THE OTAGO GOLD-FIELDS—CONFLICTING RUMOURS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1437, 20 September 1861, Page 4

THE OTAGO GOLD-FIELDS— CONFLICTING RUMOURS.

We extract the following from the telegrams in the Sydney Morning Ho aid, September 3 : — Melboubjste, September 2 — The 'Pirate' has arrived from Otago. The gold-field news is moat ordinary and uninteresting. No new rich lead had been discovered. Parties were prospecting in all duections, and many leturmng disappointed. Population was rushing in fioui all the other provinces The weather was very seveie Of the 1,500 mineis at woik, about twenty weie doing well. No gold was sent down by the escort I give the Olaijo Wibiesf own words " The news from the Tnapeka diggings continues to be much of the same character as that heretofoie leceived. Some paities aie making considerable finds, some doing little, and the geneial body doing well. The weather has been severe, and a few diggeis have given up the piusuit of gold until a more advantageous season, and have leturned to town. Theie are several rumours afloat as to new piospects, but those who have been successful on these occasions are keeping the matter quiet, and are working m secret. Theie also appears a greater unwillingness than existed at first by those who are successful to tell of their profits. Small parcels of gold still come to town by private hands, but little is sold, the impiession amongst the diggers being that it is worth more than buyers aie oftenng foi it, and it will not be until after the assays bent for to Sydney return, that any fieedom will exist in the buying and selling of gold. The escoit is lather lidiculed fiom its want of pioper equipment and its style of getting up M The news is checking the lush to Otago fiom this poit. A latei telegiain states — The intelligence fiom Otago is eageily canvassed Cons>ideiable check is given to the msh Passengeis by the 'Pirate' lepoit that nothing in New Zealand warrants the excitement felt here A private letter speaks of the gold-field as equal to some hi New South Wales Another letter says of the many at woik a few are doing well, but that everything depends on the piospectmg paities The ' Pirate' bungs no gold. Nothing like the existing rush was expected in Otago, wheie the inhabitants were following thenusual avocations. A pnvate telegiam fiom Melbourne, received yesterday afternoon, says, " The ' Pirate' is va. from Otago this morning, biinging bad news from the diggings theie Papeis have published extras with particulars. Great excitement on the wharf." The Melbourne Aiffits of 2nd September contains the following paiagiaph • — The airival of the steamer ' Pirate' from Otago has been looked for with considerable interest for some days past, by numeious diggers and others, as the news she would bring, if it shewed that the gold fields of that province were less rich than the pzevious reports had stated, would probably deter them from leaving the colony. The 'Pirate,' however, though over-due, is still unieported, and speculation is variously endeavouring to account for her non-appearance. The favourite theory is, that her crew has deserted for the diggings, and that she is left without sufficient hands to navigate her across. Meantime the exodus continues. The ship 'Anna Kimball' sailed on Saturday for Otago, with 300 passengers. She was followed by the barque ' Aurifera,' the ship ' Versailles,' and the schooner 'Policeman' — all with passsengers and caigo Numerous passengers aie offering for ships now on the berth ; and the steamer ' Lady Bird' sails to-monow. The gold fever has also broken out at Sydney, though with less virulence, and one or more ships placed on the berth there are repoited by telegram as lapidly filling up. For once, Adelaide has not shaied in the excitement — has been reasonably sensible and calm.