LINDIS GOLD FIELDS.

To the Editor of the Otago Witness.

Sir— l send you an extract of a letter from the Diggings, which may afford your readers some information as to the state of the Lindis Diggings, 1 am, &c,

F. Walker. " I arrived on the Diggings on the 23rd (May), and in the course of the evening set up my tent, and to wprk. I will not detail all my small experiences, but at once proceed to give you my notion of the value of this place. "All who go steadily and' rationally to work, with all appliances and means to boot, are doing exceedingly well ; so far as I know, there is not one of them would take 20s. per day and leave the Diggings. According to their own statement they are clearing 30s. per day ; and depend upon it they are not exaggerating. Numbers of people came here from Dunedin, and left without putting into the ground pick, shovel, or spade — without resources of any kind. Their account of course will be unfaveurable, but worth nothing. No one that I know of who has been on any other " diggings" has left this one if he had any means whatever to carry on.

" The country in every direction seems to be literally teeming with gold. Wherever you go you can get a few specks, and as all the-gold found yet is considerably water-worn, I hive no doubt large " " finds" will be got the nearer the fountain head is' approached. The population now numbers '3oo, but a considerable accession is anticipated from Canterbury, in the course of the ensuing week. That the Diggings are a reality I think no one can now gainsay ; the only obstacle to their being properly worked is the horrible state of the road from Oamaru, and I think, seeing the large sum Government has realised from the sale of land at Oamaru, that it would not only be justified in expending £4000 or in making the road, but that it will incur a grave responsibility if it fail to foster this one means of developing the country. There is one place, called Long Slip Pass, where in a space of about six miles you have to cros3 one creek upwards of forty times; and this place, unless something is done, will be absolutely impassable in less than a month. Need I state what will become of diggers and diggings in that pleasing alternative. The weather is beautiful, and the rivers lower than for the last month. The future looks hopeful. Parties who were here last winter anticipate doing better during the ensuing winter months than during the last three, because during the hard frosts the flats can he bottomect~~without the aid of pumps ; while in spring and autumn the twater is too plentiful for his sort of work.

" You must try and get us a Post, as it is an absolute necessity ; aud there are 30!) people here, a larger population than is concentrated anywhere else in this colony.

" Price of provisions at present as follows:— Flour 60s. per 100 lbs. ; sugar 9d. to Is. per Ib, ; butter 2s 6d. per lb. ; cheese 23 3d.' to 2s 6d. per Ib. ; pickles 3s 6d. per bottle, &c-

TOKOMAIRIRO GOLD FIELDS.— NEW jt DISCOVEEDES. The following letter has been handed to us, by his Honor the Superintendent, for publication for general information. Having received it only shortly before going to press, we have no time to comment on it, excepting to notice the energy desplayed by Mr. Read in his researches, and to compliment him npon his at once placing the information of his discovery at the service of the Government. Should this turn put a remune-, rative gold field, Mi*. Bead, in justice, will be entitled^to a reward :—: — Tokomairiro, 4th June, 186U To Major Richardson, &c.

Sir — I take the liberty of troubling you with a short report on the result of a gold prospecting tour which I commenced about a fortnight since, and which occupied me about ten days. During th.it period I travelled iuland about thirty-five miles, and examined the ravines and tributaries of the Waitahuna and Tuarapika rivers. My equipment consisted of a tent, blankets, spade, tin dish, butcher's knife, and about a week's provisions. ! I examined a large area of country and washed pans of earth in different localities. I found at many places prospects which would holdx out'a certainty that men, with the proper tools, would be munificently remunerated, — and in one place, for ten hours' work with pan and butcher's knife, I was enabled to collect about seven ounces of gold.

I have now had constructed proper machinery and tool*, and will be able in the course of a few days to repoit with more certainty. Mr. John Hardy, the Member for the 1 distriot, will accompany me, and on his return communicate personally with your. Honor. . His earnestness in fevour of a gold-field discovery has so pleased me that I have been induced to make him my confidant, and he has kindly placed histeam at my disposal. ' t • Had I made anything like an exhibition of my gold, the place would have been deserted by all the adult inhabitants the next day, and tbe farmers would have suffered seriously from a neglect of agricultural operations'at this season of the year: Although the being able to work" secretly for a time would greatly benefit me, I feel it my duty to impart thess facts. To know that the stream of population, must set through Waihola rath«r than Oamaru, I consider it important for you to know.

