The Otago Witness.

Otago Witness, Issue 657, 2 July 1864, Page 13

The Otago Witness.

DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, JULY 2.

Evee since the gold discoveries in the Middle Island of New Zealand— which dateiback so far as 1842— the West Coast has been invested with the reputation of being the birth-place of those gold deposits which have been found, in greater or less quantity, on the Eastern side of the great dividing range. Although only along one particular portion of the coast, gold has been discovered in quantities sufficient to warrant the belief in its

auriferous character, the obscurity which has hung over the greater portion of the West Coast country has led to the opinion, amongst the gold miners, that it is of the same character as that part in which gold has been discovered. This belkf has led to numerous private explorations of the coast, with the view ot testing its mineral wealth. All these explorations have been characterised by great individual courage and endurance, and by an amount of suffering which few men would care to undergo even for very great personal advantage. But the pursuit of gold in an unknown country is one of those tasks which create enthusiasm and excitement, and possibly the expectation of finding gold has not been the sole inspiration of those who have so bravely dared the dangers of travel in a difficult and unknown territory. The discovery of some new thing always more or less inspires with a feeling of enthusiasm those who undertake the the task, and even when no personal profit is to be gained, men will resolutely pursue their researches, simply for the sake of satisfying the craving after novelty.

Undoubtedly, the various West Coast explorations which have been undertaken within the last two years, have had hardly any other object than the discovery of gold — of that fountain of auriferous wealth which has supplied the rich fields in the interior. Yet almost without exception they have proved fruitless, and their results have lei to a conviction that the greater portion of the West Coast is not auriferous to an extent justifying the cost and paius of the pursuit. Not only have private explorers, who were actuated by the keenest desire to find gold, been disappointed, but less interested and more scientific searches have arrived at the same result. Dr. Hector, than whom no more qualified person could have explored the coast, has given to the world his opinions on the subject — which are certainly contrary to the hope of finding any payable gold field on the West Coast. But still it must be borne in mind that the various explorations have been only partial in their character, and have only embraced a particular portion of the Coast. A large area of unexplored country has been passed over, and only lately has any evidence been afforded of its character.

The recent return of a party of men from a part of the country hitherto unknown, and their statements concerning its character, have^ again aroused public expectations as to the existence of a rich gold-bearing country beyond the regions already opened up. The supposition isaperfectly reasonable one, that beyond the rich deposits already discovered, there exists a region from which they have been and are constantly being derived. There is no evidence of any geological contradiction to such a supposition ; on the contrary, we have the opinion of Dr Hector in favor of the probable existence of ,a gold-beariug country beyond, and following the direction of the Wakatip Lake. So that any reasonable account concerning this portion of the country is entitled to a certain amount of credence.

The statement of the men who have lately returned from an examination of the country north-east of the Wakatip, is, therefore, worthy of consideration. It is no answer to their statements, that they have brought no practical evidence of their truth. Nor is it any justground for suspicion, that instances have occurred in which men, for no apparent purpose, have committed themselves to statements which have proved to be utterly unfounded. The love of notoriety is of itself sufficient motive with weak-minded men for the making of absurd and chimerical statements. But in almost every instance of this kind, the character of the men has of itself been sufficient to warrant a suspicion of their story — although the hare possibility of their truth has led to the test which ultimately exposed their fallacy. But with respect to the statements of Barrington's party, we think the. puhlic may reasonably accord a general credence. The i leader of the party is well-known as an intelligent, honest man; and when his statements are coupled, with the' opinion expressed by Dr Hector of the auriferous character of the country jaat

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explored, the balance of opinion is clearly in favor of their genuineness. *

If what the recently-returned explorers state be true, another valuable jhld for mining enterprise is spread out, which, in due time, will be developed. The physical nature of the country renders it impossible to test the value of the new discovery until after Winter. When the Spring opens, it is to be hoped that both public and private support will be given to efforts, having for their object the opening np of a fresh rich gold field. If future exami-" nation testifies to the truth of the statements made by Barrington's party, its members will clearly have a claim on ( the liberality of the Government.