A NEW "RUSH" TO OTAGO.

Otago Witness, Issue 832, 8 November 1867, Page 1

A NEW "RUSH" TO OTAGO.

{From the Daily Times, Nov. 1.)

We. lately invited attention to the question, of whether the Goldfields of Otago are' not capable of further extension. The subject is one of great importance, alike to those who are already within the Province and to those outside, who, with slight encouragement, would gladly make it their home. There is no estimating the advantage which a new Goldfield, or a considerable extension of an existing Goldfield, would yield to Otago. It would give ah impetus to every industry, and would infallibly lead to a yetj further extension of the auriferous resources of the Province. From one rush, many rushes spring. When the West -Coast G •ldfields broke out, dozens of places in the Province were deserted, from j which very fair yields could be obt lined. ! A new Goldfield, which would attract back a large number of people, would, in course of time, yield up its population to other places in the Province, and the Goldfields be again re-peopled. It must j he remembered that scold mining can be prosecuted now under more favorable circumstances than formerly. The cost o£ % carriage has been considerably reduced by, the formation of roads, and indeed prices hive altogether fallen in almost every direction. The claim that would , not support a miner in 1863 or 1564 might now pay him well. Again, the system of mining has become improved, arid superior facilities for intercommunication are afforded. A Goldfield in any part of the Prrvince would soon cease to be a wilderness, and the miners would have no difficulty in obtaining many conveniences, the want of which in the early days of the Goldfields of Otago made the miner' 3 life an unusually hard one. Unless the situation were very high and exposed, the chances are that a new Goldfield in Otago would soon possess as many comforts and luxuries, be as free from peculiar disagreeables, and draw its supplies as cheaply as Goldfields elsewhere, even in Victoria. All classes in the Province would be prepared for, and better able to deal with the situation than they were before. The miners already in the Province would benefit, not only from thb chances they ■would hive at the new field, but the accession of population would cheapen supplies to them. The costs of businesses of all kinds, which press heavily on a few, would be shared by many, and fall lighter on the actual consumers ; so, also, in respect to the government of the Goldfields. Twice the number of miners could be governed with very little, if any, extra expense. A large population also presents another advantage. Co-incident with the working out of Goldfields already discovered, there is always, with a large population, a great deal of prospecting going on, and hence the reason why from one rush other rushes generally spring. To understand this, it is only necessary to recollect how long after their first discovery, the Nelson Goldfields, with a small population, remained undeveloped ; and to contrast with it the great results which have lately accrued from the location of a large population in the neighborhood.

It was the West Coast discoveries which interfered with the full development of the Otago Goldfields. There can scarcely be a question that an immense extent "of auriferous country remains to be developed. Surely it is for the interest of every one concerned to promote tho progress of fresh discovery. Scientific men have always been of opinion that the auriferous deposits of the West Coast were trifling in extent compared with those of the Province of Otago. The West Coast has yielded immensely, because of the great labor bestowed on it. The largest produce of gold in New Zealand was obtained last year. We find by the official returns, that of the 3,059,4610z. of gold which New Zealand has exported on thfi whole, 735,3760z. were exported during 1866. The next largest return to that year was for 1863, when 625,4500z were exported. Otago stipplied nearly all of this, whilst Otago and the West Coast together supplied the return of last year. Had the total numT>er of miners been engaged on the Otago < Goldfields, it' is not unsafe to hazard the, opinion th atthe yield would have been much larger. The West Coast Goldfields are un- ( doubtedly, to a considerable extent, worked' out, and the Otago Goldfields offer more real attractions than those of any other '

fcjJfaSe in the Australasian C6loniesl It is not too much to urge that atfention should be given to the consideration of how a stimulus may be afforded. We know that a great deal of money may be thrown away on prospecting, and that assisted prospecting has generally failed. But 'surely this is a fault rather of the system' •which has been employed, than an argument in favor of the assumption that assistance cannot be advantageously afforded under any circumstances. It may be that the assistance is best accorded in the shape of rewards to enterprising discoverers ; and if ' so', lei there be rewards offered. We wiU gladly open our columns to communications on the subject. l# We only stipulate that they should be to'the purpose, and not too lengthy. Contributors may feel assured that letters in which the matter is expressed in as condensed a form as possible arei sure to be most read and most considered.