Otago.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XVII, Issue 1724, 8 February 1862, Page 5

Otago.

Latest from the GOLD FIELDS!!!I (From the Otago Colonist, Dec. 27 ) The latest intelligence from the gold fields is to the effect that a new rush has taken place to some gully about midway between Wctherston’s and Waitahuna. Large numbers of miners were leaving both of the latter places for the new ground,—but we have received no reliable information as to the prospects of the rush. A mounted constable has been ordered to inspect the locality, but his report has not yet been received. We understand the road to the diggings is in a frightful condition owing to the late heavyrains. It is really to be hoped that something will at once be done, otherwise the winter will come on and the road to the diggings be impassable. Contracts, we understand, are about to be called for several of iho worst portions. Official returns show that 2097 personshave arrived in the Fort of Dunedin from Ist to 28th December, of which number 1721 are from ports out of New Zealand, and 37G from ports in New Zealand. The departures for the same period are 1504, of whom 13 Id have embarked for ports out of New Zealand, and 240 for ports in this colony. We find from a statement furnished by’ the Bank of New South Wales, that on Dec. 20

there were deposited at the Gold Receivin'’ Office 40,284 ozs. 3 dwts. of gold, of which quantity 12,555 ozs. 15 dwts. was from Waitahuna, and 33,7370z5. Bdwts. from Tuapeka. 70,239 oz. 16 dwt. 6 gr. of gold have been exported from this port from the Ist to the 28th December, of which quantity 20,750 oz. have been shipped by the Bank of New South Wales, 24.434 oz. 10 dwt. 6 gr. by the Union Bank of Australia, 13,826 oz. 11 dwt. 12 gr., by the Bank of New Zealand, and 11,228 oz. 14 dwt. 12 gr. by private hand's. It is.reported that a party of six men working in Wetherstone’s Gully obtained a hundredweight of gold last week. Yesterday morning' the. southern end of Princes-street presented a very animated appearance, from the large number of the recent arrivals who were weighing their swags, loading drays with them, and making the necessary preparations fur a start to the diggings. On the morning of the 27th December a most determined fight took place at Wetherstone’s Gully, between two men named John Kirrick and Peter Shannon. The fight was in consequence of a dispute which arose between the two men on Christmas Day, and was conducted in the most secret manner, only two other men, mates of the principals, being present. When the police arrived both the combatants were in a shocking state, Kirrick being so severely beaten that his life was despaired of, and the other, Shannon, being unable to walk. By order of Sub-Inspector Martin, all the parties were taken into custody. Dr. Quinlan, who was called in to attend Kirrick, at once declared that he could not live more than a few hours, and the event proved that he was right, for the unfortunate man expired shortly afterwards. We are not aware of the cause of this sanguinary quarrel, but the particulars will doubtless transpire at the inquest. A correspondent at Tuapeka furnishes us with an account of another dreadful fight between an Irishman and a Cornishman, who fought for two hours, in the Tuapeka ranges. They fought forty-three rounds. The fights came off appropriately enough on Boring Day. Our correspondent complains that the diggings are becoming “as bad as Donnybrook for fighting.” In our issue of yesterday we alluded to the rumour of a rush to new ground, between Wetherston’s and Waitahuna. We have not been able to obtain any reliable information respecting it, but we have learned from a person in whom we can place confidence, that there has during the last two or three days been a rush towards the Tuapeka, to a point below the junction. It is not improbable that this may be the rush referred to in the rumour to which we alluded, and that the locality has been misrepresentad. We are unable to say what are the prospects that have caused the rush, but we shall, doubtless, be in possession of the particulars by to-morrow or the next day. The revenue for the quarter ending 31st December, 1861, amounted to £39,312:17:4, against £8.219 : 19s. for the corresponding quarter. The gold duty for December, as paid upon 70,4520z5. Bdwts. 6grs., is £8,806:125. By the arrival of the Lady Bird we have Melbourne papers to the 23rd ult. The Otago rush was the principal topic of conversation, and great numbers of diggers were daily arriving en route for our gold-fields. The following vessels were advertised to sail at an early date:—The Oithona, 100 tons, Queen of India, 600 tons,' Phyllis, Commodore Perry, 2000 tons, Asa Aldridge, 1800 tons, Astrea, 1500 Nor’(Fester, 2500 tons, Southern Cross, 1100 tons, Village Belle, 150 tons, Brilliant, Killamount, Sia Breeze, Pilot, 25 tons, Gazelle, Humboldt, 1200 tons, Mary E. Ray, 900 tons. The Lady Bird was prevented from sailing last evening as advertised, but is expected to clear out the first thing this morning. Gold Deposit.—The amount of gold at present remaining on deposit in the Bank of New South Wales is 57,578 ounces. We understand that an offer has been received from a Melbourne firm to light the town with gas, but the terms demanded are of too extravagant a character to be entertained. Would the founding of a local company for this purpose be a subject worthy of serious consideration.

