DUN MOUNTAIN COPPER MINES.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIV, Issue 72, 5 December 1855, Page 2

DUN MOUNTAIN COPPER MINES.

We pubtiih below a report made by Messrs. Barnicoat and Thompson, on the lines of road to these mines. That part of the report which relates to the probable traffic line (through the Maitai valley) is most satisfactory, and will, no doubt, be highly gratifying to the shareholders. There are few men in the province so competent, from long experience in the country, and more particularly from frequent exploration (on the part of the Government) of the range of which the Dun Mountain is part, to form an opinion as to the practicability of the proposed route ; and it cannot fail to be pleasing to the gentlemen in England who purpose working the mines, to find that the statements made by the projectors are borne out by such good authority.

To W. T. L. Tbavebs, Esq., Nelson. Sib — We have, at your request, inspected the two lines df road connecting or intended to connect the Dun Mountain Copper Mine and the town of Nelson, with a view of ascertaining which could be most cheaply and readily rendered available for the conveying ten or twenty tons of ore from the mine to the town.

The Sill line, or that portion of it which is at present in use, quits the dray-road in the Brook-street valley, about one and half miles Jfrom the town, and, after an exceedingly steep aßcent of about a mile in length, enters the wood at the summit of the hill. It is then carried along the elevated wooded range (chiefly on the steep hill-Bides and by a series of ascents and descents more or less awkward and abrupt) about four miles, where it Btops about one and half miles abort of the mine. The intervening country is very unfavourable for road making, but would probably require no more than about £400 or £500 to make the line fit for pack animals all the way to the works.

The Maitai line, as pointed out to us by Mr. Wrey, will pass along a hard, level, and open country, for the first four miles. It will then follow for about three or four more, the wooded gorge of the Maitai river, by crossing which eight or ten times a good, level, and (bridges excepted) an uncostly line is obtainable. By quitting the main stream, and tracing up (and crossing five or six times) that arm of the Maitai near one of the sources of which the present works are situated, the scene of operation is reached in about four miles more, one or two of which may be said to be very steep and rugged, the remainder fair, in point of lerrf, and the whole wonderfully good for a country at first right so exceedingly unpropitious. It must be clear from the above account, that the hill line as evidently affords the cheapest mode of conveying the required ten or twenty tons of ore to -Nelson, as that the Maitai line is the natural outlet for the produce of the mine when in full operation. We believe, however, that if the transporting the abovementioned quantity of ore to Nelson is all that is sought, it would be found that a less sum would induce men to carry it by the existing track from the mine to where the present bridle road terminates in the wood, than would be required to convert that track into a road suitable for pack animals. But, although confining ourselves strictly to the question before us, we are pound to give the preference to the hill line ; in other words, although we think that the remaining one and half miles of the line by Brookstreet can be more cheaply made passable than the untouched seven or eight miles of the Maitai line, we ought to state our conviction, that for all purposes of permanent utility, the line by the Maitai is incomparably the best. Such is the skill evinced in avoiding obstacles and in overcoming difficulties in the line shown us by Mr. Wrey, that an uniformly, and for nine tenths of the way, a gently ascending line of railway may be formed, in a great measure self-acting as regards its downward traffic. And such is the peculiar nature of the country through which it would pass, the narrowness of the available strip left by the river side, that a railway might, in our opinion, be constructed at less cost, and be much safer in operation, than an ordinary road : while passing as it would through a country affording abundance of limestone, slate, and valuable timber, a great additional traffic, besides that arising from the mine, would be seemed to justify such an outlay. J. W. Babnicoat. T. J. Thohpsok.

Waimea East, Nov. 30, 1855.

By the arrival of the Taranaki, we have received news from New Plymouth to the 7th of November. In all the other provinces the elections have occupied the public mind, but at New Plymouth they seem to have passed off very tranquilly. The results will be seen by reference to our own correspondent's letter. The native question seems far from being settled. A decision has been come to by the Resident Magistrate, which we conceive is not likely to deter the natives from making extortionate demands upon the settlers; indeed, it seems almost a direct encouragement to them, seeing that there is such an evident leaning towards them. The facts, as reported in the Taranaki Herald, are these —

Rebidbkt Magistrate's Court.-- -Arthur Eoskin. was summoned before the Besident Magistrate, on Tuesday, to show cause why he should not pay the> sum of £25 to some natives for a foal that was* missing. The circumstances of the case were briefly these t — An entire horse belonging to the defendant was. running with other horses belonging to the natives, The plaintiff (the owner of the foal in question) swore that on a certain day he, with others, saw the horse racing about the field in pursuit of the dam of the* foal, and that he repeatedly kicked the 'foal. ■ They;, gave chase but could not catch them, and at length, lost sight of them altogether. These facts were sworn , to by more than one native witness ; and although search had been subsequently made, the foal, which was five weeks old, was nowhere to be found. The' natives had seized the defendant's horse, and required the payment of £30 or £38 to make restitution. This demand was afterwards reduced to £25 on the inter-, ference of the Inspector of Police, who undertook that that sum should be paid thorn, and they returned the defendant's horse. The defendant was now summoned to make payment of the amount, and although there was no carcase found, no proof that the foal had been killed, the defendant was cast in the sum claimed, with the understanding that, if the foal were again forthcoming, it should be considered the property of the defendant. Now it appears by this, that no proof of the foal having been killed or even injured by the horse was tendered, but simply that he was. missing. Why may not the natives have taken away the foal and trumped up the charge altogether ? We are certain such a verdict would not have been obtained had the plaintiff and defendant both been Europeans. We may excuse a little leaning towards the natives on the ground of their ignorance, and that they do not understand the niceties of the English law ; but we think in this case it is going a little too far, especially as there is such an evident intention on the part of the natives to make extortionate demands and to take every advantage of the settlers that they can. It is making the laws a laughing-stock. Thegeneral feelingat New Plymouth seems to be that there will be no more fighting. We find from the perusal of several letters published in the Herald that the friendly natives are not at all satisfied with the conduct pursued by the, Government towards them. One of the prim cipal chiefs is reported to have said, " That 13 all. It is finished. We now shall have all the thoughts for fighting. If evil comes to you, it ift yours alone :" and the editor in a note states — " Report speaks of the immediate return of the Ngatiruamu people in large numbers; and it is, we believe, a fact, that our own natives are preparing for a desperate struggle."

A public meeting had been, called to make arrangements for forming Rifle Corps, but few of the settlers attended. The formation of such a body bad been strongly advocated by some, and Major Lloyd kindly offered his services to organize them and get them in an efficient state. It seems strange that they should hang back and be unwilling to enrol themselves voluntarily ; for unless this step be taken, the proclamation of the Governor, calling upon the Superintendent, under the Militia Ordinance, to draw out, with all convenient speed, 400 men, and arm, drill, and partly clothe them, so that they may be enabled to undertake constant military duty, will be put in force. By forming themselves into a Volunteer Battalion, so that they might be ready for duty in the event of an emergency, the Ordinance would not be^ put in force, and they would escape much unpleasant duty.

From these few remarks it will be seen that the Native Question will not be one of the easiest to legislate upon and settle in the new Assembly; and we must all see the necessity of the question being entered upon with due care and deliberation — not passed over in a hurried manner, but canvassed in all its points and bearings ; and while justice is done to the natives, the fortune and interests of the settlers must not be overlooked, and not, as in past times, the settlers to be considered as always in the wrong, and wherever any dispute arose between them and the natives, that judgment should always be given in favour of the latter.