THE BULLER RIVER.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 469, 23 February 1869, Page 2

THE BULLER RIVER.

(from our own correspondent.) Notwithstanding the copious fall of rain last week, and the flood in the Buller, a great want of water is felt, and several claims are again idle for the want of the necessary element. Hence the great need of the supply proposed to be brought in by the Eight Mile Creek Company. The supply now derived is principally from steep rills along the side of the ranges, which a few days' dry weather very nearly exhausts, as their rapid slope soon runs them off and makes the impoundment of water by damming or reservoirs simply impossible. On Sunday last a party of three, named Torky's party, went up the Lyell and returned last evening, bringing in thirteen pennyweights of coarse shotty gold. They were only three days out, and stated that they obtained the gold in a terrace ten miles up the Lyell. They returned for provisions, but as there is no track, and the country very rough, they greatly fear being able to work the ground to advantage, and to carry goods so far on their backs, which is the only means at present for doing so. They state that, if a store were established even five miles up, leaving them five miles more to carry it, they would have no fear of being able profitably to work the place. Surely the Government might look into this matter, as a storekeeper cannot be expected to make a road through five miles of bush, build a store, and wait for his profits until the ground is taken up, which is no sooner done than a competitor will, of course, immediately take advantage of his labours. Here is a good spec for some enterprising Westportian to set up a store, and to make, and get protection, for a track. Even pedestrians would not object to pay something for its use. Mr Curtis, a day or two after his election as Superintendent, told your " own correspondent" that ho intended to send prospecting parties out in all directions to prospect the country. Tour humble servant suggested that if the country were opened up by tracks, the miners would soon prospect the country for themselves, and save the Government all that expense, and give them something for what they did expend, besides its being an expenditure easily controlled, and the very first step to be taken in developing the resources of, or in civilising, any country. Now Mr Oswald Curtis is safely in office, he chooses to enjoy his otivm cUm dignitate in his official armchair, and, leaves the even making known to the public and the mining community what are the features, position, and prospects of the most important district in this province to the Westport Times. The Superindent's election was secured principally through, his pledging himself to do all in his power to have a railway made through this valley, to draw its trade to Nelson. He ought now to be made to recollect that it is still a portion of the Nelson Province, and that if it is to remain so, its daily increasing population should have means of access through it, even for the sake of the increased revenue that would soon take place if that object could be obtained. I have been speaking to some miners this week who made their way up to the source of the Buller, and thence to the source of the Karamea, and then down its course to the sea. They report the country as undoubtedly auriferous, and that they procured coarse gold nearly everywhere, but the impossibiliay of getting provisions prevented them setting into work there. So much again for the broken promises of the present head of the Nelson Government. On the Matukatuk there is a steady and moderately contented population, and several stores doing a fair trade. A 8 on the Buller, the recipient of its waters and wasted fine gold, you can get the precious metal anywhere, but, like here also, miners require some little capital to enable them to prospect a while. Many who are unable to do so are obliged to set in anywhere, much to their own and the country's loss. A great mistake, too, is made by miners in coming here, to make for the Lyell as they all do, and from this cause the district above it is pretty well prospected, especially on the north bank on which the track exists. There is an exceedingly likely and almost an unproapected country on both banks of the Buller for about thirteen or fourteen miles belotv the Lyell. There are here some very promising flat and well-watered plains, and some of the best claims on the Buller are below the Lyell, including Scott's of the large nugget and several others, yet there are not more than about forty or fifty men on the north and south banks of the Buller river, between the Lyell and the Inangahua. The late rains made matters look

pretty brisk for a time here, but the present dry weather is making the storekeepers rather dull again. A party of four has set in this week about half-a-mile below the big Owika, (formerly Micky French's ferry) on the south bank. They report having struck payable gold, with a prospect of half a-grain to the shovel, which iB very good indeed, but I am almost certain that the party are too sanguine. If they are successful, this will bring the Buller diggings to witbiu twelve miles of Westport.