fr THE WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 30, 11 March 1865, Page 5

f r THE WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS.

In our last Summary we stated that intelligence had reached Nelson from the West Coast, that at a place called the Six-Mile Creek, in the Canterbury province, sixteen miles below the Grey, gold was being found in considerable quantities, and that a rush of diggers had taken place there. Since then, the influx of men to these diggings has been very considerable, and so great has been the demand for passages from Nelson to the West Coast, that our two small ateamers, the Wallaby and Nelson, have been found quite unequal to it, and men have been ready to take their passages in larger vessels which cannot possibly enter any river on the coast, and to run their chance of getting landed •when arrived off the Grey or Okitiki, by means of any smaller vessels they may find on the spot. Prom other ports also, steamers of a light draught of water have sailed for the Okitiki and Grey rivers, and a number of email sailing vessels have likewise been despatched, laden with passengers and cargo. !From Canterbury we learn that quite a stream of diggers are proceeding to the West Coast by the Hurunui pass, and that their numbers are every day augmented by arrivals from Otago. It Beems, therefore, more than probable that Canterbury will,in another month, have several thousand diggers at work on her western sea-board, and as Nelson is the nearest port to the Okitiki, a considerable share of the traffic with these diggings will fall to her lot, while it is to Nelson that most of the gold will be brought. The rush to these diggings was not caused by any glowing reports published in newspapers. The men who first tried their fortunes there did so well, that they wrote to their friends at Wakamarina and at Otago, and the consequence is that many of the old diggings bid fair to be deserted for this new El Dorado. From the best information we can collect, we believe there is a large and rich gold-field on the West Coast, but if people crowd there too quickly, they will run great risk of suffering privations from wont of food. There is no live stock in the country, nor until the Canterbury Government improves the road through the mountains which separate the pasture land of the eastern part of that province from the rugged gorges in which the gold is being found on the western side of the range, will it be possible to drive sheep and cattle through in any number so as to supply the diggers with meat. This road the Government of the province has pledged itself shall at once be made, and the sooner it is done the better. But it will be by sea that the diggers will have to obtain their chief supplies, and although the coast is destitute of harbours capable of admitting vessels drawing more than from five to six feet of water —there being times when it is dangerous for even vessels of this draught to attempt to cross the bars of the Okitiki or the Grey —means may readily be found to overcome all the obstacles which present themselves to supplying any body of people there with the necessaries of life in the greatest abundance. We have no fear for the safety of tbe diggers on the West Coast six months hence, but do think that they may have to suffer severe privations within the next six weeks unless prompt measures are taken to avert the danger. W« know that «t this moment there

is an absolute scarcity of food at the diggings, and the difficulty of obtaining an immediate adequate supply is great, since nothing but small steamers can be depended on for entering the rivers by which the diggings can be reached, and such steamers are not easily procurable. Good surf boats are really necessary, so that cargo may be landed on the beach, as at Taranaki, Gore's Bay, and other similar places ; and until these are provided, a large digging population on the West Coast will run no small risk of starvation.

The gold brought to Nelson from the Okitiki and the Grey during the past month, was very considerable for the diggers then at work there. On Saturday last, 8,155 ounces were shipped to Sydney by the Prince Alfred, and since then the Wallaby has brought up 1,900 ounces on freight, with intelligence that 1,100 more were at the Grey for the Nelson. We shall in no way be surprised to see the" next shipment to Sydney reach 12,000 ounces, the returns of the current month.

It is impossible yet to say to what extent these diggings will benefit Nelson, but at present they are causing great activity in many branches of trade here. One effect, however, will be that the western parts of our own province will soon be well prospected.

The gale from the south-west which blew so violently on Thursday night and Friday morning, has prevented the arrival of the mail steamer from the South, so that we are without late dates from Wellington and Wanganui. Should any important news be received before the mail closes we shall issue in an extra.