THE DUNSTAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 300, 5 December 1862, Page 5

THE DUNSTAN.

Having 'onlyl^yesterday^v^ len^thsned coratnunication^jin/i $o«lay bJingi^unday V It wli ba unnece39.iry to rouch upon mining;: mitiiersin.dstail/'.-- The^rbspec'tiiig^claiiri :MMc Srackea, was!;| gwfhtsd by t>tia ; Couxmi^ione^';. : 'ioT i% .goidfielil^-''j Mr Py^i yfho aoootnpattieOl ;byi ';;Mr'il)ran> r ' mond, Mining ;;Surveyor; airivaJ :■ ■■'■ hsra -' last; evening.. The:;'■ locality ;13 ' ;<mile3 fcom l^x'srush, And tliecreek d^ very'": Jong one, ajnd O7er tv?o hundred fee!; brjid. ilumorai ofahother discovery ia th.9. ■■Like-dbitviet are; curreafc, ibiib I have been unable to authenticate their corracJhessi r^he i town has beM:thronged aUyeitarday aid to-day with minara; andthos'aaio coQfident,.active spirit before; noticed^continues prevalent. ;; / A meeting was held last night for the purpose !of christening the street, some having called it ''^Mile End Road." The names of Hartley-street an-1 Dunetan Township were finally adopteiL The mAeiing w.13 of a very irregular character, and unreportable. It was atterwards sugge&ted to the meeting-, that atvantage should be taken of the presence of Mr Pyke ' to wait 'upon him, and represent to him the grfat difficulties the district labors under from the limited area proclaimed ; nnd at the same time to call his at;-' tention to (he evils likely to arise frbni the present block sy&tem of marking out claims when the river Buhsides. Several persons loudly declaimed against having any hing to do1 with this gentleman in the matter. Tho meeting was finally dissolved; amidst considerable iiproar and personalities, without anything beina ■done., ■ . ■•: •;:..■. ■;!. ■.- ■■■. ■:,.■.- • •',.- • ,■■•,;.■>■.■• ; . to A letter of invitation has since been, to-day* addressed to his Honor the Superintendent, prayiaothat he .would pay the district a visit. The folio win? is a copy :— ■ "Dunstan Gold Fields, Ist December, 1862 41 To Major J. L. 0. ltichardsoh, Superintendent' of the Province of Otajjo. : ■ ■ " Sir,—-We, the'undersigned residents on this gold "field, respectfully solicit your personal inspection of the fame. We are confident a visit from your Honor would prove fruitful in happy results, and gerieraPy tend to tho ennnciationof a *af< r po'.icy, both for the Province and the district. We have ho desire to fleniand the recognition df any claim that mMit ■embarrass your actions and position ; and merely suggest this visit solely on public and general ; grounds, rhc-se principles shall actuate us in receiving you, if .you will do us the honor to accept this, our invitation." • • , ■ 1 • [Here follow the signatures.] It hns been most numerously signed, though only 'open for an hour cr.two. The interests at stake-in this part, of the-Province are of so important a nature, that it is a gratifying circumstance, to see that the'• residents of th?. Dunstan arefullyaliveto the importance •of establishing the; foundation of the district, on a well ■considered and recognised basis. It is understood that Mr Pyke is in favor of expending a sum of money in making a good bridle track, between this and the' Tuapc-ka. The people here, ,on*-the. other hand, believe tiut t!ie opening up of the) country in the direction of the Lake district is the most urgent work to be performed. Either this or the Kawarau Junction 'Township must bo the key of .the.district, if we are; to successfully, compete v:ith InvercargiU. It will greatly depand upon the action Government takes in tho matter whether these places shall become prominent positions in the interior and assist in the object. Any money spent unnecessarily, such as upon the TuapCiCa track, mu?it affect the amount available fov Toad making in" oilier directions. Jt is a matteV of deep importance, and will require both, careful and ••anxious consideration. As before remarked, it is a matter of detail whether tho site shall be here'or at tin Kuwaraiuof tho g'.-eat central dep6t; that the best interests of the Province demand, should be establisbed in this district. That may safely be kfc'to others to decide ; but it is a most srriom matter, that the definite!'" action that should carry out this princi•ple should not be uiarrel by a general diffusion of its power and energy. *~ T)e Hale, a gentleman of thorough practical ex- . peripnoe with mining matters. in Otago, has kindly burnished me with the subjoined information regarding the roads to the new discoveries, in the Lake Wakatip district.