SELECTIONS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume VI, Issue 308, 6 October 1875, Page 7

SELECTIONS.

Gwemment Prospscting.

in the Coromandel Mail, thus facetiously hits off the system of gold prospecting under Government assistance and control. The writer is a good deal nearer the truth than perhaps he imagines : “My friend Hopeful had to ray knowledge done a smart thing down Hokitika

way, on the West Coast of the Middle Island, which showed he had talent, even if he was deficient in energy. It was this. He was very hard up, although the fact is I never knew him to be anything else. This time he was not only hard up, but out of health. The doctor ho went to said he must have change of air and nourishing food. Then an idea seized upon the mind of Hopeful. He went to the Government offices at Hokitika, sent in a card with his name written on it, and asked for a confi- [ deutial interview with the Superintendent. This was granted. Hopeful before opening up the proceedings wanted to swear the Superintendent on a Bible to the effect that he would not divulge what was about to be communicated to him. The Superintendent refused to be sworn, but said he was too much of a gentleman ever to divulge what was imparted to him in confidence.

Then Hopeful stated, in a whisper, that he had discovered a new goldfield about fifty mile s south of the Hokitika river. It was he declared with charming emphasis, one 1 of the richest goldfields in Hew Zealand. It would cause a rush of thousands from the other side of the world, when it was made known. From Greenland’s icy mountains to India's coral strand, people would flock to the new El’Dorado, and there would be such times for Westland as had never been known to any country in the world. * But/ said Hopeful, ‘it is necessary at the outset that the greatest secresy should be observed. The boundaries of the auriferous area would have to l)e ascertained.’ For this purpose Hopeful would require a party of three men, two packhorses, a man to attend them, provisions for three months, and fifty pounds in cash. How, the Superintendent, (his right designation was Chairman of the County Council,) was not what one would call a soft man, —indeed he considered himself

j rather a sharp man. Some people went with him in this idea, and some people—a good many—didn’t. However, Hopeful leant forward and whispered a few words in his ear, in which the word ‘ halves’ was included. I don’t quite know about this. But I know that in a day or two Hopeful got an order to get two pack-horses, and another order for provisions and other things going under the name of ‘ medical

comforts.’ Then Hopeful looked about for throo chums to go with him who were good at whist, know something of cribbage, and didn’t object to a hand at euchre. The fifty pounds wore handed over to him, which, with the provisions, medical comforts, and the man in care of the packhorses, were charged to the Treasury account of Westland under the head of “ contingencies.” “Thou the party, choosing fine weather, started very early in the morning, and travelled with just a stoppage or two fur refreshment until rather late in the evening, b

Here the party turned off the track, and made for a clear spot in the bush, near to a beautiful running creek. A tent was rigged, a tiro’lighted, the horses'unpacked and ‘tethered out. Everything was- made snug, and under the in (1 nonce of ‘ medical comforts’ a very pleasant evening was passed. Well, on this spot Hopeful and his party remained until they got tired of going about shooting wild ducks, playing whist and euchre, and especially after all the medical comforts had been used up. Tbm they came back to Hokitika. Hopev aited on the Government and explained that what lie had taken to be gold he had discovered was only iron pyrites; but that if the Westland Government would pay him two hundred pounds down he would lay them on to a coal-mine. This was what Hopeful said, and he is a long way off from being a bad follow in the maim He refuses to tins day to toll where that coal-mine is located.”