PROSPECTING IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5, 20 November 1861, Page 2

PROSPECTING IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT.

To the Editor of the Otago Daily Times. Sir.—We the undersigned five of Mr. M'Crae's prospecting party; having read in > your issue of yesterday a lame attempt to contradict Mr. M'Crae's report by one signing himself "Fair Play," beg to forward 3^ou the following statement, which you will oblige by inserting. In the first place we are prepared to prove that we, according to Mr. M'Crae's report applied at Mr. Thomson's station for rations, and were told that gentleman was from home, but had left orders that no rations were to be supplied to Mr. M'Crae's party. As Mr. M'Crae and the other portion of the party were absent on the Molynevx nearly 40 miles from us, we dispatched one of our party to inform him that we could obtain no supplies at Mr. Thomson's station. Mr. Mi'Crae at once proceeded to Mr- Low's station at the Manalierikia, 16 miles from Mr. Thomson's station, and procured supplies and brought them forward with the remainder of our party. Mr. M'Crae then applied personally at Mr. Thomson's, in our presence for provisions (and although there was plenty of good mutton hanging up) was told that the orders left by Mr. Thomson were to give him none. Mr. M'Crae was then obliged to dispatch a man to Mr. Blacks station, a distance of eight miles for rations. We were accordingly detained five days, during which time we were greatly inconvenienced, having nothing but a few pounds of Hour and a little sugar—being completely out of all other provisions, until Mr. "jVI-Crae's return to us from Mr. Low's, at the Manaherikia—to whom we are greatly indebted for his gentlemany treatment of ourselves and party, and we would further add—that all the gentlemen residing on the various stations from Captain Erasers in " Shag Valley" to Mr. M'Lean's on the Lindis" (on whom we called) served us very kindly vdt'x rations (except the two gentlemen- mentioned in Mr. M'Crae's report)/'and although some of them would not relish gold being found on their runs, still, at the same time we have witnessed several instances of " The Wandering _ Vagabonds 9> (diggers as they are called) receiving every hos-! pitality at the various nothern stations. / For the present we will say no more,, further than to state that if Mr. *'EairPlay" displays the same amount of energy and perseverance for his employers, that Mr. M'Crae has done fhr the Government, in prospecting the northern portion of this Province, he will have to pay more attention to his master's business and less to those northern stations, in which lie boasts having such large interests invested, and in which he is so frightened gold should be discovered.

We are Sir, Your obedient servants, Matiikw Edgar, William Stones, James B. Ivey, William Mill, John Angurn. {For Blue Mountain Rush mid continuation of Advertisements see Supplement.)