THE KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9048, 8 May 1888, Page 6

THE KIMBERLEY GOLDFIELD.

A correspondent, writing from Derby, West Australia, on March 30, says :—

According to the latest accounts from the goldtields the general opinion seems to be that the future of Kimberley as a permanent reefing field is assured, and each fresh arrival in Derby from the diggings adopts a more hopeful tone. No one seems to know what is being done in the way of alluvial mining, but the fact that there is no lack of ready money on the fields goes far to show that the wet season has not been an altogether unprofitable one. There is a great scarcity of labour, the majority of the 400 men on the ground preferring to fossick for themselves, though a high rate of wages still prevails. The newest workings are at Ruby Creek, about 10 miles south of the Brockman, and Saunder's Gully, about four miles south of Mount Dockerell, in both of which places good stohe is being turned out. The latter reef is considered to be a continuation of M'Neil's claim on Mount Dockerell. The Lady Broome is also raising good stone, as is Bradley's tunnelling claim, the Brockman Reef, and the Red Plain on Hall's Creek. This is the only claim on that creek that is doing much. Butcher's claim, on Salvation Gully to the eastward, has several hundred tons of stone lying on the surface, some of which is very rich, but there are no indications of permanency as yet. A good leader, yielding about an ounce a day, was struck on the Alary a little time ago, and great hopes were entertained that a good reef would be discovered, as some of the best alluvial gold has been got in the vicinity. The Jackson's Reef struck very rich stone about Christmas time, and is said to be looking better now, but the reports are rather conflicting. The road to Derby is now in very good order, and the river has been fordable for some weeks, so that we may soon expect the teams down for loading, of which there will be nearly thirty this season. One or two teams have already started. There are a few now loading, and the camel transport will start in a few days. The state in which these camels came in from the fields about a fortnight ago testifies to the plentiful state of feed and water on the road. The surveyor for the Derby goldfields telegraph is just starting on his work, and the contractor comes up by the next steamer, due in a day or two. The line from Roebourne to Derby, which will connect us with Melbourne and the whole civilised world, is in some way strangely delayed. I hear that the new reefs discovered at Ulallina, near Roebourne, are looking very well, and that a number of miners' rights have been issued.