THE LYELL.

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1088, 17 May 1882, Page 2

THE LYELL.

_ .*__ (From our own Correspondent.) The truism, that it never rains but it pours, has been forcibly illustrated by the Avretched weather Avhich we have experienced during the last three weeks, causing a series of floods in the Buller and Inangahua rivers, Avhich has prevented the teams bringing our long looked for supplies of provisions. As a community, Aye are as isolated, from our source of supplies, as the man in the moon, and in no other community in the colony Avould such a state of things be allowed to go ou for the last ten years. Much apathetic indifference has been displayed by our paternal Government in building the long looked for bridge across the Inangahua river, although £5000 was voted for it last session, and a detailed survey Avas made and test piles driven by Mr Wilson of Westport last January, and yet there is no sign of tenders being called for the work. Winter is upon us, Aye consumed our last bag of flour a week ago. Two of our bakers ran short of the precious article ten days ago, consequently the bulk of the population have boon living on potatoes, oatmeal, rice, bran, and. any other substitute tiiey could pick up.

| Townspeople may put up with such ! meagre nourishment, but miners find it poor fare when delving through solid rock, and having very little time after working eight hours in a Avct claim to discuss their pot pouvri. The floods have brought down the usual modicum of slips along the road. That portion of it in the Buller County between Lyell and Junction, bears a striking resemblance to an old creek bed —thanks to the apathetic neglect of the local governing body. The new R.M., E. Baker, Esq., held Court on Saturday last, and disposed of a number of unimportant cases, many cases have been adjourned until next Court day. Not the least important of which is one brought by the Lyell ferryman to recover tolls from the local mail contractor, for crossing the mails. Should he (the ferryman) succeed, it will probably cost the postal department a good round extra sum for ferries when the next incoming contracts are let, besides opening up a new industry for all impecunious ferry proprietors to pounce upon all mail contractors throughout the colony, and make a quiet rise out of them. But going into the matter oFfonieß, especially on the West Coast, which is assuming such a permanency of settleftient, that ought to entitle its industrious and hardy inhabitants to a little special legislation in the bridge building line, I hope to see the matter taken up by our local M.H.R., who is now on a visit to our district The drinking clause of the Licensing Act has been tested in our district, and the fiat has gone forth that hotels shall increase — voxpopidi, vox Dei. Our local organ, the little Times, has been making quite a pile in the "ad'" line, owing to the number of quartz mining leases applied for during the last six months. A contemporary journal, on a summary visit some time ago, commenting upon so many leases being taken up, stated they were applied only for speculative purposes, and not as bona fides. So much for his version. Well, Sir, if the miner who goes through the country into unknown wilds, enduring all sorts of privation — very often on half tucker — discovers a gold bearing reef, surely, he has done his part in the matter. Mr Buller Miner, you can't expect him to transform himself into a veritable Croesus, extract the gold from the stone, without machinery, and declare dividends straightaway. No, Mr Contemporary, the capitalist must step in, and assist the miner — just the same as it does the woollen manufacturer, or the grower of the proverbial big gooseberry, and from personal knowledge of the district, we can assure that all powerful disseminator of mining news, that the Lyell quartz lodes only require the introduction of a little outside capital to make it tho most flourishing mining community in the southern hemisphere. More detailed news regarding the mines next letter. Thanks to the indefatigable pestering of our local member, Mr John Munro, the Government has sent him a telegram that tenders will be immediately called for the Inangahua bridge. So that all we Avant now to complete our happiness is a dividend from the Alpine, and a load of Nelson belles, to be brought by Newmans coach, which brings the overland mail every Thursday. Hion Jinks. Lyell, 13th March, 1882.