WESTLAND.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1410, 16 May 1867, Page 2

WESTLAND.

We extract the following information from the Westfand papers :— j THE KOETH SPIT. A scene of no little excitement took place on Friday last on the Spit, in consequence of the rapid incursions of the eurf, which rolled on the beach in immense massee, and seriously endangered the safety of the many shanties that are there congregated. We might, with greater correctness, say " were," for several were removed by their proprietors during the day —a process that, we imagine, will have to be repeated, for their present position is anything but a safe one. A large number of people congregated on the spot, watching the progress of the sea, and ou more than one occasion a general rush took place to avoid a i more than usually heavy roller, which, in default of human beings, vented its fury on the nearest house—in some instances bursting in at one door aud ' out the opposite one, after deluging the interior with water. The notice to quit was too emphatic to bo disregarded, and household furniture and utensils wpre hurriedly transferred to a more sure position, several of tho lighter habitations being similarly treated. A large elice of the spit was swept away by tlie rush of waters, and the sea co undermined the ground from the boiler that has for so long a ptrioa graced the beach, that the mass of iron lazily rolled down to a spot below its former position. The winch, too, that had been placed to assist in the launching

of the .steamer Sout I,lam), waaofton J on one ~™i,,M OMI% J" , * linen workup , lt j t narrow , l l -> 0 iln.in SW « W l,oa.iwnv. Altlmu-rh o ff jthehm,adtlu>s,a has made j S !M..ti,H clustered „„ the ",; Rthe !'-a»n»t however, !,ej p *J ! sympathy with the unforl unate UTS, Hit; niHJ.irily of whom nre s 0 ~! jthat the fx V attendant on tV ji < iiJormlrtMnov,ilwillboßo J ir,.olvendS jublo; ami we have „» hesitation I recommending thearelaimn to tho b«2 j consideration ot the charitable. I'LATINUM IX SOUTHLAND. The '• West Coast Times" - Mr P. K. Procter, a jeweller* ai i goldsmith of this town, recently Dl ichased .a very fine sample of platinum troin a digger just arrived from th! south, and who stated that any Ql n" tity might be obtained, but as i? had been regarded as worthless, no care had been taken to preserve it ' fact, every effort had been made by miners to get rid of it. The sample in question, which weighs about ei»hf ounces was found on the Sea beach at Orepuki, about twenty miles west of K.verton in the Province of South land, and was washed out of the black sand with which it was found to be mixed, m the same manner as gold. The seller also remarked that though lie had not obtained any i n this province, the sand from which th o sample was washed presented precisely the same appearance as that in the vicinity of Hokitika, and ho hid no doubt that a search would result in the discovery of platinum in almost any quantity." NORTH BEACH. The "GreyKiver Argue" says — " A party of three, under the designation of Ranft and party, applied Vat week for a prospecting claim in a piece of ground situated rather better than nine miles from Greymouth on tho North Beach, in the second terrace from the beach. Tho prospect was stated to have be from one to one and a-half pennyweights to tho dish. Mr Warden Lightband, acting for Mr Kyunersley, who is absent at the Buller, proceeded ou Tuesday to the scene of operations, and the result of his examination of the ground was tho granting of an extended claim of double area to the prospectors. The road to the spot is along the North Beach as far as the Old Chimney, and thence turns up the terrace about 300 yards to the immediate vicinity of Ten-mile creek, which is Gverlooked from the summit of the ridge. It is at the back of the first or beach terrace, and about half-a-mile from the sea. The drive ia into the western face of the cliff, some 300 feet above low water mark. The party prospected six holes before fixing on the present two included in their claim, beginning at the fuce opposite the creek and proceeding southward, each being more satisfactory than the other. They have now put in a drive of about six feet, and state that they have taken from it as much as four pennyweights to the dish j but the average of several prospects taken by the Warden was what we have stated—from one to one and a-half. Favorable as these results undoubtedly are, it is not ground that ia likely to maintain any large population, aa there is only room for probably one more claim in the present face, and any other parties will have to sink from the crown of the ridge. From the ascertained direction of the dip, it is probable that the lead will not be reached at less than from 80 to 150 feet depth. The sinking will be through limestone, which crops out at the top of the next terrace, about 300 yards south of Eanft's drive. The washdirt is from two to three feet thick, composed of red, closely-packed gravel, and indurated clay, overlying a thin seam of coal. Tho sample of gold obtained is a remarkably good one, being very coarse and nuggetty, and strongly resembling in its character that brought from Moonlight's, excepting that it is of a somewhat darker color and mory dingy in appearance." MAORI GULLY. The correspondent of the came paper, dating May 9, says—" It would be premature to say anything regarding the Kiverton lead at the present time until more claims are bottomed. Only two claims are getting gold —the Welshman's and Yorkey'e—all the others are either preparing timber or sinking. One claim—Goff and party —has bottomed on the high reef in one corner, and it appears to dip ia a north-easterly direction. Henry and party have bottomed at a depth of sixty feet, and have been driving for the last fortnight. As yet they have got nothing payable, although they have gone through some laborious work, having had to bail water flight and day incessantly. Should the lead come in this direction it will have to be worked by horses and whims. The thanks of the community are due to Henry and party ior the indefatigable perseverance and energy with which they are testing this lead. As we have had several fresh arrivals amongst us lately, I have little doubt but they will infuse fresh life into our community. It is> however, extremely problematical which way the lead will run ; ifc is not always in the deepest ground that it takes its course. Take, for iustauce, the Avoca, where people seemed infatuated with deep sinking, while the lead went ia quite a contrary direction, and comparatively shallow ; as also the lead at Fiery Creek and in the Long Gully in olden times. I am qu'to sanguine of the ultimate success ot tins lead, but it will require time and perseverance to develop it. The new track surveyed by Mr Aitken between here and tho Arnold will, if carried out according to the specifications, be of incalculable service to the community at large, besides being about a mile or bo shorter. There are no hills to cross. The road is to bo twelve feet wide, and metalled. lam given to understand that a tramway would have been much cheaper; however, let us be thankful for small mercies. The old Arnold track is to ttf out iv repair."

