NELSON GOLD MELDS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue XXII, 1 September 1863, Page 2

NELSON GOLD MELDS.

[feom our own cobbespondbnt.] Buller River, August 22. We have had two more unfortunate men here overland from Canterbury via the Grey. One was a coloured man, named Johnson, who arrived by himself, and stated that he had, for a long time, been living on raw woodhens, as he had no means of making a fire. He has been here about three weeks, and is still in a very weak state. The second man ia named James Belgrave Hammett, he was originally with a party of men under Mr. Howitt (brother of the celebrated Australian explorer), who were cutting a track from the Canterbury side to Lake Brunner. He will bring you his journal, by which you will see that he suffered great hardships in nobly discharging his duty towards his missing companions. He left the Grey for the Buller with two Maoris and *a white man (who had driven Mr. Freeth's sheep from the Wairau to the Grey), but, the party being short of provisions, and Hammett beiug unable to keep up with them, they were compelled to leave him beliind, though, on their arrival at the Buller, one of the party, accompanied by a man named Money, went back in search of Hammett. They went beyond the place where he had last been seen, but found no trace of him, and returned. Weather miserably wet all the time these men were out.

Mr. Waite then sent a second party oat to searoh for Hammett, and they have returned with him.

There surely should be some provision made by our Government for such cases as these. Men cannot afford to lose so many days in aiding their fellow-men, though they do it willingly. I should like to see some small amount of remuneration, both as a reward for their kindness and recompense for their loss of time.

I see that the Buller or Westport township is advertised at last. I think there will be but few allotments sold at the exorbitant upset price fixed on them, and, in addition to the extravagant price, all the best allotments are reserved for a coal depot. No news from the diggings, as the weather has been so bad.