WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS.

New Zealander, Volume XXIV, Issue 2619, 11 April 1866, Page 3

WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS.

DISCOVERY OE A RICH NEW GOLDFIELD AT THE LI TTLE GREY. The following important intelligence was published iu a second edition of the. Grey Hirer Argus on the 29th ult.: For several days past there have been rumours to the effect that a very important discovery had been made up the Little Grey ( Mawhsra—iti), and that a number of miners had set in with very good prospects. We have taken pains to ascertain snob particulars as are at present available, and wo have gathered from various sources what we believe to be reliable information. The short report we gave the other day is substantially true, and there is every reason to believe that one of the richest gold-fields ever opened on the West Coast has been discovered. The locale of the new discovery is the country at the head of the Little Grey River, gold having been found on both the Buller and Grey sides of the stihile tts well as the saddle itsej£ Payable gold has also been found in the beds ol the tributary creeks of the Little Grey and in low terraces and old river flats All the Maoris who formerly worked on the Grey are there and already some “ pile claims ” have been opened. At present only the beds of the two creeks are being worked, although payable gold has been discovered iu many places, O . '* 1 } as before mentioned. There is very little stripping, and the depth of wash dirt varies from two to ten feet, and a very large quantity of the claims are yielding from two dwts. upwards to the dish. The terraces have not yet been commenced upon, hut where prospected have been found payable, in one instance one of our informants saw two dwts. to the shovelful. All provisions are packed from about six miles from the diggings. There is no available track from the Buller, nor can canoes go up the Little Grey to the diggings now opened. About 600 men were there three days ago. The country is for the most part open, with manuka scrub, and marshy plains. The diggings can only be reached by the Little Grey.

The Prospectors’ Claim is giving from three to three and a-balf dwts. to the dish, and the ground has been proved to he payable for fifteen miles on the Buller side of the saddle, and six miles on the Grey side. The Maoris declare it to be the richest and most extensive gold-field ever discovered on tlio West Coast.