WEST CANTERBURY GOLDFIELDS.

Press, Volume IX, Issue 1090, 7 May 1866, Page 2

WEST CANTERBURY GOLDFIELDS.

[fEOM OUE OW>* COBBESPO3fDENT.] Hokitika, May 3. Intelligence has been just received that the s.s. Wonga Wonga is on shore at the Grey. She first took the ground on the south spit, but during the night washed off, and was driven on to the north beach. One rumor says she will break up if the S."W. sea continues, another talks about tenders having been called for launching her. The long-lost Bruce returned last night from Okarita, having been bar bound at that port for some considerable time. She brought up 4100 oza of gold, and more than her complement of passengers, some of whom are now in the lock-up for having taken French leave to come on board. The s.s. Gothenburgh is outside; no harbor

boat has been able to get outTTT in consequence of the condition ot t? , bar. By signal I learn that 8 l? ft ? e 250 passengers on board, and 27? ♦ of cargo for this place and the <£* ■ (about forty tons for the <W G "*. The Maria, from Melbourne had the audacity to come again to 1 port winch, upon her so unfortunate to her. If the ha*T not alter materially it wul h* time before she can come £ Lord Ashley has just arrived in ♦),! roadstead, from Dunedin; she h I understand, sprung a' leak a i hence is bound for Sydney for , She is not considered safe enough t carry mails, but is allowed to aJ? ' females (passengers). ™ ; I forgot to mention that the Brae* brought up news that the Kate : on the 27th ultimo, became a total' ? wreck on the Okarita bar. The news from the late Wahnea. ; rush is satisfactory. The " E?enin Star" of to-night says:-—" Every? \ thing ia very quiet on the new rush at ; present, but two new ehafte U , struck gold. The first of these is I about sixteen feet in depth, antl h situated on the eastern side of the > terrace. The prospect at first obtained ! was three pennyweights to the dieh I but this was a false bottom, as the , party have sunk through the layer of i clay on which the gold lay. They are j at present going through some good » looking gravel, from which- four to ' five grains to the dish can be obtained Another claim, belonging to Johnston j. and party, have struck a Uttle goia at . a depth of forty-five feet—rthis shaft ig § supposed not to be bottomed yet. i The prospect obtained is four grains 1 to the dish. Many miners are now * leaving the rush—a fair proportion of I whom appear to be making their way s up the old Waimea. A few are arriving on the rueh from the Grey f and other places, but although they * are a small number compared with 9 those who are leaving/I am: more thaa * ever convinced that there will be paye able work here for a , ' f good few mineri ■ for a long time." 8,315 ozs 8 dwts "■ were 'cleared yes- " terdaybythe Bank of. Jifew Zealand; * the duty paid on it was £1,039 Bs. IMPOSTS. ' 3 Monday - - £521 15 2 Tuesday - - 660 2 4 Wednesday - - 514 2 8 * Thursday - '- 330 9 7 Import duties for month 3 of April - - -£8184 15 0 •' Export - - - *2841 U 8 * Eepresenting 22,732 ounces. 1 A gaoler, in a gorgeous array that made the inhabitants of our town gaze 3 upon him with awe, arrived with Wβ 3 staff on the 28th ultimo, to take charge of the new gaol and the prisoners therein confined. * On Tuesday, the wharf was Jn a commotion, owing to the sudden death ' by drowning of the mate of the * p.s. Persevere. While pulling a rope : he fell backwards into the rft&r, and l . though thrown a rope, and a boat 1 within a few yards of him eager to ( pick him up, he suddenly disappeared, leaving the impression, in $xc miafa & ' those who witnessed the disaster thai ' he had been seized with the cramp. 1 The conjecture is feasible, as the water ' t was icy cold. [ An adjourned meeting was held on Tuesday evening to take intb|coa« sideration the immediate sale, of town ' lands at present unsold.