We are glad to observe that a considerable number of the new buildings now in course of erection throughout the town are being built of stone and brick instead of wood. Probably the late fire has had a good deal to do with this, but we think that the public are also be. ginning to discover that where good stone is plentiful and accessible, as it is in Dunedin, it is in the end much the cheapest material. We observe that the Government township of Waihora is advertised for sale by auction at the school-house there, on Friday, 3rd Jan.

We have already made some allusion to the floods which have done so much damage at the goldfields, but it must not be supposed that the goldfields alone have been thus visited. In almost every part of the province there have been unusually heavy rains accompanied bv storms of hail, and in some localities snow, and there have consequently been floods and inundations on all hands. The Molyneux or Clutha river was very much swollen and became verydangerous to cross ; indeed; two men, one of them the ferryman, lost their lives'this week. During the last two or three days tlie weather has been fine, and it is hoped that it may be settled for a while. As an instance of the immense increase in the value of really good business sites, we may mention that the ground lately covered by the

old stores of Messrs. Young * M’Glashan was sold this week at auction for the sum of £9260. It is true that the position of the land is one of the best in town, but its extent is small, being considerably less than a quarter of an acre. While the value of property has been on the increase, the trade <>f Dunedin has been developing itself, and it is satisfactory to note that while the old established traders are doing better than ever, new branches of business are being established.

1 he annual report of the Sheep Inspector for the Province has just been published, and re. veals the interesting fact, that while in 1860, the total return of the sheep (including Southland), was 432,918, the return for 1861 for Otago alone is 523,126, to which should be added 65 per cent, for the lambs under three months old riot returnable. The amount of disease among the flocks is also by no means large, only six flocks, numbering in all 26,765 sheep, being reported as diseased.

Great Flood at Gabriel’s Gully.—On * Saturday night, 4th Jan., there was a tremen- 1 dous flood at Gabriel’s Gully. It had been 1 raining hard almost all the week, but on Satur- ' day evening, about six o’clock, the rain began ' to pour down in torrents, and continued without intermission throughout the night. In the morning a fearful scene presented itself; the water was by this time a roaring flood, sweeping everything before it, pumps, long toms, sluice boxes, cradles, and all moveable articles being carried away by the stream, which rose to a gre’at height, submerging most of the workings and doing an immense amount .of. damage to the claims. At the * Junction,’ the water rose to such a height as to nearly cover the tents, and people wishing to cross the bridge had to wad 4 in water up to the armpits. Diggers were to be seen standing in water up to their waists, handing out their bedding and throwing it across the ridge poles of their tents, to save it from being washed away altogether. Everywhere the greatest confusion an’d distress prevailed ; the misery, danger, and discomfort being aggravated by the knowledge that the flood, in carrying tools, and damaging shafts, had done infinitely more mischief than what was apparent to the casual observer. In the ccurse of Sunday the water abated considerably, but all day the stream continued to flow with great violence. The loss of property-by thisflood must have been very considerable, and the danger to life was by no means small ; but in only one instance that we know of did fatal consequences ensue. | (From the Otago Colonist.) ARRIVAL OF ESCORT, 14,014 OUNCES OF GOLD. The Escort that arrived yesterday afternoon, brought from Gabriel’s Gully 10,079 and from Waitahuna, 3,935 ozs. of gold ; making a total for the week .of fourteen thousand and fourteen ounces. The general tenor of the week’s news is still of a favourable character,’and we doubt not but 'he large additions we have this week received to our mining population will speedily produce a considerable augmentation of our weekly escort returns, for although we have no very . striking discoveries of new fields to report, it is well known that there still remains a large , extent of good payable ground yet unbroken in the immediate vicinity of the fields already . in course of working. With a moderately steady accession to our working population, and a modification of our present Mining Regula- . tions, we may hope for months yet to come to be able to write cheerfully of our prosperity , and prospects. ’ THE ESCORT, 11,662 OUNCES. (From the Otago Colonist, January 3.) 1 The Escort, yesterday afternoon, brought ’ down from Tuapeka 8,447 ounces, and from 1 Waitahuna 3,215 ounces of gold, making a ‘ total for the week of 11,662 ounces. Doubtless, the extremely unpropitious weather, to1 gether with the holidays, and the unsettled state of a large number of the digging popula- ! tion at present, have contributed to render the ■ amount less this week than it would otherwise ■ have been.