These communications are made in confidence that my secret is safe with Major Riphardson ; but; if a disclosure is of any benefit to the public interest, you are at liberty to treit this as a publftj communication to the Superintendent. Mr. Hardy will be in town in the course of a; week,' and^l think you might perhaps do welf to a>«ijt. h|e?relurn, when he will impart tho result of iiis .trip. At all events,, I leave myself as ft eljeoTi^der'your. Honor's patronage, 'conTinpfed that, by »o doinftl > take the most certain 'coitrse{to> insure tha benefit to which I may some day be oonsideped entitlef' for this important -dfscoveryrt </f ■ > * „- . '.V-f „_, Mr. Hardy will be able t£ show yon ypjjat IthJnlc '- may be specimens of coprar.orp y if % d ~so,? tj&re: is great quantities in the mounUins, w'dlridi se^s • of coal in its vjcinity. - — J-\^;V^- <' ' V~^\ *- v 1 have the libjjottr w tp be } ;-- • -•-;*-" - -' -■ " Your obedife r ßt!|isrV^ntr *;' t " -;'' Tads. <^A|JuEt. B.Ei.b %

{Continued from page 3.) 39. Q. Did you make the repayments %to the Bank, or hand the money to Mr. Street ? and did you explain to Mr. Street what monies they were, and did you instruct him to treat them as petty cash ? A. I am not quite sure if any of the money was paid into Bank. I did not explain to Mr. Street, so far as I remember, what monies they were, but I may have done so. Some oi the Superintendent's payments were,.! think, known to Mr. Street to be applied as petty cash. All monies I pay out of the Chest are handed to Mr. Street. Q. 40. Did you take a receipt from Mr. Street for each sum handed to him as petty cash ? A. No ; I received jottings from Mr. Street of sums wanted by him, which I keep till I see the vouchers, and then destroy. 41; Q. Have you any other documents to hand in, in support of your statement that the monies were advanced from the Provincial Accounts, and not from private funds ? A. I have other two notes of the Supermtendent; but as one bears " Tear this up and put it in the fire," and the other bears " Tear this up at once," I have scruples about giving them in without the Superintendent's consent, or a peremptory order on me to give them in. And I beg to explain, that these and the other notes having been put into, my drawers on receiving them, have been preserved without premeditation. The whole of the Questions from 1 to 41, with the replies, were left with the Superintendent for his remarks. His observations will be found under the evidence given ,by his: Honor. s 42. Q. In the month of February, 1860, , there was a deficiency in the Bank account, after allowing for the sums lent to Mr. Macandrew, of about £500. In that month you retired a Bill at the Union Bank. Have you, any explanation to offer ? . ■_ A. There were two Bill transactions for the same amount, viz., £300. . The first Bill was for my accommodation ; but, in respect of the second, I did not require the money, and allowed Mr. Macandrew to keep the proceeds, he (Mr. ' Macandrew) retiring the Bill. I would wish, however, to refer to my papers, and then make a further statement. Mr. M'Glashan handed in' a written statement on the Ist February, 1861, as follows : — " The Bill referred to was retired by Mr. Macandrew, not by me; this is the Bill I have alluded to, the proceeds of which I ggatev t e to him ; but, in mentioning the Bill, I said its amount was <£300. This is an error. - X spoke to the be?t of my recollection ; but never naving imagined that the transaction would become a subject of public inquiry, I kept no regular record of it,. Relieving that I must bave Bome,documents~un'der Mr. Macandrew's hands, showing that he got the sum less the discount,. I have .made a search, but have only discovered the following jotting in a memorandum book, which jotting has s« far revived my. recollection as to enable me to state distinctly what is 'above said, viz., that he got the proceeds and paid the Bill. "M'And.VIOIT, £488 STovr. ..,-■* 12 Int. T*aa Bill paid . . • £600 7th Feby;" Q. The Provincial Treasurer's .bond cannot be found iailie Superintendent's office. .Do. you know where it can be found ? A. That is a most untoward circumstance. The bond was delivered to Captain Cargill to be kept by him, and I have never seen it since. It was signed and delivered. , Captain Cargill kept public papers in an iron chest that stood in a stone safe adjoining his own room, and if it cannot be found among the papers that were kept in that chest or safe, I have no idea where it can be found. The Superintendent's clerk, Mr.; Logan, : had v charge! believe of Captain Cargill's official papers, and if he has never seen the bond, the present Superintendent should be enquired at, whether he, as executor of the late Mr. Proudfoot, has seen it among Mr. Proudfoot's papers, who was private clerk to Captain Cargill when I entered into office. Q. You- state in j r our public address that you effected a loan to enable yoii to close the Treasury Accounts, and that Mr Macandrew knew nothing of it until the accounts were closed : was the sum of £650, which given to the Accountant in cash and n6t by cheque' on the Bank, paid out of the loan to which you alluded ? A. I applied part of the Road money to supply Mr. Macandrew's deficiency, when I found from his repeatedly deceiving me ; that it was likely he would not repay me before 30th September, and I applied also some private funds for that purpose. I reserved the loan to make up any ultimate deficiency by Mr. Macandrewr Part of it was ultimately applied for that purpose, and the most part of the remainder I have since invested, having - borrowed the money for three years. , <& Will you .state the amount you raised • by loan, and from whom you received' it ; and - , snow that the w money was not permanently used for making up the deficiencies of the public balances ? A. The amount was £1000 ; the lender was Mr, John Jones ; the date on which I got the money was 24th September 1860, "but I had arranged for it a month before that. Personally I have no objection to show, that the > money was not permanently or otherwise used for making up the deficiency of the Public Balance (except the deficiency that remained after the last payment received from Mr. Macandrew) ; but as thereby I must necessarily disclose private affairs of another, which I am pledged not to do, I must decline doing it. lam not unaware of the suspicion I may incur in consequence. If entertained by those who are to judge me, it will be one of the misfortunes of my unhappy position. I shall therefore only hint that the social relations existing in this place are such, that it ought not to.appear strange that I have come under £uch a pledge. * ■- ■*• -j >' .a „ .i - - , Q. In reference to the petty cash, it appears that in each quarter the average amount issued is about .£2,500, — that it was regularly placed in charge of Mr. Street, the Accountant. Was this the petty cash to which you allude frequently in your examination, or was there some other,* and if so please to refer to the Bank-book and point out the items, where , issued, and state what payments were made ' by .you out of it.

