THE KIMBERLEY GOLD FIELD.

Kumara Times, Issue 3004, 19 June 1886, Page 2

THE KIMBERLEY GOLD FIELD.

The Derby correspondent of the West Australian writes as follows by he steamer which arrived at Perth About 700 ounces of-gold have now Been brought into Derby. Moore, Morrison, and Hedley have returned* after twelve months’ absence. They of of gold—. or thereabouts—as they have been up far*Tonger than any other men. In addition to the gullies around 'he Elvire and Black Elvire, they have got gold on the head waters of the Mary a tributary of the Margaret, considerably nearer Derby than the first find. Hall has reached the Yeeda station! He has brought down a fair amount of gold, notwithstanding the difficulties he has had to contend with. Two men out of the party were almost always sick ; two had to be continually after horses, and only two remained to work, Moore and Morrison are of opinion that 'he gold will by no means stand a large msh, in fact they go so far as to say that there is not a payable goldfield yet discovered. They have explored the Ord region very thoroughly in the last twelve months, and refer, of course, to the alluvial work, but I hope it will turn out that they are taking a very pessimistic view of the case, It being remembered that the whole of the late work has been gully scraping, and that the pick has not yet been used. The patches of gold-bearing ground are spread over an immense area, and are generally of such a nature as to promise splendid reefiug, but the diggers who rush hero first will expect to make their pile at alluvial work. Slattery is coming down with' a piece of qnarlz weighing 28oz. which is estimated to contain 20oz. of pure gold. The richest spot yet worked is Rockman's creek, which lies about 30 miles off Mount Barrett. Several parties have left since my last letter. I am sorry to say some of them are very insufficiently supplied with ho;ae.<. I know of two or three at least who are making the journey on foot with only one pack horse. I hope no harm will come of this.

The price of flour in Derby is £2(|

a ton or 2£d a lb.; and when it is taken into consideration that the freight from Freemuatle is £2 18s, and the cartage from the jetty 28s, I think it will be found that the storekeepers of Derby are not making much more profit out of their goods than are storekeepers in other parts of the colony. Two men, O’Donoghue and John M'Kenzie, who left here last November for the diggings, started thence for Derby towards the end of February with about a month’s provisions, and have not since been heard of. Moore and Hedley met some natives near the St. George’s Ranges, who told him that two white men had died somewhere near there.