The Kimberley Goldfield.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1703, 8 May 1886, Page 2

The Kimberley Goldfield.

FORTY OUNCES OF GOLD IN ONE

DAY.

, BIGGEST BUSH FOB YEABS.

For a considerable time much excitetnent has been experienced m mininr circles, with respect to the news of an extensive goldfield m the KimberJer District, m Western Australia. The existence of a vast area of very rich auriferous country thereabouts seems to have been established beyond a doubt; and the public are m possession of telegraphic information which shows that diggers, m more than one instance, hart obtained large quantities of the precious metal. There are several expeditions being formed m Melbourne to go. It is not a poor man's diggings. At present attention is mainly devoted to tracing the alluvial deposits on the Orde Eiver. The Orde empties itself into Cambridge Gulf. Derby is the capital town of the Kirn. berley district on the north-west coast. It is built at the mouth of Fitzroy River m King Sound. Kin? Sound is a splendid bay. The present population of Derby is under 100. At the Government land sale, on April 14th, Derby town lots realized upwards of | 4120 per acre. Gold seekers continue to itnvi at Derby from the fields with parcels of 16oz and upwards. The gold to band per s.s. Otway is pronounced of the first quality, and is very little waterworn. It is valued by experts at £4 per ounce. At Perth news received from Kimber* ley regarding the goldfields of that district state that good progress has been made by prospectors. On the 6th April the Governor received the following telegram from the Government Resident at Derby : " I have very great pleasure in'informing your Excellency that most favorable reports have reached Derby' from the Goldfields. Five parties are down, all bringing alluvial gold — some more, some less. There are now over 400oza m the town. Professional diggers speak highly of the field, and predict one or the biggest rushes that has been seen, they also predict reefing as a future certainty. The field is extensive." The receipt of the news m Perth caused great excitement, and a number of people pro* ceeded to Kimberley immediately. The barque Wistaria has been placed on berth at Freemantle to convey intend* ins passengers to the goldfields. The local paper at Perth publishes a teleprratn from W. Mather, dated Freemantle, Bth, as follows: — " jb'orty-two. ounces were obtained m one day by two men at the Eimberley goldfields ; 6500zs of gold is reported to be m the hands of the diggers, including a 19oz nugget found m shallow sinking. The proseecting party, who brought the gold into Derby, came into Freeraantle fbr pro> vißionß, leaving fifty men working on tb» gold field when they left it. Tt weje reported that the gold was found very near the surface. There is every promise of a' great goldfield. Heavy tropical r*ins have fallen recently where the party was working. The 19oz nugget is on the way to Freemantle. Another parcel of pold, containing 60oz, is coming m to Otway." * Later details published from Coaaaek, which is the principal port i* the north district, states that Carlisle's party returned m two divisions. The first batch of four men brought 360z, and the second batch a smaller quantity. M'Dernaott's party brought lOoz, and Helton, from Port Darwin, 240z. Kellan left his mate doing well. Edgar and. two others brought 85oz between them. Moore and . Moorison are reported to be doing very well indeed, and Hall and Slattery fairly. When the prospectors returned to the goldfields m October laet the party split up into two divisions, one goimr to the creek, where they had obtained the first gold. They found it full of water, and could not work ; but they afterwords returned to it, and are said to have got 60oz. They are all men from Cambridge Gulf, and they say that that tba road thence to the diggings is rough and waterless m the dry season. Melet, who returned to Derby on the Bth March, reports that he found a good dray read to the fields. Old miners urge that no one should come without six monthi 1 provisions and horses, or plenty of money. ' The diggings are 370 miles away from Cambridge Gulf, ard great misery would ensue if the prospectors were not pro. perly equipped. Twenty men havo come to Derby apparently for supplies, and there are about fifty left on the dig* gins. The alluvial gold ie reported to be " much scattered," which probable means . that the workings so far have proved *■ patchy. Our telegram adds : " reefs promising for the future,' and, doabtless, more will soon be heard of them. The blacks are apparently disposld to resent the encroachment of the white man, as it is reported that two horses belonging to diggers have been speared by the natives at Cambridge Gulf