The Nelson Gold Fields.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 85, 23 October 1858, Page 2

The Nelson Gold Fields.

[feoh a cocrespondent.]

October 20.

As I am aware that anything like a description of our neighbouring gold-fields will be of interest to many of my fellow-colonists, if yon will allow me space, I will give you a short narrative of a week's exploration there some few days since.

Starting in the steamer Tasmanian Maid, I arrived at Collingwood, or, as it is more generally termed, the Port, after a pleasant passage of ten hours (which, by the by, with a little judicious management atMotueka, might be shortened one hour). On landing, one is immediately reminded that he is in a gold-producing country, by the appearance of every one with the distinguishing badges of a gold-digger, namely, unshorn faces, cabbage-tree hats, and bluo shirts, as well as by every building, whether store, public-house, or even the Magistrate's office, having a set of gold-scales very prominently displayed. The hotels here are large and commodious, and in comfort far exceed one's expectations ; there is also an absence of drunkenness and all the rowdyism so prevalent about the towns in the vicinity of gold-fields in the Australian colonies. And in making this statement I may mention (a 9it will give more weight to what follows) that I have visited many of the Australian gold-fields, having once made the overland journey from Sydney to Melbourne, and am therefore enabled to draw a comparison from facts that have come under my own notice. One telling fact, which I may as well state here, is, that, wherea3 the largest proportion of the claims on the Australian diggings turn out blanks, every claim here turns out a prize, the only difference being that some are richer than other*.

There is a very large tract of available flat country in the neighbourhood of Collingwood, which, with a little draining, would be fit for all agricultural purposes : some Americans or Canadians have taken the inilialhc in the matter, and having pitched their tent in a beautiful spot on the edge of a bush, are now busily employed in breaking up their land, and, unless I am much deceived, they will find potato digging next year as profitable as seeking for the precious raet:il.

Remaining one night in Collingwoocl, I started on Monday morning to walk up to the Slate River, and crossing Doctor's Creek, about two-thirds of the way, where there are but few diggers, arrived there at one o'clock. After partaking of some refreshment, I visited the reraain3 of the Manropc party and their labours ; and to show you how erroneous are digg rs' ideas about a place being worked out, some three or four who are now at work there (the remains of. that party) are earning from 25.?. 28s. per diem each. Proceeding 'along the western ridge that bounds the Slate River, we arrived at what is called Brandy Point, well known a 9 where the Island party secured so much gold last year : this, as well as the diggings we had just left, are, comparatively speaking, deserted for the new rushes ; but tho few men (about twenty) who are at work are now making good wages, and expect to do something better in the summer. After remaining there one night in a digger's hut, I commenced the really difficult part of the journey on to Rocky River, the most of tho way being knee-deep in mud ; at the same time I consider the road here could be most easily made, as, owing to its being on the summit of a ridge ne.irly the whole way, it affords good facilities for drainage, whilst the scrub with which it is covered is so light, it might bo cut with a billhook. After a very dreary and uncomfortable walk of three hours and a-half, I arrived at the stores which supply the Rocky River diggings : these are situated on the top of the ridge, immediately above the river, and the scene of tho diggers' labours. Descending the hill, which in some places is so steep, that it is necessary to U9e the scrub and roots as a protection against falling, I came upon this river, which is not inaptly I named Rocky, from the enormous masses of stone that lie about in the most odd and fanciful manner, with the water ever pouring under, between, and, in some cases over them, like Niagara Falls in miniature, The first party I met with were not inclined to give much information as to what they were doing ; but, although they tried very ingeniously to muddy the water during the time I stood there, I could plainly see the gold as it passed down the sluice boxes. Proceeding about a mile further up the river, and passing by a few parties who were all doing well, I came upon the richest diggings it has yet been my lot to meet with anywhere. A party of five men, with very rude and imperfect tools and appliances, were washing out gold at an average of four pennyweights to the bucket, and twenty buckets in the hour, being at the rate of four ounces of gold per hour. In stating this, I am sure I am not over calculating it, but the other way ; and to bear out my assertion, I may mention, that continuing on my exploration, I came upon a party of Maories, not many yards distant from the others, who wero lazily hanging about the banks of the river, and uj>on my asking one of them to show mo a prospect, or in other words to wash out a panful of earth, he took up about a shovelful in a tin dish, and in five minutes he had about ten grains of gold at the bottom of his pan, of the value of about Is. 6d. ; and this was not taken from the bed of the river, where they usually work, and where no doubt is the most gold, but from the nearest heap of dirt. And so it was with every party there : they appear to have no fear whatever of not finding gold, their only apprehension being of the floods, which frequently come down and carry everything before them — tools, dams, washing stuff, and everything else. However, in the ensuing summer season, when there is but little wet weather, they are all looking forward to a brisk campaign. One nugget has lately been taken out here, weighing three ounces and seventeen pennyweights ; and the character of the gold all through this river is nuggetty. The prices of provisions at the stores here are: flour, 555. per cwt. ; potatoes, 25s. per cwt. ; tea, 4s. 6d. per lb. ; BUgar, Is. per lb. ; and everything else in proportion, one-half of which is charged for the carriage. The carriage from the Slate River to all tho other diggings is clone by pack-bullocks, and a hard life the poor boasts have of it ; the remains of several are to be seen on the roadside, and one was hanging in slings to the trees, with but a poor chance of recovery. This would of course be all avoided if anything like a road was made, which could be done at little cost, say one hundred pounds per mile, which is the estimate of the Government road-maker there, Mr. Higgins.

