WAIKAIA. (From our own Correspondent.)

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 426, 16 January 1875, Page 3

WAIKAIA. (From our own Correspondent.)

Christmas has come and gone, and so far as this place is concerned, passed off very quietly, which may be accounted for partly by the many attractions at the Teviot — racing, Catholic ,musical concert, church of England pic-nic, &c., which drew away the greater part of the people from here. Those who preferred to remain were well catered for by hoßt and hostess Erridge, who on Christmas day provided a free dinner for all that choseto partake of their hospitality. Of the dinner I will not particularize suffice, it to say it could not be better, and an important feature of it was the social harmony that prevailed. With the close of the holidays, as ths river was sufficiently low, the greater part of the claims had commenced work ; but last? night it began to rain heavily, and has continued to do so until noon to-day. There is now a great freshet in the river, but as the snow has nearly all left the ranges* should it turn out fine and dry it will be down again in a few days. Although the ruin will cause a few days'lossoftimetothoßeon the river,it will be a benefit to the miners at the Whitecombe, Timber, and other gullies, who were beginning to complain of the want of water. One of our oldest andmostenterprising miners (Martrnelli), has just sold £ut to his mates for a good round sum. There is a splendid opening on this river for capitalists. A g°°d deal of the river can not be worked profitably except by companies ■who have plenty of capital at command to open up the ground, and test it thoroughly. Several cases have occurred of parties having to leave their claims for want of funds, when they have had full confidence that the ground would pay them well if they were able to cut deep tail-races to open it up. One thing I am certain of, if this river was in Victoria it would have been worked from end to end long ago. As it is there are many miles of it untouched and will remain so for a long time yet if companies are not formed to work it, as the specs are too heavy for small parties of miners. It appears that after all we are not to have a mail service to this place. Tenders were called for, some time ago via Switzers, and I am informed two tenders were sent in by persons well able to perform the service, and their tenders were reasonably low for the distance (upwards of thirty miles), but as no mail has arrived I conclude neither tender was accepted — kind treatment by our paternal Government, after we have waited so patiently and so long.