WAIKAIA BUSH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 251, 21 November 1872, Page 8

WAIKAIA BUSH.

— — — — fFrom <mr Whiteeomb Creek. Correspondend )

; Since I last wrote to you, we have bad. an addition, to the population here, and I may add a pleasant one tod, as i$ includes ladies, sq that we frill not have now -to travel fifteen miles to see the fair face of a woman. M.t r M'Lean, late of the Junction , Hotel, "Waikaia Tl it, has settled here, and is abotit to erect a saw mill to be worked by water power. The site he has chosen is very cpayenienfc, and offers every facility for the progress of - the work. In fact, it appears to have been- ordained by Dame Nature for Jhe purpose, as there is a natural •fexcavatiou for the wheel, as also for the head and tail races, there is water on the spot, and any amount of splendid birch .timber on high ground close at nand. Verily, the spec is a go,od one, iind will not only benefitthe proprietor, ;but the public j also, as the price of •timber, will be reduced jn the Switzers district fully fifty per cent. The same gentleman. propose? opening an accommodation h.ouse, which will be a want supplied, as there none here to between the Whiteedmb a)nd ijwitzors, a distance of 30 miles. He will also soon be .able to supply the inhabitants here •" jcplth butcher's meat, butter, egg 3, and - milk, at Swit?ers prices. The miners are all working away ; 'contentedly, and are getting a fair re- .. turn of gold. You- will, perhaps, take -exception to the word contented as applied to miners, but I have no hesi-tation-in saying, that as a rule, the diggers of JS"ew Zealand are satisfied

wi£h very small carnitv. s, and would down contentedly if they got . the chance. But let us have no more such measures as the last mining bill that yyas introduced, and keep fences /off auriferous lands. It is top much to expect to pay £22 per acre to work inside a fence. ' This reminds me that

the lease s being about to expire, on this run (Grows), .ifc is rumored that a

part of it will be surveyed and set - apart for occupation under the agricul•'•tural leasing regulations

The miners at the "Whitecomb are Bard at work, with satisfactory results. Since the \yithdrawal of the mining bill, the principle topic of conversation .has been the litigation cases,

"notices of which have appeared in your journal, viz., O'Conner v. Cos-

grove, twice heard at Svvitzers, and

each ticco resulting in favor of " O-'Conner, after which Cbsgrove sued

'O'Conner at tbe Teviot and obtained a — • -yeX'dicr. All these cases arose out of the same affair, and were substantially . tfiQ same, although the verdicts were different. Public sympathy is in favor pf Q'Gonner., who by the way, in his absence the, other .day, had' his hut burnt dqwn> and has now left the district. Work on tb.e Waikaia is row at a standstill, qwing to the spring floods,, - but the show is fast disappearin j from " the ranges, so' very likely work will be Resumed about Christmas."'