-' Having hnel some considerable expcrinnce in a surveying party his remarks may be depended upon, .It is from his pencil that the sketch «t the district that will shortly be forwarded to* you proceeds. He is ah excellent pioneer and prospector, aud considers that ehoull' the Government connect this gold field with the new district, it would greatly tend to open the country in the direction of the seacoast' :— " From this township you proceed to the / Kawaran Junction a distance of fourteen miles. Yon then take n left hand track, that turns up a gully just above the Kawahm river ;' the track passes on to tho Crown Hilly and . a leading- rnuge that bungs you fo tile Caruroua Crock rurh—the distance w hitefcn milt's. Another left hand track, running for t>evei>teen milea over rough ranges, brings you to°tlie recent discoveries ma-Je in the-Wakatip district. The (hmouliics are not greater than iv other portions of Otago ; and for an outlay of some one thousand pounds this short, road could be made a fair passable bridle road. It vrill never be available for dray'ti'afiic, but is now used by foot passengers, and the more interprising of the packers. It is my firm opinion that this line-could safely compete'with• Inverrargil), if a dray track waa made as -far aa the ■Kawaivm. The Ja:ter work hardly presents aviy difficulties, and can be formed at a comparatively slight expense. There, are only three places-on the line between the Towns-hip and the Kawarau Junction that present any difficulties, or would entail much exp?nao. The engineering difficulties are nil, and any diyger could make the road from tho natural level oi the terrace running along the bank of the river. The distance by the long 'road from thi3 to Fox'js rush is about ninety miles. A good road from Umavau goes as iar as Mr Wilkins station, near the CardicnV . ~ . . All the partiralara thntkeep reaching us here show tnat no insurmountable otjects prevent Duneoin reaping the benefit from this new and rich country. Its extent and enormous productiveness a^e hourly becoming more clear, and its value appreciable. Every particular is therefore ot importance. A serious nnd fatal boat accident oceureci at cWit •O'clock this morning at .the Kawarau Junction, on the Molyi-eux. A bo?.t owned by Peter, a Prussian which has been for some time plying as a fern- boat Jn the.above locality,- upset under the following circumstances :-Stx men altogether, were in the boat, which was a kmdot skiff built en the river. Soon after leaving the s^ore it, got into difficulties in one of the rapif.s, and shipped about four or five inches of water Rome of tho passengns then requested the boatman to return, and take over h-ilf of them at a time. Tins lie refused to do, sayirg that he was confide-it he could manage to get over. Immediately,- after she niial and sunk, and five n.en'-were drowned, viz, Peter the boatman—Thomas Mil 8. John Kobson, Matthew Murray and Henry, whose father witnessed his death from the ?hore. The boat waa totally, unsuited for the purpose ; and as several accidents aud losses of life have lately occurred fiora tho use- of inferior boats some action o;i the part of Government is demanded, as many others will fall victims to that grasping avanciotisnrss which neither values life or anythinV else besides n:oney, Thomas Fairly, the only man saved, has furnished me with the above particulars. A most daring attempt at robbery underarms took r-lace early this morning. Mr Hall, of the United btatea Hotel, found a man standing dyer him with a pistol. He was in the act of abstracting a gold watvh when Mr Hall awoke and caught hold of thi pijioi. The robber made his escape, and ha 3 not been captured as yet. .■ \ ' A laigtj rush'is reported in the Manuhenkia, bejmiil statio-J, but I am unable in this inBfaarealso to send any confirmation of* its' correbtI)e^'- a. ' .-■■ ' ■:.-•■:■ ■■■ -: ■ Tlw -market■ 'reports will''supply the usual detaiis. inisiiiw-s has been ,bri.«k, and the. class of buil(iih<'s impvovirg. Mr Bnphael, ljesides bti auction, 'is erecting a cattle snle'jardj.&c. '' ; The exodus to the Lakes continues and is increasing. The accounts are creating great excitement, ond •rdtiable claims are being abandoned-'for tli3 fresh ElDorado. : : > Hai'tley Township^ , .. ..\ ■■'•■.'•■ 2nd December, 1862. After a storm gonernlly comes a calm, and so. it has proved in mining matters here. During the last two days we have not had a single instance of any new discovery of great iinpoTtance tnking place.- " New guilies are as usual being opened, bist under tlie »re-' sent mpccure tenure awarded a prospector, their existence is -concealed as long as possible. The anticipation that snch would be the result is thus becoming verified earlier than expected. The difficulty of; obtaining information is, by this action,, much incrcascci, and to this, in a great measure must be sttributed the dearth of news. If no fresh* and bii'.Hant discoveries have presented tnemselves r for notice-, another very Valuable feature ha', however: become an: established fact. It is this, that the returns from theinumerous gullies are daily becomingl more appreciable. 