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Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 873, 12 October 1871, Page 2

We are glad to leam that the boats conveying machinery to Reefton reached the Inangahua Landing safely on Monday evening. The trip was accomplished without mishap or difficulty, beyond what necessarily resulted from the rains and the rising of the river. Some little awkwardness was due also to the tact that men and horses were unaccustomed to the work of towing the boats and unacquainted with the route; but this will disappear after a few trips. Sufficient has been shown to prove the facility with which loaded boats may be towed to the Landing, now that a horse track ha.s been formed, also that an important saving has been effectod in the cost of transport.

A numerously-signed petition approving the granting of goldmining leases of auriferous areas has been forwarded to His Honour the Superintendent of Nelson by the miners in the Inangahua'district. It is admitted that the difficulties attendmg the working of the reefs are of a nature that can only be surmounted by strong parties of miners with considerable capital at command, and that to grant extensive areas of ground is the best means of encouraging men with capital to direct their attention to the dtvelopment of the mineral resources'of the district.

,A rush has set in to ground supposed to be a continuation of Kelly's line of reef. Inangah.ua. The ground has been out for a distance of a mile, as far as the left-hand branch of the Inangahua river.

The Murray Creek miners have nearly completed the construction of a good road from the Creek to Cement Town, a distance of four miles. A great deal of labour has been expended upon the track, which will greatly facilitate 'the transport of -machinery and provisions to the workings in the neighbourhood. We observe by recent files that Mr Harrison, member for the Grey Valley, has induced the Minister of Works to accede to the appropriation of certain available moneys towards tho construction of a dray road from the Inangahua Reefs over the Saddle to the Grey, via the Little Grey Valley. This course, if adopted either before or without a similar provision for a dray road down the Inangahua Valley, will have tho effect of diverting the traffic from its natural channel by Westport and taking it across the dividing range, and will necessarily prove most disastrous to the interests of Westport. We are glad, therefore, to see that a meeting is called for tonight, at the Post Office Hotel, to adopt a petition to the General Assembly praying the construction of tho road from Reefton to Christy's. The importance of tho subject ought to command a large attendance of the public, and tho extension of a hearty and energetic support to the movers in the matter. We understand that Mr Winstanley, who for some years has filled the oflico of local Postmaster, has been promoted to Duncdin, whither he will proceed at the end of the current month,, after which date the duties will be performed by Mr Alexander, at present Postmaster at Charleston.

The boiler belonging to Mace and Dixon's quartz crushing machinery was safely transhipped to one of the Inangahna cargo bokts yesterday evening, and will be forwarded to Reefton early this morning. In the Resident Magistrate's Court, West* port, on Tuesday, the case of Amelia Hayne t. Robert Hayue, whoiein the defendant was charged with an assault, was adjourned until Friday, in consequence of the informant being unable to appear. The expenditure incurred during the year ended 31st December last by the Governments of New Zealand (General and Provincial) amounted to a net sum of £2,979,725 18s 6d. The Provincial share of the expenditure amounted to £889,458, the remainder representing the sum disbursed by the Colonial Treasury. The census returns give the population of the colony as 256,393, so that the expenditure lias been at the rate of Jill to £l2 per head of the population enumerated. The heaviest item of expenditure in the amount is—" Interest and sinking fund on public debts, with commissions on payment and premium on remittances," ,which amounts to .£696,311, of which is provincially charged. It would thus appear that the interest, &c, on the-, floating liabilities of the colony is only-a fraction short of £2 los 6d per head 'of tho population. The next item of importance as respects magnitude is .£329,510 put down as "defence, including militia and volunteers." Legislative and executive expenditure cost £73,183, of which £29,924 is charged against the provinces. The judicial administration costs £47,359; police, prisons, and reformatory, £76,957, and so on until the full weight of our annual burdens has accumulated to the amount indicated above. The only sum expended upon " roads, works, and public buildings" i 8 £237,833, of which £238,986 was subscribed by the provinces.

The following, says the " Examiner," i» the real position of affairs regarding the proposed railways in Nelson and Marlborough, furnished us by a gentleman well qualified to 'speak on the matter. Tliat from Greymouth to Brunnerton, and the one from Pi'cton to Blenheim, are the only lines which can be said to be determined by the Board of Public Works when formed, and the main lino from Nelson to Greymouth, and the short lino from Mount Bpchfort to Wcßtport, will await explorations. —The railway proposals of Government affecting Nelson, are Brunnerton to Greymouth, to be made , forthwith from loan; interest, or most of it, to be charged to coal mine. Nelson to Foxhill, to be made on guaranteed interest, if proposed Board of Public Works report that it will pay working expenses. Nelson to Cobden: To bo considered a main line, and couutry to be explored to ascertain mineral with view to future action. Mount Rochfort to Westpbrt': Buller coalfield to be explored, with view to future construction of line. Pieton to Blenheim: Line to be constructed on guaranteed interest. At a meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society, held on the 30th ult., Mr George read the result 6f experiments in order to test the of the different New Zealand and New South Wales coals for gasmaking. Taking into account the value of the coke and ease of working, the Grey coal was the best; but if the more gas-producing quality is the test, tho Collingwood coal is superior. Both are, however, far in advance of the Sydney coal. Dr Hector thought that if the scheme of communication between the mine and the port were carried out, the coal might be put on board at 8s per ton. The Hon. Mr Waterhouse in his remarks drew attention to the waste of coal that was taking place in various parts of the colony through wilful firing of the seams, and suggested that it might be advisable to have legislation on the subject. Dr Hector informed the meeting that a coal seam, six miles nortli of the Grey River, was set fire to by somo diggers more than a year ago, and is still burning.