THE WAKAMARINA GOLD-FIELD.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue XXIII, 3 May 1864, Page 2

THE WAKAMARINA GOLD-FIELD.

The steamers which arrived from the South on Saturday last, brought intelligence that the discovery of gold in the Wakamarina had created a considerable sensation amongst the diggers at Otago, 400 of whom at once took their passages in the steamers then about to sail for Picton, and these will be followed by many hundred more as quickly as shipping can be found to convey them to that port, or to Nelson, which are nearly equi-distant from Wakamarina. The Phoebe, which arrived here on the same day from Manakau, brought about forty passengers for these diggings from the .North. The escort which left Nelson for the Pelorus on Saturday morning, returned to town last night bringing an increased, though only as yet a small quantity of gold. But in addition to the 270 ounces brought by the escort, the banks purchased 553 ounces in the course of yesterday and Saturday, of various diggers from the same field, and there is reason to believe that there is yet a quantity of gold in town in private hands. To this must be added that no in*

considerable amount which has been taken to Picton, as mentioned in our correspondent's letter. In addition to the numerous instances of great success, mentioned below in our correspondent's letters, we have been told of several others ; but not being acquainted with the parties spoken of, we are unwilling to publish any statements the truth of which we cannot vouch for. The plentiful finding of gold in the banks of the river, and in most of the creeks, prove that these are not mere river diggings, and with the advent of such a large body of experienced men, we may be sure the whole district will be thoroughly prospected. The opinion gains ground, that the whole water-shed of the Pelorus will prove to be rich in gold. [from ottb special correspondent.] WAKAiiABUTA, Saturday Morning, April 30. Mr. Jacklin (storekeeper, I think at the Matakitaki), and Big Sam, have some good coarse specimens of gold ; Jacklin told me they got between four and five pounds weight in four days and a half. The two sailors, whom I before mentioned, have gone through to Pictou with sixteen pounds weight, at least so I am informed by those who say they saw the gold ; I was up the river and thus missed them. Charles Jennings is doing well, though nearly all hands have been stopped by the flood. Folks here would not believe what I told them, that the river falls as rapidly as it rises, and to show that I was correct, the river ran yesterday more than eleven feet deep, it is now rather above two feet at the ford. Eichardson, of the Fleece, tells me he is sure that he has hit upon a claim that will pay, it is in what was the old river bed, and he finds pipeclay, a thing not yet worked in on this river ; it will be comparatively dry digging. William Lockyer, 'William Ounsell, David Whiting, and Thomas Hortin, this morning sold fourteen ounces four pennyweights of beautifully coarse gold, eorue pieces of wliich were quite half an inch long ; this they got in the left hand fork of the river by fossicking. A Wairau man, whose name I could not ascertain, had been grumbling at a large boulder in his claim, and at length he removed it to find beneath it one pound and two pennyweights of gold. I think some mistake has occurred with reference to mention I made of persons deep sinking near Wilson's. I meant, though I may not have plainly expressed it, Wilson's claim, behind which is a flat, evidently a portion of the old river bed. Wakamabina, Sunday Evening, May 1. The escort leaves to-morrow morning, taking with it 268 ounces of gold, and £110 in specie. There have also been purchased by Mr. Warren, for the Bank of New Zealand, Picton, seventy ounces. Mr. Allen, storekeeper, independently of what he now sends by escort, has sent to Nelson, during the week, more than ninety ounces of gold. Several persons have taken their gold with them to Nelson, among whom are Messrs. T. Snow, Perrynian, White, Gaukroger, and Slater, while Mr. Waters and others have sent their gold to Nelson without spiling it. Mr. Thomas Snow informed me that he presumed he had eight pounds weight. I saw five pounds weight of it weighed, and that was obtained by his party, consisting of six persons, in three days' work. Mr. Snow also told me that Michael Mears' party, who have the adjoining claim 4o his, took out no less than two pounds weight in a tin dish one day before dinner time. Mr. Snow, while