1 ■Little, individually, ia heard of them, because they are co numetoua that any attempt , to give one or the other a*a extra importance,: has, n,6' effect. To the miner'who* oh his first arrival here is anxious to make " a rise," they are a happy reVoiu'ca Ho has no troiible to find ground that, with a little perseveranre, coon tuirni him irit;^a;unit^of the wellequipped army of miners, rvrhb ard so rapidly chan»ing the nature of this districts ;S *-; * ' ° In consequence of thd river f?^r6rkings being thoroughly suspended, and vefy#fctfe aeonung in <rora the Lake country, the d3posits-i% esccrfci show at once how valuable are these '-'-'numerousand detached gullies. On Monday the Ist instant, one thousand ounces ■were deposited at the Receiver1* office, <and the average* amount for eoch,dep t oßit exceeded thirty-six ounces, in .amount one; huiyiredrand twenty foiir .pounds .sterling each. This is only, the result of one day, awl it must #Jgo be taken into consideration that this does

so#|airadi^^ Jo> - tjh&lM^r^sh-^i^ may; be satisfactory show -gaiincre&e.'A; J^ptltirJg cah%6t6^iii% t;vnttie^ iiM. thm ■{'ihp^^cfcs:■ • 4?rctaisthe%alcevcduafcry we haveyery>mea#veaccounfcsv,?;-Mose;tlmfc^<ib s arr^e, comas through .p^ekfJKs and.iffimer^,' ,Ail speak-Weltoi the new gold£eW, ; aii<i bptli agi^e in,: §tafinK t^xt'i" ounce a;. day 13 *Ke: avjsxase r?tuni^ Tne'dlstnct is also said to be rapidly; -^ new discoveries;are-tli^MSEbftlie day. The activity and sensation ■■moyeinents; are; for the moment transferred to. this! disrapit;lorality^and^ absence of any reliable inn>rmafc?on#is^muc& felt. ;: In v day or W6 this uncerMnty will be>.removed, by.^hev return lof your ;corre3|)oifierit's messenger and Sergeant Major ' BracKeni. ;M r Gibson^ . h&V returned," and j>urposes,-: going tfy'town': by' this day's coach,and' iiitenuYto make a special report on tQe•; district This gentlemah: states ; that ■ if-nioney wason the spot a largeamount' ofgold could-Bai obtained within a short; time; He also represeotVpronsidris as very scarce, but that everything bears- a most blooming and promising aspect; vH* refuses to disclose further intormatlpn, butstates that a foaiV via , Oamaru offers many advantages! .'Some gold ■ buyers and storekeepers.have'rproceedea to the ru6h,~ and a confident belief exists:thai;their purchase* will cphsiderably swell the ensuing escort! Should; the miners determineupon sending/down theirgolU^na^it 'is known that large quantities are held on; the spot—the ensuing escort will most probably exceed the last Much anxiety is Mtiiport this point, and next Monday mil eithertsii of disappointed' expectations or a'brjlhant success.; AH- eye 3 ;areV turned now' ia the, direction of; this new country, luf not-the slightest want of confidence is exhibited regarding the stability of the Dan3ran gold fcld proper. The opinion becomes daily more confirmed that this mu;t prove an independent, valuable, and permanent locality. ,It ; may have rivals, be surpassed even in nehnesy but its foundation is too well established to ba shaken. Some very large parcels of gold are being sold ; and Mi* Welsh, the gold- broker, reports having purchased to-day, a beautiful rough sample of 200 oaiccs ; . in oae : parcel,. from Potter's Gully. Some other large parcels are also placed in charge of the banks. Altogether the prosperity rests on real tangible weil kuown facts, and the imagination is not required to bs stretched to, make' tha mo.st of any, favorable circumstance. As my regular report wilK proceed per Cobb's coach to-nioi-row, it is unnecessary to eater into further details at this moment. . v>. ■•-: : The rush to the heii of the Manuhenkia is not likely at, present to prove of importance. "Lar^e. numbers have visited it, but have hot remaine-lr the prospects obtained not,being in these tines suffici' ently rich to induce them to settleclown. Like many otuer poj'tio.us of this district, it will eventually be; worked when .the minerj arc contented to settle down1 more ; steadily. From the Nevis favorable ■ accounts: are received. The ground pro ve3 either poor, or rich. The Eavnscloui?h ttivor is occupied in places and turns out some small but excellent pa'ches It promises to prove a valuable sluicing t ountry, but must, like the other places, await for a more steady and settled period before its resources will be fairly I developed. The gullies on the top of the- Sn-jwy lunges are turning out well, and leading to repeated trials mo; her place?. .These elevated gullies on the top oLour highest ranges: proving so rich ia another ot those extraordinary; and peculiar ieature* noticeable in this lately opened country. It perplexes the • most experienced miner, and proves at the same time ! the questiohafre wisdom of placing reliance ih.old c tablished theories. The sinking, or . stripping rarely ex-eeds two feet, and these gullies or partitions between the hills average about the tame wiuth To add to their peculiarity, not the,slightest evidence of ■" wash is to befouhd.' The gold lies upon the bare denuded rocks, and is both heavy and water-worn • but as to gravel, it does