WAIMEA.

West Coast Times, Issue 59, 19 October 1865, Page 2

WAIMEA.

(From our own Correspondent.) October 18, 1865. New arrivals stlil continue to wend their way in this direction, presenting, towards the end of the journe}', a uniformly draggletailcd appearance, from the adhesive nature of the matter composing tho Slough of Despond through which they, havo waded for several miles. The thick is now in a far worse condition than ever; between this township and the half-way house, men, hordes, and cattlo aro indiscriminately boggqd, on attempting tho passage of tho Dismal Swamp. A tradition exists hero among tho "oldest inhabitant" that a mob of twenty head of cattle were cngulphed bodily, nothing but the hats of the drivers floating on the surface remaining to tell tho tale. But joking apart, it is high timo for the Government to bestir themselves, (or himself I suppose I should say) and take somo decisive steps in tho matter, more particularly when it is taken into consideration that tho portion of tho track already completed was constructed at a comparatively small expense. A deputation waited on Mr Sale, somo six weeks since, and presented a . memorial, praying that the track might bo completed forthwith. Mr Sale, although not distinctly pledging himself to 'anything, still was understood to promise that when the overland track was finished, that this should be the next job taken in hand. In the meantime we are buying stores at famine prices, compared with what they might bo, if our just demands wero complied with. As for butchers' meat, it is next to an impossibility to drive cattle up here. Beef is to be had certainly, but; at a very high figure ; and the clanger of traffic of all kinds being suspended is at the present timo imminent. May tho day soon arrive when the inhabitants of the West Coast will have the power to expend their revenue in improvements which tho Christchurch gentry deem unnecessary in their grand scramble for the loaves and fishes. By the way, thero is a roport current, to tho effect that Mr Sale and the Government Surveyor intend paying a visit to this locality, : in connection with the subject above alluded to, but I am afraid that the news is too good to bo true.

Cotton and party havo commenced sluicing, and express themselves highly satisfied with their returns. This party aro at present engaged in litigation with somo men who lay claim to part of their groxmd. Great dissatisfaction and regret is felt and expressed by tho miners hero at the long-continued absence of the Warden, summonses having in many -instances, been served threo different times, plaintifts and defendants appearing on each occasion to discover that they would bo obliged to call again, and in the meantime put up with the annoyance consequent upon the delay and loss of time experienced by them from the.non-ap pearancc of tho Warden.

Fox's Gully appears to be almost deserted, as there are but three parties working there at tho present timo. One of tho claims, situate in tho bed of tho (creek, is paying vory well. This ground will not bo worked out for tho next four months.

Tho applications for head races (a largo proportion of which are sitxiate on the right-hand branch of tho Waimea) are increasing daily. On almost every stream in the district races are to be seen winding their way along the sides of tho slopes, in somo places tho water being carried through flumes, in others through tunnels cut in the bottom, and usually terminating on, a terrace where sluicing on a large scale ia being carried on in a stylo which leads the observer to suppose that the sturdy miners engaged in tho work are getting tolerably well recompensed for their labor.