his mates were absent from their claim (prospecting, I believe), got one pound weight of gold. Mr. Newport, of Brookstreet Valley, who tookhisgoldwithhim to Nelson, said his party, wet days and fine, had taken out twenty-six ounces. Holder, of Nelson, has eight ounces twelve grains, which he took out in little more than one hour's work with a tin dish. Firth, and his three mates, infour days got nearly £120 worth; James Smith and his party are doing 'remarkably well; Waters, Batchelor, and party, are also doing well ; I saw one of Waters' s mates sell, this day, for his share of work during the dry portion of the week, twenty ounces j a person named William Smith, a Nelson man, I believe, but whom I did not know, Bold three pounds of gold, the produce of a week for three out of a party of four men — the other one kept his gold; Waters sent his gold by escort, it amounts, I believe, to a little over twenty ounces ; Henry Hurston and party, consisting of four men, though having been here a fortnight, sold nearly four pounds weight, the produce of five days' work ; Bennett's party sold thirty ounces, the produce of three days, with only two of the party at work ; Mr. Slater, of the Black Horse, Wakapuaka, has taken with him to Nelson two and a-half pounds weight, which, though they were on the diggings several days, he and his mates took out in about six hours ; Mr. Waters has a nugget weighing two ounces three pennyweights, and I saw other nuggets in the possession of a man named Wilson, formerly in the employ of Mr. Farnell, of the KaitunaYallcy, weighing one ounce ten pennyweights, half-an-ouuce, and several upwards of a quarter of an ounce — these were taken out about one mile above Eutland's claim ; Messrs. Perrymau and White have done well, they took their gold to Nelson. I give you only the names of those whose gold I have seen. There are numbers who have not succeeded, or who have done but moderately well, and who have left the goldfield — I leave the result to prove to them whether they were wise in so doing, provided they were competent to work for gold. A new rush took place to-day to a creek about one mile and a-half above Wilson and Eutland's claim, and a rush is not what it used to be, for there must now be nearly 2,000 men on the field, and depend upon it within a short time the diggings will vastly extend. Moonlight is here, I am told, prospecting the Pelorus and its tributaries. Hartley, he who with Eeilly discovered the Dunstan gold-field at Otago, is here, so I was told by one who spoke with him. Yesterday the steamers Eangatira and Airedale arrived at Picton, from Otago and Wellington, &c, bringing an addition to our population of 350 men, who seem of the right stamp ; the Lyttelton also brought several passengers, while a number of diggers arrived overland from Canterbury. Eutland's party are commencing the erection of a log hut to serve them during the winter. It was most amusing to hear the Otago men, on walking through the valley, exclaim with surprise at the timber on the banks of the river, and they most heartily promised each other a good warming fire. Special correspondents arrived to-day from the Otago Daily Time* and Wtllington Independent, sad

I made it my business to ascertain what the opinion of the former gentleman was, he being an old gold digger. After he had walked up the river for about eight miles lie returned, and to my enquiries replied, " You may depend these diggings are all right ; they will, I think, be permanent. Anyone can now get gold here, but when the miners arrive it will be seen how soon they will strip the river banks, and search the whole country around. There must be other rivers, but this is very rich." I would advise our Xclson merchants to look out ; there are several agents from Wellington and Otago here looking out for their firms, and they seem satisfied. Speak with whomsoever you will, you get but the cuckoo reply, "It is a wonderfully rich river." The track of the river is now nine miles long. The best, the most wholesome sign I have noticed about these diggings, where so many are, is that you do not sec more drunkenness than in Kelson streets. All get their food and go back at once. They would not do that unless there was some strong inducement up tho river. Mr. Allen will, to-morrow, take a store up the river, a distance of six miles. He will take men with him, in order here and there to make the road more easily passable for bullocks. This will greatly reduce the distanco diggers now have to carry their provisions.