WANGAPEKA GOLD FIELDS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 4, Issue 192, 25 May 1861, Page 3

WANGAPEKA GOLD FIELDS.

(From theNelso,

Examiner, April 20.)

Although the more recent discoveries of gold in the Wangapeka district have for some few weeka past been the subject of considerable excitement in Nelson, and rumours have been current as to the number of men lately employed in the Waimeas, who have left their ordinary avocations to become washers of gold j although we had been shown, by a person whose word we could not doubt, sixteen ounces of gold, which had been obtained by four men in five days, we yet considered that it would be far better to await tho return of the Provincial Engineer (who, having to visit the district to arrange for the construction of roads, had kindly promised to give us whatever information he could collect respecting the diggings), before committing ourselves to any statement respecting the probability of the Wangapeka district being a rich goldfield.

Mr. Blackett has returned and says that he was assured by persons whose word he believed could be trusted, that men can earn about £3 per day while they work, or, as the weather is not at v all times favourable for their operations, and asti some time is of course necessary for obtaining, food, they would, if industrious, earn at the rate of £8 or £9 per week. This of course applies to industrious persons, and any one who may have an idea of visiting Wangapeka must, have it fully impressed upon his mind that the digger in any locality who, as a rule, is successful, is he who can stand bodily fatigue ; those who cannot do so generally leave even the richest gold-field in disgust, or if they remain, idle Sway their time at the grog store, and then call themselves unlucky diggers. Provisions, &c., can now be carted as far as the Tadmore range, "a distance of about 50 miles from Nelson ; where flour sells for 365. per lOOlbs. For packing goods a further distance of five miles, 20s. per lOOlbs. is charged, and thence the diggers have themselves to carry whatever they require for about another ten miles to the diggings.

The Provincial Government have already let three contracts for the formation of a goodroad to the Wangapeka, two for making a dray road, and one for a bullock track, the former of .which will, it is expected, be completed in one month, the latter in about a fortnight, bo that in a short time the difficulty, which exists at present, of reaching the spot where the diggings are situated will be removed.

The intermediate portion of the road between Waiiti, from a point about three miles above Foxhill, over Spooncr's range and down Norm's gully, is now in course of being improved to serve the greatly increased traffic. This will be accomplished by felling the bush for one chain wide, and removing from the track the roots and stumps of "trees.

The fords of the Rivers Wai-iti, Motueka, Tadmore, and Sherry are all reported to be good, and by no means deep in ordinary weather. Now one word of caution. On the of the Provincial Engineer, who, of course, thoroughly understands the road and its present difficulties, we would suggest to intending visitors to these Wangapeka diggings the wisdom of a short delay before starting. In a few weeks the roads will be finished, when provisions can be packed the whole way to the diggings, and men who intend to pass the winter there will then easily be able to get the neee3saries of life about them without the tremendous struggle that is now requisite in order to carry their tents, tools, and provisions over a rough country for ten miles.

[Prom the Nelson Examiner, 3lay 11.]

Notwithstanding the late heavy rains and the present inclement season for gold digging, the Wangapeka gold field is attracting a considerable portion of our labouring population, the effect of which is already seriously felt in our labour market. As an example, the contractors on the works of the Dun Mountain Railway, who.yecen;lyhad seventy-five men in their employ, can now only procure the services of the third of that i Umber, at 10s. per day wages, and it is with, the greatest, difficulty that a man can be found in town to do any odd job of work. The great distinction between the Wangapeka diggings and any previously worked in the province is, that although many of those who have visited them have remained therfrbut a short time, they all report favorably of the prospects of those who remain at work, and intend to return and prosecute the search for gold as early as possible. The Provincial Engineer, Mr. Blackett, who visited Wangapeka for the purpose of making the district more accessible by road, on his return to Nelson gave a very encouraging account ,of the result of his enquiries on the spot into the success of the diggers, and his statement was, that men who are industrious, after deducting for loss of time, in getting their provisions upon the spot, which they have at present to carry on their backs for a few miles over a rough country, can earn from £8 to £9 a week each. A dray road to the diggings is being constructed, and will be open in a week or two.