LATEST NEWS FROM THE GOLD MINES. (From the Bathurst Free Press.)

Otago Witness, Issue 14, 16 August 1851, Page 4

LATEST NEWS FROM THE GOLD MINES. (From the Bathurst Free Press.)

The discovery of the fact by Mr. Hargraves that the country, from the Mountain Ranges to an indefinite extent into the interior, is one immense gold field, has produced a tremendous excitement in the town of Bathurst and the surrounding districts. For several days after our last publication, the business of the town was utterly paralysed. A complete mental madness appears to have seized almost every member of the community, and, as a natural consequence, there has been an universal rush to the diggings. Any attempt to describe the numberless scenes— grave, gay, and ludicrous— which have arisen out of the state of things, would require the graphic pen of a Dickens, and would exceed any limit which could be assigned to it in a newspaper. Groups of people were to be seen early on Monday morning at every corner of the streets, assembled in solemn conclave, debating both possibilities and impossibilities, and eager to pounce upon every human being who was likely to give any information about the diggings People of all trades, callings, and pursuits were quickly transformed into miners, and many a hand which had been accustomed to wield nothing heavier than the grey goose-quill, became nervous to clutch the pick and crow-bar, or ' rock the cradle,' at our infant mines. The blacksmiths of the town could not turn off the picks fast enough ; and the manufacture of cradles was the second briskest business in the place. A few left town on Monday, equipped for the diggings ; but on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the road to Summer Hill Creek became literally alive with new-made miners from eveiy quarter, some armed with picks, others shouldering cfow-bars or shovels, and not a few strung round with wash-hand basins, tin pots, and cullenders, garden" and agricultural implements of every variety, either hung from the saddle-bow,

or daftgling about the 'persons of tfic "pilgrim's t& Ophir. Now" and then a respectable tradesman; who had just left his bench or ( coimter, would tieave into sight, with a huge something in froni of His 'horse; which he Called a cradle; and with which he wai ab'but to rock hiniself ittib fortune. Scores have rtfshed frdm their homes', provided with a blanked, a ' damper^hd a pick pi grubbing hoe, full of hope that a day or two's labor would fill their pockets with tne precious metal; and we have heard of a. • great number who have started without any provision but a blanket and some rude implement to dig with. Such is the intensity of the excitement, that people appear almostregardless of, their present comfort, and think of nothing but gold. Of course all this must end in disappointment. The wet weather of the last two nights, with the damp ground for a bed and the teeming clouds foV a canopy, will do much towards damping the enthusiasm of numbers. We have the authority of an experienced man ia stating that, from the imperfect and unsuitable implements used by all who left for the diggings, coupled with their miserable provision in other respects, success is impossible ; that the labor necessary to success is extremely severe, and he ventures, as his opinion, that no more than three per cent, will become permanent miners. One of the consequences has been a rise in the price of provisions". Flour, which ranged from 265. to 28s. per 100 lbs., has been sold for 455. ; tea, sugar, and almost every other eatable commodity,, have advanced in equal proportion. A large amount of the wheat of the district is in the hands of a few speculators, who will maintain their hold in the hope of a golden harvest. But for the very extensive supplies now on their way from Sydney, flour would soon be at a famine price ; and should a rush take place from below, as may reasonably be expected, it is to be hoped that there are capitalists enough to adventure in one of the safest speculations of the times, the purchase of flour for the supply of the district.

What assisted very materially to fan the excitement into a flame, was the arrival of a son of Mr. Neal, the brewer, with, a piece of pure metal, weighing eleven ounces, which was purchased by Mr. Austin for £30, who started for Sydney by the following day's mail with the gold and the news. Since that an old man arrived with several small pieces, weighing in all from two to three pounds. He also started for Sydney with his prize. Mr. Kennedy, the Manager of the Bathurst Branch of the Union Bank of Australia, visited the diggings on Saturday last in company with Messrs Hawkins and Green ; each of these gentlemen picked up a small piece of pure metal and a handful of loose earth from the bed of the creek, which were brought home by Mr. Kennedy from motives of curiosity, have since been assayed by Mr. Korff, from Sydney, and a piece of gold extracted therefrom of the size of a small pea. Besides these we have not heard of any particular success.

On Wednesday morning last Mr. Hargraves, accompanied by Mr. Stutchbury, the Government geologist, went to the diggings, and with his own hands washed a pan of earth in his presence, from which twenty-one grains of fine gold were produced. He afterwards washed several baskets of earth, and produced gold therefrom. Mr. Hargraves is certainly the individual to whom it belongs. Should Government deem it necessary, as it is most probably will, to appoint an inspector, superintendent, or commissioner over the gold regions, in addition to the fact of Mr. Hargraves being the discoverer, his practical acquaintance with mining, points him out as the most suitable and worthy person for the appointment.

We have much, more to say, but have not spacesto say it in.

A Mr. Rudder, an experienced California golddigger, is now working at the diggings. — There are also several magistrates plying their picks and cradles most laboriously, but we have not heard with what success. In fact there appears every probability of a complete social revolution in the course of time. Those who are not already departed, are making preparations. Servants of every description are leaving their various employments, and the employers are, par necesitatem, preparing to follow. But notwithstanding all this, we feel that a reaction will take place. The approach of winter and wet weather will do something towards cooling the ardour of the excited multitude.

On Preparing Potatoes for Seed. — The potatoes intended for seed are taken out of theground in the beginning of September, or earlier if the crop is sufficiently matured, and spread upon the surface of the ground, where they remain exposed to the sun and weathertill such time as they become qfuite green in colour, and of a soft spongy consistence. Thiswill be effected in the course of a month or six weeks, during which they must be turned _ atleast once, and which can easily be done with a wooden rake. The greening process is much forwarded by sunshine ; but it is desirable ia all cases to have the potatoes lifted in sufficient time to allow the process to be completed before the frost sets in, — though the writer has observed, that potatoes so treated are less liable- " to be affected by frost than the others, or to beattacked by vermin and insects when stored, on account of the bitter disagreeable taste they contract. The prepared potatoes may be stored in the usual way. The great advantage of this method of preparing seed is the certainty of a good and early crop. The potatoes may be planted whole, and the small ones selected to save expense ; but if the latter be preferred, they had better be prepared by cutting a piece off one end in the autumn, to afford time for the wound to heal, and to avoid a redundancy of stems in the crop ; and eVen outsets should be made green in spring .before being planted. — Scottish Farmer.