THE NEW GUINEA GOLD DISCOVERY.

Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 3896, 17 January 1878, Page 3

THE NEW GUINEA GOLD DISCOVERY.

By the arrival of the s.s. Somerset, at Cooktown, on the 26th ultimo, the Rev. Mr Lawes, missionary at New Guinea, was a passenger. He reports that rich gold has been discovered near the coast by Goldie and party, and he has splendid specimens of alluvial and quartz, but he deprecates a rush until after the wet season. He lias furnished the j' Cooktown Herald" with an interesting missionary report, in which he speaks of the natives as being civil and friendly, but given much to pilfering. Part of the" country he describes as being completely parched by continued drought, but in others the hills are green and the plantations flourishing. He concludes his report by saying—" Gold has been discovered in the interior. Mr Goldie and I, about two months ago, went inland, and on that occasion one of his party, a New Caledonian, got some gold-bearing quartz of a fine and rich quality. They afterwards prosecuted a search, and obtained several other specimens, and also a quantity of alluvial gold in the sand of a river bed. I have seen all these, and have specimens of each in my possession. The gold found in the sand is very Use. Mr Goldie's agents in Sydney will have samples of each assayed, and the results are to be made known. The existence of gold in New Guinea may be considered proved. Mr Goldie is not prosecuting his search in this direction any further, but has left the district, and gone down the coast. It is quite true that an organised party of competent men visited New Guinea to prove what the mineral wealth of this new and truly great country really is. But nothing can be done until after the —at season. 1 know the country well, having lived three years in the district, and am quite sure that great misery and loss of life must ensue, if there is any influx of Europeans to Port Moresby during the wet season. Any party going after that should take provisions enough to be independent of native supply. The natives get a bare subsistence; their plantations, especially after this drought, producing really nothing that would be available for any number of new arrivals. The natives, both on the coast and in the interior, are at present friendly, if treated honestly and fairly. The confidence we as white men have now need not be shaken. lam not returning to New O uinea, and I would earnestly warn all 'gold-seekers against attempting to push inland during the wet season, and also against depending upon the natives either for labor or provisions."