THE GOLD FIELDS. WAITAIIUNA.

Otago Witness, Issue 559, 16 August 1862, Page 5

THE GOLD FIELDS. WAITAIIUNA.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPOXDrNT,]

August 11, ISG2

From "Waitahuni there is little of interest to report. Those who are digging scarcely stir from the old spots, and there is in consequence, but little prospecting going on. Occasionally there is a small rush to some outlying piece of ground, but no new discoveries of any importance- have been made lately. A rush uf this character took place last week to a piece of ground on the edge of the iiit adjoining Waitalmna Gully. Very good prospects have been obtained, and should the present indications continue to be favorable, . I have no doubt a iarge number of persons will settle down in this locality. There is an almost unlimited quantity of ground whose surface has r.ot been touched by pick or shovel, all of it, what is tennid in muring phraseology, '"likely looking ground." The late severe weather has proved unfavourable^ to those who have engaged jn puddling ; and one of tlie machines has. I obs'jive, stopped working. The heavy road?, the hioken weather, and the high price of horse feed, teh severely on those who are engaged in this sj stem of extracting gold. Indeed, during the winter it would be better fur the owners o, puddling machines to cnumenee carting on tlie roads, rather than continue to fee.! hoivs t:»:it :»:i 1 are earning nothing. The severity ofttr we.ii. 1 is v great hindrance to :ill kinds or mi. itu. 1 niu'e espcc'ally to those uii<> -ire gageu m puldlii_r

i'lfDcr-p •' ikiiiL A-s 1" '>i 1 1 arc still engaged in c.n , ,ng down th. .viui in the neighborhood ot- Al:t •rHiuMy Tlu-y h:i>o re.icl'cd a depth of ovi'i' to tfH t, ii'iil are very sanguine that sometliint? jrcoil will be struck in the deep ground. Thu sr u fT passed through is a blue slaty clay, intermixed with pieces of quartz, more or less angular. Should their present expectations be realised, and the deep ground' turn out well, there is plenty of room for several thousand men.

The Waitiihuna, River is at present very high, and it is exceedingly advantageous for both diays und horsemen to be able to cross by the new bridge at Hill and Smither's, instead of risking a wetting on the one hind or damaging the loading on the other. The party who are working the old bed of the river have at last got their dam a sufficient, height above flood-level to defy the heaviest storms. These men have been remarkably persc-veiing. Time after time has the river swept their dam nway, yet, as fast as it was broken down, so rapidly has it been built up. The vashdirt continues to look well, but the bad •weather has sadly interfered with their continuous working

I believe a sufficient number of names have been attached to the petition, prnjing for the establishment of a Mining Hoard '; and it has, lam informed, been foi warded to tlie Provincial Govern'nc'ir.^ I ..ivsinnc, therefore, that Waitalmna and tat W<ji)lslied will soon iijoi 0 in the pos-, ssioa uf a Mininjr JB'iard, hut it' is to be hoped that the Government will make better provisions ior the return of tlie niunibu-s than was the case in the election for the Tuapeka B iard. The Woolshed diggings has d^awn a considerable number of persons from this locality, and great hopes nre entertained here, that with an increased population it will be one of the first gold fielis in the country. Vaiions fabulous reports are in circulation as to the earnings of the dlggers,but I beard of two reliable inst-mces where men had been making from £10 to £18 a-week, and this during a period of six weeks at a stretch.