not exist. The same features present themselves in the lower valleys of the Urdrona,: and in gullies adjacent to .the Arrow' These are most important fact*; thpy are the cieai*■cst .proof that' the highest range's, the most precipitous narrow stony gorges, and the depressed vallejsave all more or less auriferous. The only difliculty that exists in working these elevated gullies is the snow water, and the same anxious cry for winter is being made made up amongst these hi^h "latitudes as with thosa who have river and creek claims m the valleys. Though the siakiug is so shallow the snow water proves an insurmountable difficulty, and the miners begin to find that the snow is not their best Inend. Room for an unlimited population exists in this one direction only. No occasional descriptions Juce these can bear evidence to the extant and resources of the place 3 touched upon from time to time by your correspondent. Numbers will only lead to^cesh developments, with this one distinguishing feature, as compared; with Victorian rushes of later days, that numbers are nob reg uired here to prospect a supposed auriferouss extent ofcountry.- it any number of people come they will find; payable ground before them; but they must- be prepared to "put up" with many inconveniences, hardships, aud privations. Capital to.the new arrival is inuispensable, or otherwise he will perhaps be obliged to.leave the district cursing his imaginary ill Juck With a small capital aud perseverance there is room ior thousands. From Fox's rush very favorable accounts have this evening been received. Wilson and ,parly nefcfc a hundred ounces earh for a few weeks work. "The outlying districts are represented to be constantly extending, and the miners thoroughly satisfied with the prospects before them. No other news ol any importance has come to hand. Provisions are still exorbitantly dear, aud tools very scarce. In local matters there i* also little stirring The town or main street keeps extending. Mr Druuimond the mining surveyor, hits been engaged in layiu"- off some cross streets.' This proceeding has given^considerabie satisfaction^ and the new strepts have been taken up under business licenses., Tliree deputations waited upon Mr P yke today regarding some of the wants of tue township. Messrs Campbell, Jackson Horfcon, Welsh, and Becker, in each case represented the inhabitants. The first object pressed upon thenotice of Mr Pyke was a request that he would instruct any ot the Government surveyors visiting the district to take the levels frotn a creek in the immediate nei"-h----bourhoo-1, so that it might be ascertained if it was possible to bring in a supply of water for the purpose of watering the. streets. It was stated that the inhabitants were united upon the matter, and that should the Government make the survey, and it should be found practicable to bring in the water they would undertake to carry out the object sought by private enterprise. Mr Pyke prom sed to give the surveyors the necessary instructions. The second object brought under consideration ■was the desirability of keeping the Post Office open on the day of arrival till G p.m., for the delivery. The mail at present arrived at about sin the afrernoon, and the office closed before the arrival of the mail this day, causing much inconvenience to the business men of the townships by the delay." Mr Pyke promised to represent the matter to Mr Barr the Chief Postmaster. The third; matter brought under the notice of Mr Pyke was the conduct of the draymen in coming into the .townships and selling g«ods without a business license. Mr Pyke Stated that no action could be taken till Mr K'eddeil returned who would be instructed to make draymen or others hawking goods* take out the usual license. The deputation after; thanking Mr Pyke for his- courteous reception retired: -- - '} •'•;■■■ ■ -.- ■ '-'.-* -■:;.•;..'•••.: The strengthening of the police force has had a most beneficial effect, and for the last day or two hardly a scene of disorder has been witnessed. The most desperate characters are reported to have left Sc^S'fSce?^ ■t: A great imstake occurreti in r- a: previous 'report;; The name ot Mr Kettle, the baker.^ho^ave-evi-denca in the case of the robbery/ committed upon Messrs Attwood Bros ., was mentioned as havin«> beeri: arrestea by the police as aa accomplice. It wlis Mr flnnnagan, Mr. Kettle' 9 partner, \vho arre>ted ? bome_ot the .notes found; upon Mr Fiannagan' have been identified,: but,the case is stiU wrappkup= i 2; considerable mystery. . ■ •'. . . y"■ -" ..«" . Mr Sheppinl, the driver bf XJobband cciacK states that the journey can be made in one day be^ tween ;Dunedjn and this place, by five relays of horses.: i Opi»ion on the spot points to the desirability of subsidising this jjiiw during the summer months^ or.any other line that would establish d daily lino upou-moderate4;erni3.;;"!-''•■.■;.•■'.;:v^.^:>y--'- '■ v---".- v;vv:t4-v'