THE GREY.

West Coast Times, Issue 26, 29 July 1865, Page 2

THE GREY.

(from onn own coimusroNDEOT.) July 24th, 18G5.

The now site for a township is being rapidly covered with buildings. Timber and iron in great request, not 1 00 feet of sawn timber to be obtained for any n'lonoy, the last sales effected of timber ji(t- hand was L 2 108 per 100 feet, but wcio [a cargo to como in L 3 may be obtained ait once. Candles wero soiling at Is each to-Iday, so scarce are they. . Tho whole of tljio river frontages aro taken up, some 4000 feet, of this the Maoris have sold 1500 atLl per foot, on a leaso for three yeiivs. No business licenses are required fo f parties settling on this land. Tho prico of carriago for goods is L2O per ton fvfim this town to tho Twolvc-Mile Diggings. Pavt wb liiive returned from thoro this evening, who report perfect satisfaction am >ng tho miners. Mr Walmslpy, of. the [Bank jof New South Wales, is buying gold. Mr Proshaw went up to-day. Mr Walmslo-y is reported to mo as being very busy buying. I havo seen somo very course goljd brought fvom there, tho largest picrfe threo quarters of an inch long. I rcgro't to report a sad accident by whipji five meili lost their lives, two Maoris 'uul tlive<j>

Europeans. They came from the Tcralnalcau River, and had succeeded in crossing the Grey Itiver bar, when the current, tunning out rapidly, capsised the boat, and all were thrown out. One brave fellow, a Maori, swam for moro than an hour, but sunk at last. It has cast a gloom over all in the township. The accident to the men 'in tho boat is more serious and sad than I at first was made aware of, for the Harbor Master at tho Teramakau rode from that river down the beach to tho Grey to pilot tho men in, and he told them before starting what signals ho would use on arriving hero. They did as ho promised, and ho Bignailed for them to make for tho beach, but they did not follow his instructions. They were within hailing distance, and Andrew Kundson and seven other bravo fellows volunteered to go out in a boat to them, but they were too late, and all were drowned before aid could be rendered. Wednesday, July 26. Minors are still pouring in to Greymouth on their way to the diggings. I live opposite to tho crossing place hence to the Nelson side, where alltho gold is being obtained, and notice a remarkable sign of good diggings— no diggers returning. New leads are being opened up every day, and they extend towards the Arnold. A range divides the Groy and Arnold. The miners ' have crossed this and found good payable gullies on tho Arnold side, so that little doubt exists but tho Canterbury side of this river will prove as auriferous as its opposite. In referenco to matters near homo, this settlement has been named Groymouth. Mr Surveyor Rochfort has been indefatigable in his endeavors to survey and peg out tho allotments for settlement, and as he advances along the surveyed lines people follow and set in their pegs. Nothing but lack of timber prevents a large town springing up at once. L 2 10s per 100 feet is the price sawyers get for timber, and they connot cut half enough. A dozen pairs of sawyers moro could do well here at once. Great inconvenience is felt at the want of a bridge across the lagoon which divides tho new town from the old settlement called Blaketown ; but I hear that the Government have set men on cutting timber for this much needed roadway, for as it is, a distressing tax is laid on the people by having to pay Is for crossing, oils 6d for crossing the lagoon and the return trip.