THE GREY.

West Coast Times, Issue 35, 24 August 1865, Page 2

THE GREY.

J. JLJ. 1 * \* XVU JL v (from our own correspondent.) August 21st, 1865. Since my last letter, agents from two of the banks visited *the Twelve-Mile, and brought down 830 .ozs. and 800 ozs. respectively, the-former for the bank of New South Wales, and tho latter for the bank of New Zealand. Of course, these quantities are but moieties of the whole amount of gold arriving from the Grey goldfields Tho yield is steady, and increasing. Somo parties in Maori Gully washed out some scores of ounces in a few days from one paddock jl fol-get the names of the fortunate shareholders, 'but lam aware that they have as rich a claim as any in the country. Two gentlemen from tho banks again made their way up to tho diggings on Saturday last, ana have not as yot returned ; it appears that on former occasions thoy had not cash enough with thorn to purohaso all the gold offered, placing Ihora at a slight disadvantage, as it limited their purchasing power ; but this is not likely to occur again. The general reports are quiet and unexciting, few minors returning, and slight rushes of daily occurrence ; all agree that

there is room for any number of miners who can be profitably employed. The last rush was across the Arnold, into the Canterbury province, and when my informant left, about three hundred miners were congregated in one or two gullies there, which were paying well. Provisions are now selling at much lower price on most of the diggings, fresh meat — beef and mutton — excepted, which are articles of consumption becoming to be regarded as food only for angels; miners being prohibited by human legislation from procuring a morsel of such precious diet. Were it not for the fact of the Superintendents of these wretched New Zealand provinces, together with most of the members of tho Provincial Councils being runholders, or interested in runholding, who are perpetrating that inhuman pleuro-pneumonia swindle, we should have the best beef and mutton that Australia can produce, selling at 4d. and 6d per lb. ; whereas, even at Greymouth, we are compelled to pay from Is. 6d. to 2s. per lb. for the worst quality meat I ever saw, whilst the diggers may eat each other for all the Government care, for they cannot obtain animal food under the present law. Carriage from Greymouth to the Twelve-Mile is still £18 and £20 per ton ; this price, I expect, will not be long maintained, if I may judge from the number of boats now on the river and building on its banks. To-morrow too, is the day for accepting tenders for forming a horse and cattle trackfromCobden to the Twelve-Mile, so that this will be another highway for cheapening the cost of living on the Nelson goldfields. Large numbers of men are on their way overland from Nelson to the mines, the Government having completed cutting a track overland to within ten miles of Maori Gully, the richest portion of the goldfield. Miners say that the contractors, who are cutting the track, have a splendid opportunity of prospecting the country, as its course runs entirely through known auriferous ground, and the men on the works are supplied with provisions by the Government at Nelson prices. The Grey rush has already brought hundreds overland from Christchurch, as far as the Greenstone, where most of them find profitable employment in working for claimholders who have left those wages men to represent them whilst they are off to the Grey, Our township is now studded over with substantial stores rapidly filling with goods, the contents of thi 1 sailing craft and steamers which have recently put in, and which arrive here daily. The Eleanor steamer had no sooner left on Wednesday than the Uno steamed up the river, discharged, coaled, and was off again; and scarcely was she out of sight than the Lyttelton, direct from Nelson, steamed over the bar, and is now discharging nearly opposite to Mr Garvin's store. The constant arrival of vessels with goods has entirely destroyed the packing trade from Hokitika to this port, and not only have a whole army of packers and draymen discontinued bringing goods by land to us, but we are already packing goods up the coast as far as the Teramakau. This is only a just reward to those merchants who are plucky enough to start in this new township, and who will soon obtain some returns for the large outlay in building in this thickly wooded country. The streets are slill as nature left them, no fostering Government aid lays an axe to any of the trees yet : there they are, one dense mass, valuable stores studded about amongst them, more as if forming part, of some suburban dwelling than intended for marts of commerce. Our Post Office, too, is still the primitive resting place for letters and newpapers as when the Maoris held uninterrupted sway over all they could survey. Our Police Court has been the arena for some odd litigation, terminating in the committal of Hossington, the storekeeper, for perjury. Heavy and substantial tail was demanded and found for the due appearance of that gentleman at the Supreme Court House of Christchurch. It arose out of a debt case, Sweeney v Hossington, wherein the latter, in claiming a set off, brought his books into Court to prove his claim, and stating that the entry was made a considerable time previously, when, on the storeman or clerk being sworn, he said that tho entry was made about ten minutes before.

A sad case of sudden death occurred yesterday, when a boatman, known as Yankee Sam, dropped down dead whilst pulling his canoe along the river's bank. It appears ho had been ill for some time, and only on Saturday ho was advised by a medical man to leave off work or he could not answer for the consequence ; this advice the poor fellow did not follow, and has paid the penalty. The weather has been lovely ever since Monday last, and this has been taken advantage of by all classes down here. The Nelson Government are causing the streets of their new township to be cleared of the heavy timber which encumbers the ground and keeps out the rays of the sun from the rich alluvial soil which forms the first stratum on the proposed site. The scene is a busy one. Immediately on crossing the river the woodman's axe rings out from fifty quarters at one time, and a crack and a crash every now and then reminds one that some giant of tho forest has been laid low. The strango cavernous sounds which reach the ear, together with a view of clouds of sraoko curling up among the tall, branches of tho pines, makes one forget that he stands on ground destined to become the busy haunt of human industry, and for tho time takes the mind away from thoughts of trade and traffic only to think of the forest scenes around him. Whilst the Nelson people are hitting tho nail on the head, our Canterbury guardians also, are \ip and doing. An officer is down hero with a view of laying out a line of tramway, eight milos long, to run to the Canterbury coal field, and to tho Arnold, so perhaps more may bo in store for us than appearances warrant us in believing. Let us hope so. Tenders arc called by the Nelson Government for cloaring tho snags from the Grey. Tho Cyraraes sailed for Dimedin vceterday morning.