THE BROKEN HILLS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2501, 21 July 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BROKEN HILLS.

The following extracts are taken from a private letter written by a busiuess mao at Broken Hills town to a relative in Hamilton "I am in business here with a partner, as grain and produce merchants. We started in March with £o0 capital, and have already a trade of a thousand a month. Last month showed a turn over of nearly two thousand. We get a profit of about tcu per ceut on most things, so we are not doing a bad trade. We started just in the nick of time, and got well established before the thing was over-done. There are any amount of produce merchants here now, but I think we shall always command a certain amount of trade, as most of the stores buy from us, and we get through a ''considerable amount of chaff, bran, flour, and wholesale groceries. I used to drive our cart myself when ws first started, but we now employ three men, one touting and the others driving. If things will only keep going as they have up to now, we shall do well, and we can buy in Adelaide, Melbourne, or Sydney, without any trouble. I took a trip round and bought maize andjjams in Sydney, onions in Melbourne, and oats in Adelaide, and went to Mount Gambier for potatoes. People are not so free with their money as they were, but still the place is not going down at all, and is now a very large town for the back country. I do not know much about the different breeds of sheep. All in the back blocks in this country are merinos, of the small sort. Lincolns are bred in the colder parts. I dislike the animals myself, but believe there is money to be made on them if you can get a good bit of couutry and good seasons. Water is very scarce in Broken Bill, The only tank of any size is dry, and all drinking water is carted from what is called the soakage in Stevens Creek, about ten miles out. Bight shillings for 100 gallons is the price in the town, and the carters don't get fat on it. They must go out over night, dig a hole in the sand, and wait for the water to soak in, and bale it ont as it rises. It takes several bailings at two or three hours intervals to fill a 200 gallon tank, and it takes two good horses to drag it home through the sand. They are talking of laying pipes from the Darling, about GO miles, and that is about the only scheme that could bo depended on to supply the town permanently. The biggest dam or tank in creation would not be a certainty, as a couple of years without rain is not uncommon in theso parts. T can't see how we shall get on immediately, as the soakage will be dry in a month if there is no rain, and we shall have to get a train run up with water, or clear out. I was not hurt over the silver boom. I dabbled in shares a bit, as, I believe, every one here did. but I sold out as soou as I made a little profit and bought others. When the downfall came I had all my money back, and held scrip with a face value of about £100. They are not worth much now, but if I realised at any price now I have a little the best of it. Some of them will turn out worth a little yet, I think. All the mines here are as good as ever, and doing as much work. It is only the over-buying of scrip that has brought the shares down so. Everyone had all their available money laid out till there was no more left to buy with, and so many wanted to sell out about the same time that there was bound to be a fall; that is my idea about it. I should like a few Block 14 or British Broken HiU, Junctions, or Souths, at their present prices, as they are bound to go up soon ; but all my money is in the produce trade now, and I mean to keep it there at present. We only draw £2 10s a week each, which is plenty for our style of living.