THE WILBERFORCE REEFS.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1537, 20 April 1885, Page 2

THE WILBERFORCE REEFS.

. —^_ [Fr«mi the Christchurch Sin-.]

It will be very satisfactory for the parting interested in the prospecting claims at the Moa Creek, Unknown Creek, and Browning's Puss reefs, to know the road which is being made by the Government to these reefs is in a fair way of being speedily finished. It is anticipated that the work will he | completed within oue month. A bugsiy j can now b*s driven with ease to within i half a mile of the Creek camp, j 1 and the only obstacle to driving the I i wiiole distance an* a few lar^e boulders ! on a side cutting, which have to be re- | moved Hy Masting. The workers I only arvair the arrival of powder to get rid of these impediments. The j Unknown creek can already be got to . without any difficulty. From the junction of the Unknown with the Wi I her. force, to the Browning's Pass reefs, the Government appear to have thought nothing was r» quired, as a track was stme years since made ;bnt it is .now very inuoh oat of repair. A* then* reefs geeokby the stuff sent North for testing to be favourably thought of, and a& the Minister of Mines is shortly to visit them, no doubt the i necessity of some repairs wiil be re cognised. The greatest trouble now is j want of accommodation om this rnad. j The Government seiin to have fore 6C**n this difficulty, as liuts are bcin^r bnilt for th» accommodation of travel '• lers one at th«* Harper river and the other at the Ford crossing the W'iliwr- ' force. (

Tashow the ease with which these places can be reached, now that the road -has hecn made, it need only b*> stated they are withiu a day's ride of .Chriatchotch, by rail to Springfield, thence *»y bugjry or liowe via Lake Lyndon, Lake* Coleridge, and Lak* Self, Harper River, and Wilbtrforce. Not knowing the road op, it took ■• two days: but on returning it was done easily in one, with an bn?gy and pair. Ono thing struck me forcibly ; that tonrists do not \isit this spot so pnuch as if deserves, as the grandeur of thf scu>nery cannot l>e surpassed in any part of New Zealand. The number of people travelling this way U» the reef* m«st be very consider* le, as y«ti may imagine, when I w»s obi «f eighteen in a small hut 12fk x 14 Rather close packing. I was told that th« rate of earta?" for stores had been SI 4 pei tea, but !

that now the road was made it woald be done for £i 10s per ton, which will be a convincing proof to parties interested of the valne of the improved communication. I have not the least doubt now access is so easy, that this district will be thoroughly prospected. Whether any large fluids will bo made remains to be proved ; but has for gold being there no doubt caa be entertained. I picked up several pieces of quartz with gold in them myself, whether such quart* wonld be payabio or not. being no reefer, I cannot say. I think this shonhJ hel^aaterbary considerably out of her unemployed I d.fficulty, as the place is hot nearly so accessible from the Westland side a* from Canterbury ; and tho Westland people seeem to lie getting alive to th» fact that they want a road to it •, but CauterKary mutt be the outlet for tho heave traffic.