Escort.—The Escort, from the gold-fields, •arrived on Thursday, as usual, bringing 10,783 ozs. 10 dwts. of gold, of which 7434 ozs. 5 dwts. were from Gabriel’s Gully, and 3349 ozs. 5 dwts. from Waitahuna.— Witness, January 11.

Escort.—The Escort yesterday afternoon brought front Tuapeka 8,867, and from Waitahuna 2,612 ozs. of gold, making a total for the week of 11,479 ozs.— Colonist, Jan. 17.

The brigantine Stcord Fish arrived yesterday from Otago, which place she left on the 29th ult. The news brought by her is unimportant. The yield of gold still continues steady ; the Escort arrived at Dunedin on the 23rd ult. with 11,100 ounces of gold. A defence meeting was called for the purpose of considering the propriety of putting the town and port in a condition to resist the attacks of privateers in the event of a war between England and America.— Neto Zealand Spectator, Feb. 4.

Gabriel’s, Wetherstone’s, Waitahuna, and the Woolshed still continue to yield satisfactorily, but wbat with the holidays and the bad weather there has been a very great deal of time lost which will probably reduce the escort returns for a week or two. Should this and next week’s escort returns prove as large as previous ones, it will be proof positive that a large proportion of the gold sent down will represent former savings. There is a large amount in private hands, and the holders are not al all anxious to sell. One fact out of many more of the same kind will suffice to prove this. Or. Monday last, a man went into the Bank of N. S. Wales, Gabriel's Gullv, and offered for sale a parcel of rough gold weighing two or three pounds. The manager before purchasing it wished to break up several small nuggets containing an admixture of quartz, &c. But the digger would not permit him to do so, but demanded back his gold—remarking that he was not necessitated io sell, and would not do so—except the purchaser would take it in its then state. WAIPORI. The Waipori.—There is a great difference of opinion as to the value of this new gold field, Sonic giving it a very bad name, while others speak very favourably' of it. The preponderating amount of evidence, however, is decidedly favourable, and a considerable number have started for the new scene of operations since last Saturday. Some splendid samples of gold have been obtained, all of a nuggetty character, and some of it as large as beans. The difficulty of obtaining provisions and the badness of the weather have greatly retarded the development of this gold field. Provisions are now to be bad at a reasonable rate, and many parties that have' proceeded

thither during the past five or six days have taken a fortnight’s supply with them, so that ere the expiry of another fortnight, especially if the weather clears up, Otago will have one more extensive gold field added to the present' number. Parties are spread over a large area, but as in many instances it will be neccssan to turn the river to enable-operations to be properly conducted, larger claims ought to be given. Ihe following official report, in reference to the Waipori Diggings, was forwarded to the Government yesterdav :— Police Department, West Tttieri, January 1, 1862. (Received 2nd January. 1862.) Mounted Constable Keene reports, for the information of the Commissioner cf Police', in compliance with instructions of 27th ult., to proceed to the Waipori Diggings, where there are about 1600 miner*, 600 of whom are working the bed of the I.ammerlaw Creek, and about 400 in the adjacent gullies. The majority of the miners are making wages. One party of eight (Jas. Wilson & Co.), found 26 ounces in the bed of the creek, all very coarse gold, the largest nugget weighing about 4 dwts The miners in general ate very well satisfied with the remuneration they obtain for their labours. There are five stores on the creek, and one butcher s shop. There are two bakers' oven's in the course of erection. There are a great ' many disputes about claims, several having'been jumped. . °

Constable Keene begs to state there are about 200 miners on the Waipori river, about 12 miles from the Accpmmodation House, lhey are commencing to turn the river from its present -course. The prospect obtained is from I grain to 1J dwts. to the tin dish of the stuff taken carelessly from the bed of the river. Fate.— This copy of report, received from Mounted Constable Keene, is forwarded for the information of his Honor the Superintendent. I have considered it advisable to forva'd Pci ce to the spot without delay. John Branioan, Commissioner of Police.