Leaving the Rocky River, I retraced my steps to Collingwood, and, after a night's rest, started along the beach for the Parapara diggings, about five miles from the port. There are now about fourteen white men and ten Maories at work there, all of whom are doing well, some getting ten shillings, and others as much as tfwenty-five shillings per day ; but their appliances are altogether so rude and primitive, that 1

believe a large quantity of the gold is lost, in some cases as much as half; and this idea is confirmed by the fact, that in these digging 3, as in others I visited during my trip, some parties are making good wages in turning over the stuff that others have washed out and thrown on one side as useless. These diggings, which are a large flat, intersected with several creeks, are capable of holding a large population j and I have seen in Australia as many as 2,000 men at work within the same compass. I saw more white quart* here than on any other part of the diggings. Returning that night to Collingwood, I started the next morning for Appoo's Flat, a apot that has had more diggers on it at one time than any other, which is plainly seen by the quantity of earth that has been turned over and now lying about in all directions ; but why it should be deserted, as it almost is at present, is quite unexplainable, as what has already been turned over is only a tithe of what is there, and the few who are at work (about thirty) are all doing well. A storekeeper who resides there was amusing himself after dinner in washing out some Btuff in a tin dish, and, upon one of the party that accompanied me calling him, in order to procure some refreshment, he bronght with him the result of washing out three dishes, which, upon weighing, proved to be seventeen grains, of the value of 2s. 9d ; and this was done while sitting down after dinner enjoying his pipe ; so I must leave you and your readers to form some idea of the value of this locality.

Leaving tliis, I crossed the Aorere Flat, in order to see the new road which the Government are now making, to come out some day at the Quartz Ranges. They are spending a great deal of money and labour, I but unfortunately without doing the slightest good, os it is in quite a different direction to where th» diggers are now at work : but without going further into this matter, I will briefly state what are my views as to making serviceable roads for the use of the digging population. Firstly, a good road, fit for a bullock dray, should be made as far as Washbourne's Flat, which is a sort of half-way house to all the diggings, and from there, tracks" fit for easy walking and for a pack-bullock should be cut to the various diggings as they are found out : this could be cheaply done, as all that is wanted is the manuka and bush cutting down, both of which are very light, and in most cases that I saw could be done with a reaping-hook. The power for cutting these tracks should, I think, be given to the Government road-maker resident there, without having to go through all the detail of the Circumlocution Office in Barrack Square ; and so lam sure thought his Honour the Superintendent the other day, while walking up to his knees in mud to the Rocky River, for he gave orders to Mr. Higgins to begin making a track there at once. There are nothing like facts after all, and so would his Honour's Executive have said had they been at his side the other day, walking through a sort of Slough of Despond. In conclusion, I have no hesitation in saying that this is by far the richest Gold-field I have ever visited, and should many be inclined to doubt this statement, and say, "If it is so rich, why do we not get more gold ?" I can only answer, that that is something like the little boy who sat down and cried after the moon : unless you have population to dig for the gold, you are not likely to get much, and the only way to get population is to make serviceable roads.

Before closing this letter, an expression of my thanks is due to every one, whether digger or storekeeper, that I came in contact with during my journey, for the very kind and hospitable manner in which I was treated at all times.