faster than washer e_:ptected ; ttf be possible, " iWiJI w W a i powtioq Jp forty years whicb.'in other parts of ihr World, ?<%ruuries were required to attain."