SOUTHLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 248, 6 October 1862, Page 6

SOUTHLAND.

(PBOtf OlfK OWN COBBESPOKDBST.) Invercargill, 29th Septeraoer, 1862.

Mr Pearson, the Chief Commissioner, again visited the Kokomai diggings, on the 20th insfc. The time which had elapsed since bis former visit had been tco short to enable those who bad taken

up claims below Lamb's party to bottom ; the water to be, contended %vitk is in greater quantity than vr&s at first anticipated, and necessitates the cutting of. long tail races to drain the claims sufficiently to enable them to be worked. This takes time and labour; none need apply who are afraid of moisture. In about a fortnight it will be ascertained whether the first golden antbipations will be realised. Those in the upper part! of the gully who have bottomed are doing very fairly, one party of nine informed Mr Pearson I they averaged'(Lls) fifteen pounds a week per man. This was corroborated by others, so I suppose it is true. A Maori.' party from Kiverton, with Solomon at their head, are doing well in a claim in a blind gully leading into the head of Victoria Gully ; the day Mr Pearson was there they found a nugget rather more than an ounce in weight, the largest'found yet. One of seven pennyweights was found a few days before in the same locality. • I suspect the hills will be tried now. In the gully itself, the deposit stems to be patchy, the rock dipping" rapidly towards the Nokomai. The gold appears to have been rather in a hurry to move on, and lias done so where the rock'is smooth' enough 'to admit of it. "Whenever the slightest ridge or irregularity has presented an impediment, it has been caught. It is a!! coarse. The question is, where has the bulk of it gone, more particularly the fine stuff? Some suggest the bars of the Mataura. A good many are out prospecting' in different directions in the forks of the Mataura and in the hills in the vicinity of the Victoria Gully. Some have gone back ' .to the old Whakatipu diggings on the west' bank of the'Mataura, which from what I can learn, are as likely to turn out trumps as any j the valley ;of the Eyre .is considered promising, and there is plenty of scrub, I believe, upon its banks. Some were returning from Victoria Gnlly, most-of whom, I understand had contented themselves by looking at- the snr--Iswc, and not finding nuggets at the top, returned voting the thing a bore, and thinking it easier and pleasanter. to look at it in Broad's shop window here, where a fine sample of Nokomai gold is exhibited. Some are working hard, and will give it a fair trial. The greater part of the gully is marked oii" in claims, which are being shepherded by those who, if carefully abstaining from work entitles one to be considered a good shepherd, are certainly choice specimens. . Flour, was scarce when Mr Pearson was theie, but three drays came in that clay, and more were expected shortly— Meat plentiful, both beef and mutton a- shilling per pound. Part of the prospector's claim lias been jumped, the-diggers being under "the impression that they hwc - marked off too much ground. The party I belieye differed m opinion. The motion being put,. was earned ,by a large majority against Lamb's party, who are rather down in the mouth accordingly. Some were, I hear, tnquiiing for miner's'rights, these were men who had bottomed, and I suppose having got something good were inclined to keep it if possible. The impression on the'field was that it had been declared a goldfield in Dunedin, or would be so soon as Mr JBranigan returned. The price of gold, or rather what was asked on the field.; was £3 12s. 6d. • " ;....' .-,;.. ,

There is another bonne louche for you in the wreck of the Guiding Star going out of the New River. I suppose another instance of " presumption, impertinence, &c.," on the part of Sonthland, " haying met its just reward." (?) It seems poor Captain Eraser,has lately suffered from a severe attack of " testimonial" in the shape of a purse of 25 soys. and a dinner. The usual result took place, an accident. I suppose some confounded old fairy was not asked to the feast and revenged herself by kicking a hole through the Guiding Star's bottom, supposed to be a not very difficult operation.

The Guiding Star was going out at 7 a.m., on Saturday last, at dead low water, for Riverton, and is rumoured to have touched on the tail-end Sandspit, where she began filling with water, so rapidly that Captain Praser had to beach her near the Maori Kaik, where she now lies perfectly cosy, her bows out ■ even at high water, her stern being under some threes feet. At low water I believe she is dry fore and aft. All the cargo saved, arid of course "all lives. Some talk of the old sore which,'.'had never".'. been, properly healed breaking out; it is pretty sure bhe would ;not stand Lloyd's A.I, test on the gridiron. ~; , ■ ; .... , • .;

I hear the Aphrasia is to take up the passengers to Dunedin.