MOUNT BENGER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 167, 20 April 1871, Page 5

MOUNT BENGER.

(From our own Correspondent.)

Ifc is some time since any correspondent's lutt- r has made its appearance in your paper from this district, but news of a character worth recording has been particularly scarce.

The claims over the ranges in the Pomahaka and Cainpbell'3 Gullies have had a very favourable season ; but I regret to say, have not met with such an amount of success as was expected. In some few instances considerable finds have been made, and one case has come to my knowledge where a party have g>t a remarkably good prospect —said to be an ounce to the tin dish. I trust the information may be found to be correct ; at present I have no reason to doubt it.

A straight state of affairs is to be witnessed at our apology for a Police Camp. The lock-up is a small ill-ventilated rrom — size, about eight feet square, with no wi.ulow or light of any description. In it- at present are three prisoners, en route for Dunedin ; one being a lunatic who appears to be constantly praying; another, a lunatic suffering from a paralytic strosce, and who, from the report of the doctor attending him, is not expected to live over a few hours ; the third is a prisoner committed for some misdemeanour. In addition to these, the police have just taken charge of a most violent drunken man, and I doubt not, have placed him iv the lock-up in company with the others, as there is no other place where he can be put. This is a most grievous state of affairs, and requires to be remedied. The residents have repeatedly solicited the Government to find more suitable and more conveniently situated premises for a Police Camp.

Our harvest i 3 over, and most of the crops have been thrashed by the machines at woik In the district. The yield is remarkably good, more particularly the oats, which I am informed average about 50 bu: hels r<> rlic :cro. The present price of OU.T3 is iiuour, 3s. tkt. per uiHiiei. Two bhelLer shed* h^vo Lvo:i <.i\.cte'lon the ranges between the Tenot and Campbells, and no doubt the mintrs will experience great benefit iv finding temporavy shelter in them during the prevalence of those fearftii st >rms with which those ranges are often a isi ad, ;.n 1 1 trust we shall be relieved from having to record any more fatal cases of perishing, such as have so often occurred. While on this subject, I may as well note that ifc is a pity the conditions of the contract did not require the U3o of a larger quantity of lime in the erection of these sheds, for although they have scarcely been up a month, the rats have almost rendered one of the sheds uninhabitable, by making holes through the walls in all directions.

Mr. liaughton, the Water Supply Commissioner, favoured us with a visit a few days since, but through some misunderstanding he had not a very numerous audience, it being understood he intended holding a conference later in the day. This, he said, he could not do, as his presence was urgently needed iv Dunediu. I may also intimate that about the same time a person, generally believed to be " Your own Vagabond Reporter," was observed in the neighbourhood of Roxburgh taking notes and making observations. The police were on the alert, and no doubt would have secured him for having no visible means of support, but he mysteriously gave them the slip. The enterprising Hercules Water Race Company are making satisfactory headway with their extensive undertaking. They have just procured their supply of 40,000 feet of timber from Tapanui for fluming purposes. Their race, when finished, will give a considerable impetus to raining here, as it commands a very extensive piece of river bank, hitherto unworked for want of water, and which is known to bo veiy good auriferous ground.

Cargill and Anderson's application for 640 acres, embracing the rich coal bed at Coal Creek, is causing a deal of uneasiness, arid there some talk of getting np strong protest signed, as no donbt it would be, by every resident in the district, against the granting of such an exclusive monopoly by the runholders. The Warden adjourned the application for the purpose of procuring surveyor's report ; a few days afterwards Mr. Anderson was observed piloting a gentleman, supposed to be Mr. Adams, the surveyor, over^tite ground referred to, and no doubt was very careful as to what parts he was allowed to see. The casual survey made did not occupy much time. lam not at all surprised to be informed that Mr. Adams, under such careful management, has. made a report in favour of the application being granted. If such is the casp, no doubt the valuable document will have a little daylight thrown on it at the next meeting of Council.

I cannot close this letter without referring to the changes in the mail bervicc, which commences on the loth inst. By these we shall have the full advant ige of a bi-weekly mail, so timed a<» to afford every facility possible to the public.

ME S .