The "Salisbury Open" Goldfield.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 209, 9 September 1870, Page 2

The "Salisbury Open" Goldfield.

FORTY-TWO OUNCE 3 OF GOLD TO ONE MAN IN FIVE WEEKS.

In a late issue we gave a short account of a miner having brought in some gold from the neighbourhood of the Karamea after five weeks' work there. Since that was printed Mr. O'Brien, the miner in question, has furnished us with further particulars, and from his account we form an opinion that the approaching summer will 3ee the development of a goldQeld of very promising aspect, with room for hundreds of men within a comparatively short distance on the western side of Nelson. Seven weeks ago Mr. O'Brien left Harding's store, on the Motueka river, with a swag of flour, bacon, &c, upwards of seventy pounds weight, directing his course for Salisbury's Open. He had procured some slight information of the place, and having been shown some gold from there, the appearance of which led him to infer that, very payable ground existed, he determined alono to make the journey and see for himself. The imperfectly defined track was very arduous travelling, through the hills and spurs which had to be surmounted, and in consequence of the snow which had to be passed through knee deep, on an uncertain track, and in which, in some cases, he would break through und sink in up to his armpits. The ground he worked is on the plain situated about ten miles on this side of the Karemea Bend, that ten miles nearer to Nelson, and he reached it after a day and a half's very difficult tramp from the place he started from. During his work here, by himself, and unconnected with any party, he w-.shed out forty-two ounces of gold; but the provisions he started with getting short, he was forced to commence his return journey, which was still more difficult and painful to him than the former, plunging through the snow having skinned his feet and legs, and reduced him to a

semi-crippled condition, having had to pass through at least nine miles of snow that covered the track from the Open down to Flowers' Creek. Mr. O. Brien has been in several of the New Zeuland gold districts, and he says that he never saw better prospects generally for the miner, or the probability of more favorable ground, and ho firmly believes it will be found to be gold-bearing from Flower's Creek to Salisbury's Open, and possibly as far as up to the Bend. He urges the necessity for the Government to make a track, which will avoid the difficulties of Horsehoe Hill and Mount Arthur by taking it further towards Takaka way, which he believes to be perfectly practicable. Mr. O'Brien particularly urges those who are inclined to visit this ground not to do so at the present season, as it would be perfectly useless and ill-advised to think of trying this road for at least two months to come. After that time the snow will most probably have disappeared sufficiently to allow the prospecting and. working of the ground to go on with some chance of success.— Nelson Colonist.