KUMARA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 249, 11 October 1876, Page 2

KUMARA.

The Kumara correspondent of the W, C. Times writes as follows: — The great want is water. Claims, even the best of them, are languishing for lack of it, and owing to its absence rich country is rendered comparatively non-productive. l Nor is there .apparently, any immediate modification of the evil to be looked forward to, for although the Kapitea Race Company .lias increased its power of supply from 15 to 20 heads, still that is not a quarter or an eighth of what is wanted. Certainly steps are being taken to furnish a full supply, but that is a work of time, and cannot be hoped * for mouths to come. That the Kumara is an auriferous field there is no doubt, but whether ifc is a paying one is another matter.. Skilled miners, men who know their business, and who are not afraid of hard work and hard living, may and will get good wages for years to come, but nothing more, lt is not worth while for any man to come here who is making a living elsewhere, as all he can do is make a living, and that at the expense of much labor and considerable privation. Therefore, let those who contemplate adding themselves to the 4000, or thereabouts, persons who are on these. diggings pause, reflect, and count the cost before they venture. As ifc is, for the land opened up, the rush is somewhat overdone; especially with the rag, tag, and* bobtail that, in some inscrutable manner, always turn up at new diggings. In a word, the Kumara diggings, although permanent, at all events likely to last for years, is no place for men to rush to. It needs persons used to rough digging life, men of physical power and endurance, men of patience who arc not disheartened at the first failure, but who will wait and work, and through all, and above all, men who can afford to wait and work. Let the Kumara be peopled with these,' instead of the host of useless lumber that sighs and groans, and idles away the time praying that the gold may come for the picking up, and it will develop into a widespread territory, giving employment to thousands of hardy miners. Yet another word. If you are making a living, stay where you are, or, if you do come to the Kumara, don't come with the expectation of growing suddenly rich, for you, won't. , If. you are la*sy, don't com-? at all. *' '*