THE BACK CREEK RUSH.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6986, 13 February 1891, Page 4

THE BACK CREEK RUSH.

(from a correspondent.) Hokitika, February 11. The only talk In th'B part of the world is gold ! how and where to get it — •* hooestly of course." The rush Is our salvation. There is now not a shadow of a doubt about there be'ng plenty of gold at Back Creek and Seddon Terrace. Yesterday being a fine day, one of those days Hokitika is noted tor, when it is fine, I, in company with a friend, took a trip along the line as far as Stevens and party's claim. They were just preparing to wash a email paddock (their second) of a few loads. Their first averaged Bdwts to the load ; the depth of shaft 1b 80ft 61n, with 4ft of wash, which has thick- ' ened to 7ft in the drive. The adjoining claim (Higgins and party) has just finished washing four loads (the bottom of the shaft), getting what appeared to be 2oz of very pretty gold. These people seem to be quite satisfied with their lot. Another claim or two farther out have also struck payable <*old, the last report being that Daly and party washed up half an ounce to the load. Coming in from Stevens'* we called at a number of shafts, all more or less upon gold. Conper'a (next to Ward and party) are preparing a paddock. Ward and party have built a substantial elevated paddock, and are about to erect fluming for water. They are driving out to their boundary to get stowing room for the big stones. One of the party to try if they were leaving anything below them washed a dish of the bottom and got ldwt of gold. Report to-day states they have struck another layer of ' wash giving l£dwt to the dish. CunningI ham and party have gone through their gold and struck a Band drift. Whether this will be of any extent or not remains vto be proved. Their gold Is good, but only 12ft wide. Wellington and party are about 60ft deep, or 20ft above Ward's gold, and got 2£gra to a dish of stuff \ washed. This briDgs us to one of the I dams, which appears to be right in the lead. Several shafts are being sunk close Into the water's edge, with the intention of driving for the lead. Here the Grey ! Valley party are at it again. This party truly deserve to get gold for their pluck. They from the very firat have kept sinkIng although daffered in each attempt. Next we recognise a Brunner face who has been waiting and watching and now found faith to sink his hole. From this to Weir and party and Jack and party the claims are about four abreast and more or less on gold. There are now over 100 men on gold, 26 claims having struck it. Weir and party are calling for tenders for driving a tunnel 600 ft. There are no idle men about now, as it Is clearly proved to be a- good payable field. Some of the abandoned shafts that were driven upon the first fancy line are now being re-taken up for the purpose of driving for the lead. One of the drawback just now is the want of sawn timber. There are plenty of suitable trees, but no sawyers to cut them. 14a per 100 ft could be got, the saw mills not being able to compete, there being no toads as yet. Speaking of reads, there seems to be borne dissatisfaction about the line surveyed for the road from Blmu to the Terrace. A deputation of loading business men of Rimu waited upon the county council to-day praying for a deviation upon the grounds that the line Burveyed would be four chains longer and over a number of old worked c'aims, while the one they advoca'ed would be upon solid ground and could be formed and maintained at a very much lesa coat. Anyhow, they must have a road to bring out the gold.