REPORT ON UPPER INANGAHUA AND LITTLE GREY.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 723, 13 October 1870, Page 2

REPORT ON UPPER INANGAHUA AND LITTLE GREY.

EXISTING EOADS. The cement and quartz claims on Murray Creek are at present the centre of attraction in the Inangahua District. Murray Creek is a small stream which falls into the main branch of the Inangahua nine or ten miles above the old township of Eynneraley, and about sixty from Westport. Murray Creek can be reached on horseback, from either Cobden or Westport, in two days, but the ro ad from Cobden is by far the worst. Prom Cobden the road follows the Grey River as far as the Little Grey Junction, from thence up the Little Grey to the Saddle, over the Saddle into the Inangahua, opposite the township of Kynnersley ; and from thence up tho river-bed to the junction of Murray Greek. The claims can then be reached on foot either by going up Murray Creek, or by starting lower dowu the river near Ross, and going up the spurs by a blazed line; or, on horseback, by going about two miles further up the river, to Lankoy's Creek, and crossing over a saddle into Murray Creek by a road made by the Cement Company. By this route the claims are about seventy miles from Cobden and fortyseven from the Ahaura, but the distance may be materially shortened by turning off from the Little Grey up Johnson's protected track to Maori Gully, and over the low ranges, by a foot-track, into the Inangahua 'at Ross. The distance from Ross to the Little Grey, by this route, is about fourteen miles, making the reefs about thirty-three miles from the Ahaura, but the road is so bad that it is a two days' journey. . From Westport the route is up the main Buller road as far as the Inangahua junction; from there to the Saddle, opposite Kynnersley, a road has been made, formerly on tho west side of the river, but this has been so washed away above the slips that most persons, after passing tho slips, follow the river bed. A very fair track, however, exists on tho west side to within five miles of the Saddle, where there is an excellent ford, and from thence to Fern Flat Williams (a storekeeper) lm3 cut a track, so that Kynnersley may be reached with only one crossing of the Inangahua. From this point to the reefs the road has already been described.

The Jnangahua river-bed, above the landing, is very broad, and in fine weather the river can be crossed almost anywhere on horseback. From Westport by this route to the reefs is about 60 miles. The landing is eight miles up the Inangahua from its junction with the Buller, and. thirtyeight from Westport, and is the point at which the cargo boats at present discharge; but by unloading at one fall there would be no difficulty in taking boats to Kynnersley, within ten miles of the reef, and by vising a smaller boat machinery could be taken to within two miles of the reefs.

Out of tho sums available, £SOO must necessarily be spent on the Little Grey Saddle road, and would likely bo eullicient to properly mako the

worst part of the road, viz., about ono and a half miles from the foot of the Saddle down to the Little Grey, which is at present in a dangerous and almost impassable condition. The remaining sum available might be expended in making a track from Fern Flat to the landing on the east side of the river, on which side are numerous grass patches and shingly terraces, admitting of n road being made at a comparatively small cost; and any balance that might remain would be well spent in making a track from Williams's, at the top of Fern Flat, up the eastern fork (tho Waituku) to the reefs; the distance by this route being only abo.ut half that by the track at present in use.

With these two proposed works completed, Murray Creek would be safely accessible to pack-horses, from either the junction of tho Little Grey on the one side, or the Landing on the other —the two points at which cargo boats at present discharge.

BOAB TO HUEEAY CEEEK, THBOTJGH MAOBI GTJLLY. The road, as proposed by tho memorialists of Totara Flat and Akaura, would turn off from the Little Grey up Johnson's track, through the Maori Gully diggings, and over three low ranges into the Inangahua, at Ross. The distance from the Greyto Eoss is estimated by Mr \Voolley to be fourteen miles, a portion of this distance is at present available for pack-horse traffic by means of Johnson's private track, but being only a narrow unmctalled track, made for his own use, it would require entirely remaking, if constituted part of a through line, and thrown open to the public.

It is possible that, by making use of the creek-bed and open patches as much as possible, some four miles of road-making might be dispensed with, leaving about ten miles of road to bo made. But as there is a great deal of hilly and soft ground, either side-cutting or metalling would be required throughout, and would cost, at least, £3OO a mile or £3OOO for the whole distance.

In favor of this line it may be said that it would run through existing diggings the whole way,and open up acornplete communication between most of the existing Little G-rey diggings and the Ahaura. But, on the other hand, the line ofFers no advantage in itself. Three low ranges—the highest being about 500 feet —have to be crossed ; the road would be costly to construct and maintain; the diggings passed through are not extensive; neither is any large body of miners congregated in any one locality j and, considering the small amount of money available for roads to new diggings, certainly not of sufficient importance at present to warrant the expenditure of any large sums, except with a view of obtaining access to country further inland. But, as previously shown, the Upper Inangahua can be rendered available both from the Grey and Buller at one third the cost of this proposed line. It would scarcely be advisable for the Government to undertake any works on this line at present; perhaps by next year the Little G-rey diggings may have attained sufficient import'ance to require roading for their own sake, should there be money available for such a purpose. CENTEAI WAEDEIf's COURT.

In order to meet the requirements of the miners in the Inangahua and Lyell, Mr Warden Giles has arranged to hold a monthly court at Christy's—at the junction of the Inangahua and Bullcr. This will be a very great convenience to all the mining population, and the men from Murray Creek will bo able to walk to Christy's in a day. Hitherto the Warden's work has been done in the Ahaura, which is a two days' journey on foot from the reefs. The trip to tho luangahua Court, allowing ono day for business, will only occupy three days instead of five as the Ahaura trip did. The miners seem well pleased with the proposed alterations. If the work proposed between the Landing and the reefs be executed the distance will be lessened at least five mileß, making it only twenty-five miles from the reefs to Christy's, and most of the river-bed travelling will be avoided. . In point of actual distance the Ahaura is only a few miles further than Christy's from the reefs, but it takes nearly twice the time to make the journey, and, should the diggings extend to the northward, the distance from the Ahaura must be increased. At present a number of men are working at tho head of Boatman's creek, and all the country on tho east bank of the Inangahua is auriferous,