NOTES FROM REEFTON.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 473, 21 May 1890, Page 2

NOTES FROM REEFTON.

(From A.n Occasional Correspondent). Reefton:, May 12th, 1890. In my last letter I treated principally of journeying experiences from Te Aroha to Westport and Reefton. In this 1 purpose giving you a general description . of the place and its surroundings, inhabitants, etc. Reefton is situated at the head of the Grey Valley, on the bank of Inangahua river; a winding stream in some parts straggling over rubble and boulders, shallow. and spreading out a considerable width, but in other places containing holes of very great depth ; the latter, being favourite resorts of the bathers in the summer. The town of Reefton when looked at from a distance appears as though it were completely environed by hills', and as a matter of fact it is to such an extent that the wind is so shut out from it that we never have the pleasure of feeling.Te Aroha gentle brecaes. Indeed if we only lmd one genuine Te Aroha * blow ’ it would level half Reefton and give the other half such a shakiity thatcarpeulors would-' be in request for some coushletable time to come. ■Business of all kinds is called dull by old. residovts- hero, although the same-at Te Aroha would be considered brisk,hut it is anticipate'! that this winter will be a most prosperous one ns regards the output from the various mines around lteefton, owing to u number of mine owners having been for some considerable time past opening up new blocks of ground and they, now expect to reap the reward of their industry atid enterprise in the shape of. steady and substantial dividends which they deserve*, for they—..l here refer to the residents generally—are the most cheerful 4 cal I ’ payers that I ever knew, and if the -magnitude of the business done can be estimated by the number of re.-i lent sharebrokers, commission agents, etc., it must be immense, Amongst the principal ones is Mr J. B. Beeclie,’ well-known in Thames mining circles, and brother-in-law of Mr 11. H, Adams, of Te Aroha. The mines are scattered-over a large area varying from three to thirty miles around Reefton. The names of the principal mining districts are : Boatmans, in which are situated nine or ten registered companies, all working'; C usliington, where there are a similar number of mines working, amongst them the Keep it Dark G. M. Co., ,whichihas paid about ten pounds per share in dividends from, dirt yielding from 10 to 12 dwts per ton ; Devil's Creek, which has also about twelve companies working, amongst them the Progress*. Scotia, and Globe, steady gold - producers; also the -Murray Creek district- with several mines, -including'the Merrie Jigs, Golden Lead, 0.K., etc/’■ A few weeks ago a great run took place bn ; 'the first-men-tioned, owing to a new, discovery in the ground, and. the shares rose from; a shilling to eight shillings within a feffitnight. Last but not least comes r life Pain Kiiler district, which in years gone by lias produced large quantities of alluvial gold, and now some of the companies are working on payable reefs. Reefton mines seem never to have put out any sensationally rich patches, but in most of the claims working the returns are very, regular, oncUbese are freemilling, and when, the claim/owners can pay wages at the rate of ten shillings per day and dividends at from one shilling to 1 four per month per, 'scrip 9hare., outf ‘of' eight ten or. tweljve penny weight ! is rather different ’to what the majority of the mines can do in Auckland n district. w ] ■ must say that during- myvshprt. 'spjVurn among the people here have' found them most homely, genial, -andgood natured, and with an 'entirhAlLvot'e that snobbishness that I'Oh 'sorry to sav I have iriet within of : New' Zealand, and if ‘'the humher 'ot pianos, etc., is any criterion { of,the taste of, the people it is decidedly 1 ’ - / m < usicai, A find 1 they certainly enter most.heartilyqinto,any amusement 'tliat'happens to be going at the time. Them is- dtily-cihie thing that seems a matter of regret - among those who came to the West Coast from Te Aroha, arid that iSthat \Vht*ft'Saturday- night: comes round they cannot indulge in the luxury of a Number G Bath. ,