THE WEST COAST GOLD FIELDS LATEST FROM THE PAKIHI DIGGINGS.

Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 252, 30 November 1866, Page 2

THE WEST COAST GOLD FIELDS LATEST FROM THE PAKIHI DIGGINGS.

By way of Canterbury, we have accounts from the West Coast to Tuesday last. From the Hokitika Times, of the 27th, we extract the following : — The latest reports to hand from thePakihi diggings confirm the good accounts before received concerning the new rush to Fox's j Kiver, payable gold having been struck in j several places. A great scarcity of provisions, however, existed there, as, for a fortnight previous to the arrival of the Bruce, no supi plies had reached the place, heavy rains having rendered the country impassable. Hundreds of men were reduced to the necessity of living upon shell fish, of which, fortunately, there was a plentiful supply. . Four tons of goods were landed here by the i Bruce, and quite a rush was made by the 1 famishing men to secure a portion of them, and the cases and bales were opened on the beach, and their contents retailed at once. The first parcel of gold received from the Pakihi. diggings was shipped in the Bruce at the Buller, for Greymouth, and although it amounted to only 530 ounces, may be accepted j as satisfactory evidence of the bona fide character of the new field. A belief in the auriferous character of the back country is generally entertained amongst the miners, and although previous attempts [ made to strike gold there have so far resulted

in failures, they appear only to net a 9 incentives to further researches. Since the discovery of the old Five-mile digginga, the country round the Kanieri and Hokitika rivers has always been regarded by miners with a favorable eye, and several parties have been organised for the purpose of thoroughly testing it. It was to this locality that the I Govi-mment prospecting party, under Mr. M'Crae, confined its labors, which unfortunately were followed by such bairen results; und since its disbandment a private party of mintrs have spent several weeks there trying terraces, creeeks, and gullies, bub without success. But, nothing daunted by past failures, another party o r diggers, headed by Mr. Woolridge, started from Woodstock on Saturday last witli two months' provisions, and intend proceeding in a flat bottomed boat as far up the Hokitika as it is possihle to go, and not return until their food is consumed. We hear that some months ago one of them found payable gold in a terrace many milea above the junction of the two rivers, and it is determined to give this particular spot a thorough trial. The party is provided with the mining appliances required on a prospecting tour.