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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 204, 30 October 1866, Page 3

A correspondent furnishes the following information concerning the rush to the Buller. The diggings are situated from 15 to 20 miles south of the river. They are known as the Parkees, or Pah Keys. From two to three thousand persons are on the ground, and more are daily expected. None are going away, which proves that all are finding employment there. The sinking is from 5 to 20 feet, and the gold is very fine. A township is springing up about 300 yards from the sea beach. Small craft and whale boa is land cargo at Parkees. A new track is being cut from the Buller, which will make the distance to the diggings 12 or 13 miles. , Mr Millar, late civil engineer to the Dunedin Municipality, has arrived iv Hokitika, with the intention of offering his professional services to the Municipal Council. Mr Lazar has been appointed Town Cleik. The Christchurch papers contain accounts of heavy floods in the Avon and Waimakariri, which appear to have exceeded in violence any with which they have been previously visited. The customs returns on import duties for Hokitika for the week euding October 27, were—£33s6 5s Id,; export duty on gold, £984 8s 9d, representing 7875 oz. ll'dwts cleared by Gothenburg for Melbourne. ■j The Hokitika E. Star of the 19th gives a state- •' ment which Wilson has made to its reporter. Ho ' admits he was the associate of Burgess, Levy. Kelly, and Sullivan, and had arranged to rub Mr Fox on the Grey, lie manufactured masks to disguise the party, handed theni to Sullivan and Kelly, whom lie J eft on finding they intended to commit violence. JThis was prior to the 28th May, the day on which Mr. Dobson was murdered. He says prior to this time Sullivan and Kelly were out together. On lhat day be and Burgess saw them at the iron hut, three miies from the Grey, and left them there. On their return they met De Lacy, and Wilson arrived in town alone, with a swag, which he left at Cockburns. ' He changed his trousers at Kenny's, and slopped there two hours, lie lodged at the Criterion that ' night, on his way seeing llurgess at the Provincial. He says he can thus account for tlie whole of his lime on the 28th. On the 29th he met Burgess at tlie Provincial at 12 a.m., and shortly after met Kelly and Sullivan coming into town. They asked for Burgess and handed hini an opposum rug, which he left at Cockbuni's. Kelly and Sullivan told him they had camped out the night before, and were wet and hungry. Wilsoi-. says that he can prove that he and Burgess were both at the Grey during the whole of the 27th, 28th, aud 29th. He says lie immediately informed Inspector James ancl Mr Revell of the intentions of his companions, that the police acted on the information he gave, and that they had ample opportunity to arrest the whole party. He says he did not know of the murder of Mr Dobson till the sth June, and that Kelly and Sulli- • van must have been his murderers. Wilson's defence X is in fact an alibi, to test the value of which mea- ;'• sures will, no doubt be taken. '""■ By latest advices from New South Wales we learn that rain had fallen in the up-country districts, and that an abundant harvest was expected. The Lachlan diggings are progressing, ancl the discovery of a rich quartz reef is reported in the Weddin mountains. In Sydney trade is dull, many men are out of employment, and several failures have taken place, including those of Mr Castor, flour merchant, Thr&keld. auctioneer, and Messrs Metcalf, Foss, and SmaU. Monster meetings have been held to urge the Government to find work for the unemployed.