A. The practice was for Mr. Street to furnish me with notes similar to those now exhibited, and for me to give him for the sums in these, notes a cheque, or cash, according to Circumstances. In general I retained cash in. my own hands to meet any emergency over and above the special payments to Mr. Street, and in case of necessary absence fora wholeday, I usually handed cash to iMr. Street, who ac- ; counted to me for the payments he made out of it. - It is impossible for me, from the great multiplicity of transactions and from my mind never, having Jbeen . pre-occupied with the matter, to give a more explicit answer.

.„ ,r, r Ths Superintendents replies to questions Nbs. 8, 9, and 10,' having been brought under - t^e^ptiee M'Glasban, the latter answered :—^TEat the statements by Mr. Macandrew are ft tissue; of untruths, in some parts Jnterwoven_wHE incidents that occurred, but "are; of no toporttince. h :' Tims the conversation he relateß regarding my letter to. him ol2oth' September, 1860, is a pure fiction; . Kosjach conversation ever occurred; nor . did .I4je> Withdraw that letter,. *' nor was^ asked td.wiihdr^. it, >He seems to nave forgotten that I had told Mr.^Morris and -Mr.Reynolds that he had»the deficient money in hiaV^ands,; that I had shewn ;them his cbeques^^md that I had told him I had done ■'^'M' temperament inky

be, the letter in question shews, I think, anything but intemperance or want of delicacy towards him. I left it to himself to state the circuiustahpes to his Executive. Mr. Macandrew's professions of benevolence towards me can deceive no one. The circumstances on which he claims credit for it are purely fictitious. In the real circumstances there has been displayed a feeling the very opposite : and there is a latent malignity in one of his statements, which is intended to wound where he knows my feelings are acute. If Mr. Macandrew made any statement to my brother that I was deficient in the public accounts, it was unauthorised by me, and was false. It is true that in the beginning of 1858, I was accommodated by my brother with «r temporary loan of about £200, and that this was effected through the agency of Mr. Macandrew as a mutual friend. My brother was theny and subsequently, in the practice of accommodating him ; and he proposed to ask ■my brother for a sum I then wanted. That is the only occasion on which I have any recol- ' lection of Mr. Macandrew acting as the medium between me and my brother. And here I beg to explain that I am owner and occupier of about 200 acres of land in the vicinity of Dunedin, as well owner of some live stock ; and that having two sons in manhood, I have not considered it incompatible with the zealous and faithful discharge of my public duties to engage, with the assistance of my sons and other servants, in the farming of my land, on which I reside, as a means of adding to the small income derived from office. From this cause I have occasionally required pecuniary assistance until crops were reaped or cattle Bold^>aud hence the -money transactions for my accommodation which Mr. Macandrew has ■ thought fit to bring into view. I Occasionally I. have consulted Mr. Macandrew when parties- have wished me to give them information as teethe purchase of land. About a year ago, a friend in Edinburgh authorised me to buy for him one of the " two thousand acre " sections then for sale at 10s. per acre, informing me of the immediate object be had in view in making the purchase, and authorising me to draw upon him for the price (£1000.) My own opinion being that the purchase would not be suitable for that object, I mentioned the matter to Mr. Macandrew, and think I showed him my friend's letter, and I consulted others also, and finally resolved not to make the purchase, and, of course, not to draw upou him, a course which my friend has since approved of. This is one of the cases which Mr. Macandrew refers to in proof of his statement, that I had private funds in my hands available for a loan to him and without security. The other case he mentions is this :■ — A merchant in Dunedin (whose name" the Commissioner may hare), told me that he had some money to lend. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Jones, of Jones & Williamson, asked me if I could procure a loan of a few hundred pounds for a relative. I told him to write me, stating the sum wanted, and the particulars of the security offered, and I would send the letter to the gentteman who wanted to lend on mortgage. That was done, and the proposal was rejected.