Image
Text
Research info
Print
Default

Default

Default

Default

Default

This article displays in one automatically-generated column. View the full page to see article in its original form.

KAUERANGA GOLD FIELD.

(feom: a oobkeseondebt.) August Bth. Several vessels have arrived during the past few days, bringing an addition of about 75 diggers to our population. Up to the present time none of the shafts have been bottomed, although some of the men have been working day and night. Several of the boulders brought up are very heavy, many weighing nearly a ton weight. Two or three parties are expecting to " bottom" by Friday evening or Saturday morning, when it is to be hoped they may meet with the success anticipated. It matters not where you dig, the colour is to be found, from the surface downwards. Many of the diggers have got down to a depth of 16 to 20 feet, and specks of gold are still visible.

The men*arc in good spirits, and aro working with a will, so that I think you may safely exEect to hear of some of the olaims having been ottomed by my next. Most of the miners are so certain of success that they have already paid their pound for their license.

I don't know who furnished you with the glowing account of the diggings winch appeared in your paper, as also in the Cross of Tuesday last, but it surely could not have been given by any person who had visited the ground. It has caused much dissatisfaction amongst the diggers, as they are anxious to have a faithful report of what is doing. I have been informed that the report was given by the master of one of the cutters whicn brought a few diggers down early in the week, but if so, I would certainly advise him not to make his appearance on the field again. The cutter Severn arrived here early on Tuesday morning, bringing about 25 diggers. She came in early in the morning, just pefore

daybreak, and mistaking the channel, went : high, and dry on. the bank, about three miles above the landing place, where it is thought she will remain until the next spring tides. Some say the vessel will not float again, as she went on the flat at high tide, but it is the general opinion that she will get off m about a week, xhe passengers and her crew were landed in a boat, and the whole of the ballast has been thrown overboard in order to lighten the vessel. I The Henry, Robinson, master, arrived here ' on Wednesday morning, with about 20 passengers. She leaves again for Auckland tomorrow, at noon. The Peter Cracroft also has arrived since my last, bringing about 25 passengers. She sails for Cabbage Bay to-morrow, there to load a cargo of timber for the Kaueranga diggings. The cutters Tay, Martha, ana Fly, are still lying in the river. The p.s. Enterprise aroused us by her whistle at 10 o clock on Wednesday evening. She was not expected back until Monday next. I believe she had a splendid run down of six hours, averaging about nine knots per hour. She brought with her a small cargo and 45 passengers, about 20 of which, however, were business men, and return again to Auckland by her this morning. Several stores have been erected in the proposed township, but the one doing the most business is that of Mr. Oughton, of Queenstreet. Mr. Mulligan intends erecting a large store on the township, and I believe the timber is expected by the next steamer. Captain Butt has purchased a fine allotment near to the landing place, with the skeleton of a large store already up, from Mr. Shortland, and several other allotments are about changing hands. There is to be a large meeting of the principal chiefs to be held here on Monday next, when it is anticipated a larger portion of land wi'l be thrown open to prospectors. The report of three pennyweights to a tin dish having been found here by a prospector is correct, ana may be relied upon, although the locality is not yet made generally known. At 11 a.m. this morning it was currently reported that the diggers might commence operations on the Waiotahi creek, but I have just learnt from Mr. Mackay that such is not the case, and that the Waiotahi creek will not be thrown open before the meeting is held on Monday next. A small cutter is in sight, supposed to be from the Thames. Pour applications were made to Mr. Mackay this morning, for the establishment of a Post Office here, none of which, however, have been accepted. The applicants were Messrs. Walters, stationer; Oughton, store keeper; Somerfield, and another. Provisions aro still plentiful, and more supplies expected by the return steamer. The following letter, received by Mr Eawdon, of Freeman's Bay, from the Kaueranga gold-fields, has been placed at our disposal fox. publication:— Shortland Town, Bth August, 1867. My dear Sir, —As soon as we landed from the steamer, about ten days ago, Smallman and myself went out to the Karaka creek, and marked out a claim on what we considered to be the beat ground on the diggings. Next day we had to take up otiier ground, the Government prospectors having chosen that which we had selected ; they had every right to it, so we could not grumble. "Work was commenced in earnest on Monday, the sth inst., and I can assure you the work has been prosecuted, by all hands, with much energy and hope. The ground, after going down the first two or three feet, is very heavy, boulders of nearly a ton weight have to be raised. Windlasses were put on, and the heavv tools you sent down were brought into use. The water is not troublosome, but should the bottom prove to be a " duffer " there will be plenty of it. Ton will know tho proper kind ot pump to provide ; it would be as well to hare a bucket or N sling, Jor lifting the boulders. Oil cans are not suitable. The provisions you sent are ample, 1 should think, to last for a fortnight. I dare Bay you will be down before then. Whenever the shafts are bottomed I will let ■you know. Should the natives open the Waiotah or Ohinemuri, wo will be on the alert to take advantage without abandoning the work we are now at. The men work with a will, and look to you to back them. You will hear from Smallman or myself shortly.

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.
Permanent link to this item
Bibliographic details
Word Count
1,077

KAUERANGA GOLD FIELD. New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1166, 9 August 1867

Using This Item

APN is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence . This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of APN. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.

Acknowledgements

This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries and APN.

  1. New formats

    Papers Past now contains more than just newspapers. Use these links to navigate to other kinds of materials.

  2. Hierarchy

    These links will always show you how deep you are in the collection. Click them to get a broader view of the items you're currently viewing.

  3. Search

    Enter names, places, or other keywords that you're curious about here. We'll look for them in the fulltext of millions of articles.

  4. Search

    Browsed to an interesting page? Click here to search within the item you're currently viewing, or start a new search.

  5. Search facets

    Use these buttons to limit your searches to particular dates, titles, and more.

  6. View selection

    Switch between images of the original document and text transcriptions and outlines you can cut and paste.

  7. Tools

    Print, save, zoom in and more.

  8. Explore

    If you'd rather just browse through documents, click here to find titles and issues from particular dates and geographic regions.

  9. Need more help?

    The "Help" link will show you different tips for each page on the site, so click here often as you explore the site.