WARDEN'S REPORTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1485, 14 September 1865, Page 10 (Supplement)

WARDEN'S REPORTS.

Of the gold brought up by the Wallaby this trip, from 1700 to 1800 ounces are from the Grey ; and the reports of prospectors northwards are said to represent that gold is being found in numerous different parts along the distance which divides the Grey and the Buller. Of this we shall, of course, have further accounts.

Warden's Office, Greymouth, 12th August, 1865.

Sir, —I have the honour to report that, about six weeks ago, a large rush took place up the river Grey into the Nelson province, from the various districts on this goldfield, which has caused a great demand for business sites in this township. The greater portion of the allotments laid out by the Mining Surveyor have been taken up, but the occupiers found great difficulty at first in obtaining building materials, so that registration was the order of the day. The arrival of three steamers and Jseveral sailing craft during the last fortnight, with the required supplies, have enabled them to proceed with their buildings, some of which are already completed, and give the town a more business-like appearance. A large, portion of the Native Reserve, having frontage on the River Grey, has been leased by the Maoris to the Europeans, at the rate of £1 and £2 per foot per annum. The reaction has already taken place. I should say that, at the lowest calculation, 500 men have passed through, returning to their old claims, or going south to the Totara. There are about fifty miners at work cn the various creeks between | Greymouth and Saltwater Creek, who are reported to be holding good payable claims. It is more than probable that there will be a mining population on the south side of the river Arnold, which forms the northern boundary of this province. I am informed that one party have already taken up a claim there. Since the Ist ultimo I have visited the Greenstone twice, and settled a few disputes amongst the miners, of whom there are about 500 settled there. Disputes are very rare in this part of the district; and generally speaking, the miners are quiet and orderly. A new township has sprung up at Maori Point, about two miles above the present camp. Several large races are being constructed to carry water on to the terraces, and are fast drawing to completion. The terraces have already begun to be worked; the wash-dirt is run out on tramways and shot down at the side of the river for washing. Some of the miners who arrived on the Greenstone in July, 1864, are still working claims there, and have cleared over £500 per man. I have the honour to be, sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) W. H. Revell. Warden.

Hokitika, Aug. 13, 1865. Sir, —I have the honour to furnish the following report on the district of Kanieri, now in my charge. The district comprises about seventy square miles, including the Arahaura (south), Ho Ho, Kanieri, Arthur Town, and Woodstock. Until some few weeks ago the above-named places contained a large population, but owing to the recent discoveries of payable gold north and south of the town of Hokitika (the Grey and Totara), a portion of the miners have abandoned their claims; but from the known payable quality of the ground, there cannot beadoubt that their place will be filled by fresh arrivals or the early return of the former occupants. Throughout the district, the whole of which is more or less highly auriferous and remunerating to the digger, may be found easy workings, which ought to induce men of small capital to set in at once. Many of the claims are found tedious to work on account of the excess of water. The drainage appearß to collect in a sort of basin formed of light gravel, but I have no doubt that, with water wheels driving long pumps, and parties combining to work at the same time, the difficulty may be overcome. I am preparing for my next report a statistical return of my district, which I shall have the honour of furnishing at the end of next week. I have the honour to be, sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) C. C. Shaw, Warden. Ilokitika, August 21. Sir, —I have the honour to report that, in accordance with your instructions, I proceeded, on the 17th inst., to the recently discovered gold workings in the Totara district. I

I took the usoal route along the beach, crossing the Totara at its mouth, about eleven and a half miles from the town of Hokitika, and still following the beach to the long ford. At this point, about fourteen miles from Ilokitika, the track leaves the beach, utnl runs up the bed of the Totara for nearly a mile, to where it is joined by Donelly's creek. The latter stream is then followed for three mile«, aa nearly as I could judge, and the new diggings commence about a mile to the westward. The general bearing of the track from the beach up the course of the Totara and

Donelly's creek is north (magnetic). Five gullies or creeks running nearly parallel to each other are being worked between Donelly's creek ttn d the Mikonui. Their Main gully creek, K""y, Maori gwl'y. M'S.vyalley's pUy» O'Donoghue's , KUjW ahd , further to the south and eajt, "a, gully, called Keoman s has been prospected with some success. A straight line, about two miles long, would cross all these workings nearly at right-angles. The number of miners in Pokonia creek is variously estimated at from eight to twelve hundred, but 1 am inclined to think the larger figures nearer the truth.

This creek, which at present contains about five sluice-heads of water, is being regularly worked for more than two miles along its course ; the low terraces on either side are also yielding payable gold. The depth of sinking at the upper end is about five feet— three of which are washed. Further down it increases to ten and twelve feet, or even more; and on the terraces, shafts have been sunk upwards of twenty feet, and no bottom found.

The miners appear well satisfied with their prospects, and are busy, cither in working their claims or in cutting races, to enable them to do so with greater ease. I saw many samples of the gold. It is generally coarse, flat, and water-worh. Some of the claims on this creek are very rich ; one party of men showed me the result of a morning's work, which could not have weighed much less than twelve ounces. I was occupied during a great part of two days in settling mining disputes on this part of the field.

In German gully there are about two hundred and fifty miners. The workings are of a similar character to those in Pokoma creek, and indeed the same may be said of all these creeks and gullies. They are moderately shallow, and pay wherever they are tried. The population in O'Donoghue's gully, and the gullies near the mouth of the Mikonui, is about two hundred and fifty; and there are, besides, numerous parties prospecting in the blind gullies, and on the terraces higher up the Mikonui ; and about one hundred men are to be found on the head-waters of the Totara and Donelly creek. The storekeepers, packers, and idlers amount probably to another hundred, making in all—say, two thousand souls. The people appear to be very orderly, but I would suggest that it would be advisable to station a police force on the ground without delay. A Resident Warden is also much needed.

On Saturday, the 19tb insfc., the survey party, under the direction of Mr. Rochfort, marked out part of a township, the allotments in which were speedily taken up as business sites. Mr. Rochfort has also considerably shortened and improved the route to the diggings, by cutting througli the bush a track twenty chains long, and bearing N.E. from Donnelly's creek to the township. The banks have not yet established agencies on the ground, and there is reason to believe that a large quantity of gold is held by the miners. Provisions are dear, and the price per hundredweight for packing from Hokitika is £3. I am of opinion that the Totara district will support a large number of miners for some years. A report was current that some rich finds had been made to the southward and northward and eastward on the Wanganui River, but I was unable to obtain any reliable information on the subject. I have the honour to be, sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) G. G. FitzGerald, Warden.