THE REPORTED DISCOVERY OF GOLD NEAR TIMARU. (From the "Timaru Herald.")

North Otago Times, Volume XI, Issue 359, 30 October 1868, Page 2

THE REPORTED DISCOVERY OF GOLD NEAR TIMARU. (From the "Timaru Herald.")

We hare learned full particulars of the reported d»covery of gold in this district, which we hasten to lay before our readers. Mr Dow, of Waimate, with two other old and experienced diggers, left the Wahnate on Thursday, the 8th instant, to prospect for gold up the Waiho Kiver, in consequence of a report that two men who were working up the river had sent down for a sluice box and were obtaining good prospects. The party took but a tiu dish to wash with, and some distance up the river they came upon the two meu who hod been sluicing for two days, but not with any great success. The men had previously tried the same place with a tin dish, and thought the ground might p»y with a sluice-box, but after two days they abandoned the ground and struck further up the river. Dovr and his party prospected aa they proceeded, but got only tho color for a long distance, when, *t the gorge of the Waiho, about 38 miles from Waimate, tbey obtained some very nice specimen* of gold— about a pennyweight each, wo believe. They arrived at the gorge on the 12th, and left on the morning of Saturday, the 16th instant, for provisions and sluiceboxes. They were three days at tho gorge, but had fearfully ra'ny weather, and were unable to bottom any of the holes. Dow describes the country to us as very likely looking, and expresses a firm belief that a payable field will be opened, but he deprecates any rush to the place until more is really known of the country, and until it has been well prospected. The exact position of the field is about 38 miles from Waimate, and the same distance from Tirnaru, at the back of Mount Nimrod. On Wednesday morning two of Dow's party and a thiid man left Waimate, with the appliances necessary for thoroughly testing the auriferous nature of the country, and on Thursday Dow himself followed to join the party. We believe the men intended to devote a month in thoroughly prospecting the ground. The spurs were never tried, and it is thought that the gold obtained was merely the wash as it came from the creek* and river. We hear also that a party of two will leave Timaru in a day or two for the same locality, for the purpose of trying the ground, and we may re*t assured that if gold does exist in payable quantities it will soon be discovered. In the meantime it would be folly for men to rush to the place with a certainty of disappointment, although steamship agents with an eye to business may encourage them to do so. The nearest routs to the field is from Timaru to the Otaio, and over the ranges, a distance of about thirtyeight miles. By way of Waimate it is about sixty-six mile*.

"Some little time since," says the " Geelong Adrertuer," we noticed what would appear to be the discovery of a salt mine in the contiguity of the Western salt lakes. Professor M'Coy now informs as that he has communciated to Mr Fierce, the discoverer, that the «alt resembles that crystallised from the salt lake*, having three per cent, of sulphate of magnesia as the only important impurity (this tends to harden meat salted with it), there being about four per cent, of it in the salt of the lakes, and this may be got rid of by cartful evaporation." The body of a man, name unknown, was found on the 28th ult. on St. Germain's run, lying in the bush. A jminican was found with him, on which was scratched " W. James Wright." —.Evening Star. The total number of steamers lost on the New Zealand coast since 1856, u &L— Dail/Times.