REEFTON.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 975, 31 May 1872, Page 2

REEFTON.

(FROM OTTR OWS CORRESPONDENT.) Tuesday, May 28. The unfortunate man James Williamson, who was so seriously injured by the fall of a tree on the new line of road from Eeefton to Greyinosith, expired at the temporary hospital, Broadway, on Saturday morning last. An inquest on the body was held at Ryan and Davin's Hotel, on Monday. Mr Broad acting as Coroner. After hearing the evidence of several witnesses, the principal ones being Drs Lee andßockstrow and Mrs Cato, the hospital nurse; The jury retired for about half an hour, and on their return a verdict of " accidental death " was recorded. A rider was attached to the effect " That in the absence of another duly qualified medical man, the jury were not able to say whether any neglect had been shown on the part of the medical gentleman attending the patient." The funeral took place on Monday afternoon, a large number of people following the remains to its Last resting place. The weather during the last ten days has been wretched, nothing but rain, rain, rain. The small piece of gravel road (by the by, it is a credit to the Nelson Government) in the centre of Broadway is cut up fearfully, no part of it can you walk without getting ancle deep in mud. The street facing the river, known as the Strand, is oven in a worse stale, and as for the other thoroughfares, they are simply impassable. The attantion of the Provincial Engineer is urgently called to the matter. There have been heavy floods in the river during the last week, but fortunately without doing any injury to the town, thanks to the protection works placed along the river bank at tho Co3t of the inhabitants.

Tire waggons have not been able to showup for some time past ami provisions in consequence are getting very scarce. The road works on the Grey and Buller sides are progressing favorably. Since the Government took over Courtney's contract large number of men have been put on, and the Grey road is expected to be open for tiaffic within two months

Mr Broad has had his time fully occupied since his return ho had a Court yesterday, and is holding another one to-day, a large numbor of cases, chiefly mining disputes, have been disposed of. Messrs Slattery and Sutherland's large hotel in Broadway is rapidiy approaching completion, the same gentlemen are about building a room 22x3 5 at the rear of their hotel, and situated in Wooley street, for the use of the Iteefton Lodge of Oddfellows to be called the Oddfellow's Hall. It is expected to be ready for use within four weeks, the delay in iti erection has been caused by the scarcity of timbjr, the saw mills not be able to keep pace with the numerous orders sent in daily. Another saw mill is in course of erection at Black's Point, and will be ready for work in a few days, when it is to be hoped timber will not be so difficult to procure as at present:

Great surprise is felt here at the Government declining to accept any of the tendei-3 sent in for an additional postal service by Westport. It causes great inconvenience to the business people and public generally, and I think the Government should in justice allow us the same advantages as possessed by Greymouth. The amount of correspondence passing between here and Westport is now very heavy, judging by the size of the mails arriving here weekly, it is to be hoped the Government will consider this important matter and call for fresh tenders, if the ones sent in are not satisfactory. The memorial referred to in my last, has received over 1300 signatures, and has been duly forwarded to his Excellency the Governor. Several' lists sent round to the outlying districts have not yet been returned, but as soon as received will be forwarded on. Wm. M'Lean and party got steam up in their boiler for the first time, on Saturday morning last, machinery working without a hitch. Coal was used for the furnace, it being obtained within 200 yards of the machine site. They will commence crushing; in about three weeks and the..coinpany is now busy laying a tramway, from the coal mine to the machine site, by which means they will always have a good supply of good coal at hand. Mace and Co., have not quite finished crushing, but the result will prove, without a doubt, to average from 2J to 3ozs to the ton, they intend positively to wash up on the Ist proximo. I hear on good authority that excellent stone has been obtained on Gaffyn's Lease, but no particulars are to hand. Some very good specimens have been got in No. 1 Prospectors claim, Rainy Creek, the shareholders have put in a tunnel and struck the reef at 100 feet from the surface. The reef is 5 feet thick, and the gold is heavier that I have seen in any other stone.