The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1884.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1389, 18 April 1884, Page 2

The Inangahua Times. PUBLISHED TRI-WEEKLY. FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1884.

Good progress is now being made with all the works at the Inkerman Company's machine site, the weather being very favourable for the contractors. The quartz now being taken out in extending the main level north is of good quality and undoubtedly payable.

The difficulty ,Which has for a length of time past interfered with traffic between Reefton and Rainy Creek, has at length culminated in the stoppage of all communication, Mr Overend having prohibited further trespass across his land. All dray traffic to the Inkerman Company's machine site has therefore been suspended,' and the only way in which miners can pass to and fro is by way of the Globe Company's race, which is said to be very dangerous. Whatever therefore may be the nature of the quarrel or misunderstanding between Mr Overend and the County Council, it is absolutely necessary that it should be settled as quickly as possible.

The County Engineer paid a visit; to the maintenance contractors on the Reef-ton-Grey road on Monday last, and it is understood, passed the different sections subject to the performance of certain trifling repairs. These latter are now in progress and will be completed in the course of a day or so when the contractors will be fully released from their responsibility. The road is now in good order from end to end, and well prepared for the winter traffic. The work of maintenance seems to have been very faithfully performed on each of the sections.

The long _ spell of dry weajher is beginning to tell upon the state of the bar entrances of all the West Coast ports. At Hokitika the entrance to the river is very dangerous and the depth of water on the bar at high water only such as will permit of the passage of the lightest draught vessels, and even with these grounding is almost unavoidable. On Monday last the steamer Murray stranded while entering, and for some minutes was in a dangerous way, but eventually bumped over into the river safely. At Greymouth for the first time for many years the state of the bar causes anxiety, and outward bound steamers are unable to take in full cargoes of coal. On Tuesday last the steamer Timaru drawing between nine and ten feet of water grounded on the bar, while being towed out by the Despatch, and fur a quarter of an hour was in some peril of piling up, but eventually got out outside. The state of matters at the port of Westport is said to be also bad, so that it is quite evident unless we have a heavy rain fall shortly the whole of the West Coast ports will be reduced to the condition of actual blockade.

Favored with glorious weather the Ho--kitika races were largely attended, though perhaps not so much so as inisjht have been expected. The number on the course on the first day was about 1400, the gathering being a fairly representative one. The course is not a good one, and the " grand stand " is not a grand one. There were large fields for the different events, but whether it was that the weights were made for the horses, or the horses were made for the weights, there was only one decent finish during the day, and which was apparently quite an unrehearsed incident, Lady Grey, a comparative outsider, or rather a rank outsider, upsetting all the calculations of the knowing ones by winning the Hokitika Handicap. The totalisator was fairly patronised, over £800 being registered by the machine on the first day. The largest amount invested on a single event was L 384, on the Hokitika Handicap, the highest dividends being Lls, Ll3, and L 9 18s, respectively. Albion got a bad start in the Hokitika Handicap, and ran last till entering the straight for home when he recovered some ground but too late to Teach the first flight. In the first days Hurdle Race Albion struck the last hurdle and fell, sustaining some injury to one of his hoofs, the rider, however, was uninjured. . v

We take the following items from the Westport Times : Information was given' to Sergeant Barrett on Friday evening, which induces some uneasiness relative to the safety of a man named Frank Bennet, who is known in Westport. Five weeks ago Bennett started from the Mokihinui reefs on a prospecting tour, his stock of provisions consisting of 201bs of flour only, and he has not since been heard of. It is known that he went up the Right-hand

Branch of Larrikin's Creek, and the country in that locality is very rough. It might be possible for a man to live fora short time on native game and eels, but prolonged existence of such fare would be almost a miracle. Bennett, of course

may be safe and sound somewhere, but the Mokihinui people have deemed it advisable to place the facts, so far as they are acquainted with them, in the possession of the police. The missing man lived in Westport for some months, and came here from Christchurch. Mr Rasmussen, the Mining Manager at the Red Queen mine, Mokihinui, arrived in town on Friday evening. He fully confirms previous reports about the marked improvement in the quality of the Company's reef, and his advice to shareholders is not to part with their scrip at the ruling figure.

The only safe and sure cure for Gravel or Urinary troubles, is Hop Bitters. Prove it. Read.