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Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1121, 4 November 1873, Page 2

A correspondent in whose judgment every reliance may be placed, writes as follows: " On my way up from Westport to Cbristys to-day, I have taken particular notice of the intended line of road which the General Government purpose constructing, and I am more than ever convinced that it is a great mistake. If the present engineering plana are persisted in the whole of the A" 12,000 will be spent, and the district very little better off, as far as roads are concerned. The opposite side of the river, I mean the Westport side, is in my opinion where the road ought to be made, crossing somewhere near M'lntyre's. Ifc does not require an engineer to see at a glance that from the Nine Mile end to M'lntyre's it would shorten the road considerably—a. good local authority says six miles (this ought to be a consideration). But besides this there are no engineering difficulties, not a bridge required on the whole line. On this side half the road will be bridges and rock cutting. The fact is the Government will never grant money enough to complete the road on this side, What I think ought to be done would be to get a rough survey made on the north side, even if Westport folks should subscribe to pay the cost. The members of the new Road Board should take the matter up andjlevise some means of bringing this into notice. Depend upon it we will never have a road from Westport to the interior if the present plan is allowed to go on. The bush felling for which tenders are now called will lead simply to a sheer waste of money. The proper time to fell the bush is when the contractors are making the road, and my informant bears me out in this. He says : he would tender cheaper for making a road with the timber standing than fallen, in the way proposed.'' As suggested the Road Board should at once take action in this matter. There is no reason to suppose that the District Engineer is so wedded to his opinions as not to accept any suggestion made in the interest of the district, or that he would not readily acquiesce in a a survey being made along the Westport side of the river We know that the strongest objection to a road being made there is that the sun would never shine thereon, and that, winter or summer, the track would be always sott, but many who knew something of the country aver that this would only be for about three or four miles, and that plenty of stone is at hand to make a solid way, and that the drawback would be counterbalanced a thousandfold by the fact of the road opening up a large area of good agricultural land which would very quickly be 'Occupied by settlers. It has been suggested that if the Government object to defraying the entire expense of the survey as proposed, the Westport Municipal Council and the District Road Board might contribute thereto from their general funds. The construction of the road along the nearest route being of the utmost importance to the entire community of the Buller. Some very excellent stone has been brought down from the Halcyon claim, Mokihinui, giving another among the many gratifying proofs of the richness of the reefs in that locality. The stone, which is extremely close and hard, is well studded with gold. A portion was taken from the shaft 24 feet from the surface and the remainder was got by a shot in the No. 1 drive southi put in about 29 feet from the month. Mr D. M'Leod who down the stone reports that owing to the fine weather he found very little difficulty in making the reefs in one day from the Mokihinui township, following the old track and avoiding the newly blazed line, which is as yet scarcely practicable. He came down from the reefs to Westport by boat, on foot, and on horseback, in ten hours. The rivers and creeks are now all low, and during fine weather intending visitors to the reefs will get up there in comparative comfort. The next sittings of the Resident Magistrate and Warden's Court at Lyell will be held on the seventeenth instant, and the following meetings on the second December proximo.

Intimation hag been received from Nelson that the names of members of the newlyelected District Boards were Gazetted on Friday last, and consequently they can now commence their public duties. Another and more satisfactory item of news is that the grant of one hundred pounds from the Provincial Revenues is also in the hands of the Wardens, awaiting payment into Bank account. The Masonic Hall, after resting awhile on its travels from Lyttleton street, is now being shifted into position upon the site chosen by Mr Hughes for the erection of the new Empire Hotel premises, nearly opposite the School-house in Palmerston street. The new hotel as designed will be a most commodious and well built structure. and witk the Masonic Hall will present an imposing addition to the buildings fronting the main thoroughfare of VVestport. The spring tides are encroaching bit by bit on the beach facing Kennedy street and some heavy logs have been washed in several feet. If a fresh should prevail in the river during the pfesent week the encroachment will bo greateri On Saturday morning the Result returned from the Ngatawhau cargoless, Captain Riley having been tillable to cross the bar, , there being then less than four feet of'

water, according to signals. The recent fine weather as usual having decreased the current of the stream, and the heavy sea rolling in for some days past flattening out the sandbanks on either side of the channel until the bar had become blocked up. The news caused considerable perplexity among Albion shareholders, as the Cooraerang is now daily expected, and the chance of her entering the Ngakawhau seemed very small. On Saturday evening rain set in, and from the slight fresh in the Buller river on Sunday it was evident that up country the storm had been somewhat heavy. On Monday an express brought news from the Ngkawhau that a sudden fresh had occurred there also, scouring out the channel and making it, in the opinion of the Albion mining manager, fit for the entrance of the Coomerang, providing she comes in time to take advantage of the spring tides. From present indications a spell of rainy weather may be expected and the Ngakawhau channel may thus hold good for some time. A telegram was received here yesterday stating that Mr O'Conor arrived at Nelson on Saturday, having held successful meetings at the Lyell and Matakitaki. He was to address the Nelson electors last evening Mr M'Lean, formerly registrar of the Supreme Court at Nelson, has come forward as a candidate for the honor of represeuting the Central Buller in the Provincial Council, The new government offices at Lyell and the road thereto are now finished. An inquest was held at Black's Point on Thursday last on the illegitimate child of Letitia Berry, late of Westport. The child's name was Matilda Hamilton, Verdict, accidental death by being overlaid, or as Dr Bulmer mildly put, m " from irritation of the nerves of the brain in consequence of insufficient nourishment of blood to supply the nerves of the brain." Latest reliable reports from Eeefton state that business affairs are looking more lively. The good news from Boatman's having revived everyone's spirits. Messrs M'Gregor and M'Lean both addressed their constituents at the Lyell during last week. The nomination day at Lyell is fixed for the 17th instant.