THE WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS

Marlborough Press, Volume VIII, Issue 31, 31 July 1867, Page 5

THE WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS

BULLER The rush at Fairdown, to the north of the tOAvnship, has proved an entire ‘ duffer, ’ and Avhen I inform your readers that the best prospect yet obtained, which was out of the prospector’s claim, has only been a quarter of a grain to the shovel, at a sinking of thirty feet in wet ground, the greater portion of AA'hich has to be slabbed, they will judge for themselves as to the real state of affairs. Provisions have to be packed in this town, and conveyed to the diggings over a distance of several miles. Matters are in such a state at present that storekeepers are glad to get any price for goods. Bread is quoted at Is, and a good deal of it is packed for FairdoAvn, as it is not to be had at that place. _ Beef and mutton Avere sold at 9d per lb on Sunday last, and e\'ery other kind of provisions are being disposed of equally cheap. At the time I Avritc, miners are leaving the district much more rapidly than they came to it. The prospectors have been eagerly sought for, but they took their flight before the mob could get hold of them. I have heard that since the great bulk of the miners have left the prospectors have returned, and their excuse is that they never applied for a prospecting claim, because they never had sufficient grounds for so doing.—Brighton Times.

THE LAMPLOUGH

The West Coast Times of July 16 says :We yesterday inspected a sample of cement taken from a claim at the New Lamplough Diggings, known as the Red Blanket Claim, held by Gordon and party. The stuff in question is rather a brown sand of very close consistency than bona fide cement, so trying to the temper and driving picks of the digger. The sample submitted to ns is remarkable rich, the gold being distributed through it ; but on the surface of the lump, to Avhieh a portion of burnt granite gravel is attached, the metal hangs in clusters of flat specks very beautiful to look at. We were informed by Mr Lang, one of the shareholders, that the Red Blanket" Claim is the tAvelfth from that of the prospectors, and is situated just Avere the lead enters the paddock. The shaft is forty-five feet deep, is sunk through good dry standing ground, the bottom being a bed of fine gravel, on Avhieh rests the Avashdirt, consisting of a vein of gravel from four to six inches thick, overlaid by a seam of cement of about the same thickness. Both are very rich, the least prospect obtained out of the heart of the lead, which is about tAventy-eight feet Avide, being 1 dAA’t to the dish, the greatest half-ounce to the dish, and avc are assured that the latter prospect is anything but uncommon. The first care of Gordon and party after bottoming, Avas to test the Avidth of their payable ground, and they found that tlie main streak of gold ran eight feet Avide, ten feet on each side of it being also rich, but in a lesser degree. They then returned to the shaft and opened adrive alongthe lead, Avhieh has been followed for some tAvelve feet, and is turning out magnificently as the Avorth of the last bench of Avash-dirt broken down Avas estimated at lialf-an-ounce of gold to every [dish of gravel, Avhilst the cement above it shelved nearly as Avell. This fortunate party expect to realise from £BOO to £IOOO per man out of their claim, Avhieh is only one of the richest on the Lamplough diggings.

WIAMEA. We have been supplied with the folloAving statistical returns of the population which is scattered through the Waitnea district by a gentleman Avho has lately made a tour of the various diggings in Avork there : —German Gully contains about 100 miners, who earn from £3 to £6 per week each man. At present their operations are much retarded by a great scarcity of Avater. About 80 miners are at work in Maori Gully, and being tolerably well supplied Avith the element, make very fair wages, the better claims yielding from £8 to £lO a man weekly. A great deal of poor ground is in hand that Avill not pay more than from £2 to £4. Callaghan’s Gully is almost destitute of water, and only retains a population of about 60 diggers, the majority of Avhom hold good claims but are compelled to stack the Arashdirt pending the advent of rain. The Gully is covered by immense heaps of auriferous dirt, which, from the prospects washed, promises to yield very richly indeed, Italian Guliv is held in ill repute, but tor all that carries nearly 100 diggers, who make but low Avagcs, the average earnings per man being estimated at about £4 Aveekly. Scarcity of Avater is the cause, in a great measure, of tiffs loav return. The same may be said of the left-hand and middle branches of the Waimea, where 200 miners are at work, some of Avhom succeed in “knocking out” as much as £5 and £7 per Aveek, hut the majority find it difficult to make “ tucker.” Up the right-linnd branch of the Waimea and the adjoining gullies, 950 men are assembled, and, having a good supply of water at command, they are enabled to secure payable returns, Avhieh are quoted at £lO and £l2 weekly. The poorer grounds yields from £3 to £5. In the Waimea proper, including the track as far as Stafford town and a few adjoining gullies, 700 miners are busily employed sluicing and tunnelling. They obtain very fair ’wages, about £5 per man weekly being the average return. A few fortunate ones, Avho art; working in Tunnel Terrace, make £ls per Aveek. The Scandinavian lead may he set- down as being occupied by 400 men, who are very highly paid, whilst I‘ipcrs Flat is accredited with 700 —this large number being the result of .he late rush there.—West Coast Times.