THE MARLBOROUGH GOLD FIELDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 666, 3 September 1864, Page 7

THE MARLBOROUGH GOLD FIELDS.

(From the Havelock Mail.) The Escort arrived in Havelock on Monday afternoon, bringing down from the diggings 2250 ounces of gold. This quantity is an improvement on the previous escorts ; and, as it has demonstrated profession in the face of difficjlties proceeding from atmospheric causes, the continuous rains of last week, to wit, and also such as Inve sprung from a diminution of population owing to the discovery of a supposed gold field near to or on the Grey River, it may be regarded as peculiarly encouraging ani taken as an earnest instalment of future development. an important changa i? perceptible on every hand in mining circles, and an increased amount of nctivity ia the order of the day with th* sturdy miners, the bone and sinew of the Marlborouiih Province. Its effects are of such sreneral operation that Havelock is almost as deeply interested as any portion of the rich ■Wakamarina. For this reason it is with much pleasure we record a few facts in connection with mining matters in our own immediate vicinity. The influences of the approaching season are already developing their beneficial and regeneratory tendencies, and, if it be true that "ccming events cast their shadows before," this week's escort is but the beginning of a series of succes?es which shail redound to the future of Marlborongh as a gold producing country. A stir of the kind we dpscribe has taken place in the town, and, we feel sure, if prosecuted energetically, it will lead to results bearing upon auriferous exploration that may be of incalculable benefit to the Province generally. In the Kaituna Valley, a mile or so distant from this plao», several men are engaged prospecting ; in some cases a small yield has been obtained, but nothing large enough to justify the announcement of payable gold being struck. In every instance where a trial of stuff was made, a good color has been found ; this, however, is no base on which to raise an argument against the payability of our auriferous lands, for it must bo admitted that, owing to the obstruction presented by underground water, tne volume of which is nearly pqual to anything of the same nature met with on the wet sinkings of Ballarat, the bottom has not been reached in more than one or two cases, adjoining Messrs Harris Brother*" daughter yard 9, a shaft is now being sunk. We have personally inspected it, and do think from the generality of the wash dirt and drift gone through so far, the parties sinking are likely to land on payable ground. It is a wet shaft, and we are told six men are engaged in the job. A depth of 34 feet has now been arrived at, and the men say they mean to go ahead until the prospect from tho reef decides their chances of remu neration. Another shaft has been bottomed on to the Wairau, not far from Havelock. The reef was seemingly struck too shallow, for at a depth of 28 feet they came on a hard slate reef, dipping very much towards the range. Several colors were obtained from a dish of dirt tried by the sinkers.

We also hear that many other miners fancy the appearance of the ground about Havelock, and are determined to give it a thorough trial in the ensuing favorable portion of the year. This is highly eHcouraging, and augurs well for a commencement.