DIGGINGS > T EAB GREYMOTJTH. Jhe same paper says —'• We have reived some information which we r,,-'. vc to bo reliable, although it is T"* vet confirmed by any official v >' hich > if [t is borne out v subsequent investigation, must have the effect of restoring to GreyLuth pome of its original prestige, Jnd probably make it one of the most ftttrnctive divings on the coast. Acoriing to the statements made to us. Lo men, Harry Long and his mate, lave been some time at work " on the • e t" at a spot about seven miles from Grevmouth, on the Canterbury «ide of the" river, and have been ea ruin* from £» to £6 weekly, with easy stripping aud a very promising depth of fisluiirt. The route, as well as cm he ascertained, turns off to the rjtfht into the ranges, immediately onposite to the Long-bridge, at two miles from the town. After crossing the range a much more level country ■ rea ched, with a succession of low terraces and broadish valleys between them, the whole of which are believed to be auriferous to a sufficient extent to pay fair wages provided that necessaries conld be obtained at a reasonable rate, without involving the necessity of the men's losing at least one day's work in the week to come down as far as Greymouth to fetch them. This desideratum wiH no doubt be soon supplied when the apparent richness of the district becomes known, by the establishment of stores at different point h on the route. The track is said not to be ve ry difficult after crossing the range, and a storekeeper is already engaged in cutting a practicable road for pocking to the neighborhood where Long's party is at work, about five miles from the river. Even at present " tucker " is not inordinately dear, as ka-kas, pigeons, and eels abound, and are to be had for the shooting or catching The gold obtained is of a very fine character, finer even than the generality of beach gold, so that a parcel that looks like an ounce and a-half will prove, when put into the scale, not to weigh an ounce. We do not guarantee the literal accuracy of these details, although much pains have been taken to insure it, but honestly believe there is enough in the circumstances to justify the hope of a very flourishing diggings existing in our immediate neighborhood.