NELSON. THE WEST COAST GOLD FIELD.

Otago Witness, Issue 685, 14 January 1865, Page 16

NELSON. THE WEST COAST GOLD FIELD.

The Nelson Examiner, of the 28th ultimo, contains the following news from the^e gold fields :— The steamer Nelson returned from her trip to the West Coast on Saturday last, having visited the Buller, the Grey, and the Okitiki rivers. The latter river, as far as is known, had never been previously entered by any kind of craft ; and the practicability of its being used as a port, which the Nelson has satisfactorily proved, •will confer great value on the district. The steamer Wallaby, which had also made a successful trip on the West Coast rivers, induding the Okitiki, returned yesterday. By these steamers, about 1200 ounces of gold wsie sent te Nelson ; and the accounts from the diggings appear to be satisfactory. The following testimonial was presented to Captain Leech, of the Nelson, by his passengers :—: — To Captain Samuel Leach. Okitiki river, 26th December. Dear Sir —We, the undersigned passengers of the paddle steamer Nelson, under your command, from Port Nelson to Okitiki, beg to tender you our sincere congratulations on the accomplishment of the first successful voyage to the Okitiki river, which, up till now, was considered impracticable. Your having brought your vessel safely thus far south on this coast, will, we are confident, forward most materially the development of the rich resources of this country ; indeed it has already effected a reduction of £25 per ton in the price of provisions here. We further beg to express our admiration at your nautical skill and general good management of the vessel throughout the whole of the voyage, which has so fortunately terminated, and beg to thank you for the untiring attention which you have devoted to our comforts. In conclusion, allow us to express our hearty wishes for your, future success and prosperity. . | Signed by M.JCassius, and by fifty other passengers.] COMMUNICATED BY MR ROCHFOST. Nelson, 26th December. Agreeably with your request, I send you a few lines about the West Coist. On the 21st instant, the Nelson went to the Okitiki, and landed a lot of stores and passengers. There was a scramble to secure business sites in the most eligible spots ; and a geaeral feeling prevails that this river will.

supersede the Grey as a port, as it lies further in, in a great bend of the coast-line, and consequently is less exposed to the southwest swell. Ido not agree in this, but think the principal port must remain at the Grey, chit-fly on account of the coal for steamers ; indeed, as far as I know, there is just as great a probability of an extent of ground for diggers in the neighbourhood of the Grey and Teremakau, as elsewhere. There are about eighty persona now at the Okitiki, about twenty 'stores being erected, and also the house sent down for the agent of the Bank of New Zealand. A report is current that a native and a European have found payable gold up this river, having brought down seven ounces, the result of three weeks' prospecting. A testimonial has been presented to the captain of the Nelson, as being the shipping pioneer into this river.

At the Totara, a river a few miles south of Okitiki, there are about 200 miners. They are scattered up the river from five to ten miles, and complain much of want of tracks. The natives have left their claims, which were at once re-occupied hy Europeans. The yield continues about the same. At the Wairnea diggings, six miles south of Teremakau, and a place about six weeks old, 100 men are supposed to be at work. These diggings are 10 miles up the river ; th*- 'stores are conveyed two miles in, canoes, and the remaining distance by "swngging." Here, also, the men complain much ot want of roads, and suggest that the Government should give them some help pecuniarily ; at each place the miners and storekeepers would subscribe a certain sum, if the Government would find an cq^ual amount.

At the Greenstone a r d Three mile Creek, there are about 300 men. These diggings are yielding steadily, affording very good remuneration, but no heavy finds ; a nagger, weighing 12oz sdwt is the largest yet found there. It was raffled for on Friday night last ; sixty members, at £1 each. -A want is felt here of a horse-road on the norrh side of the river, to be connected with the Upper Teremakau, without crossing the river so many times ; cattle and sheep could then be brought over from Canterbury with much less difficulty.

There are about 200 persons at the mouths of the Grey and Teremakau, consisting ot storekeepers and packers ; also about fifty horses, and two American waggons, &c. About twelve men have gone south of Wanganui to prospect, and a similar number are away up the Grey river. The Wallaby arrived at the Okitiki on the 21st, at night, and crossed the bar ou the 22nd, at three p.m. Two little vessels, the Nujrget and Petrel, arrived at the Grey, from Jackson's B iy, the former belonging to Barrington's party, an account of whose prospecting appeared sometime ago in the Otago papers. They foui.d the river Barrington described, to be one just past Cascade Point ; they found also his camp, and the reef, and the gold bag he said he hud left about thirty miles up the river, but no prospects of a payable nature. They also say they went up to Arawata or Jackson's river, for forty -five mites, but found nothing. These were the only rivers tried by them ; but on the Beach, near Jackson's Bay, they found prospects which would pay from 7s. 6ti. to 10s. a day. They also say they had many narrow escapes up the rivers. The Thames was still in Jackson's Bay, with only her crew, the miners who went down in her returned to the Grey in the above vessels.

It is said that the friends of Mr Townsend (oue of the Canterbury pioneers) are about to send a memorial stone to be placed in the cemetery at the Grey. I think the authorities should show a like mark of roapect to Mr Whiteombe, and the '.others who perished in the service of the Canterbury Government.

The Ccttek Nugget —Captain Leech, of the steamer Nelson, reports that the cutter Nugget had arrived safely at the Grey river with all hands in good health, The Nugget's party had- prospected all Barrington's country (reported as gold yielding) without success, The Petrel, from Jackson's Bay, had also arrived at the Grey and gives a somewhat similar report to the above. The cutter Thames, of Nelson, was reported by the Petrel as being at Jackson's Bay. — Ibiil. Whaleboat for the Buller.— Off Cape Farewell Captain Leech reports having met a whaleboat, bound for the Bullcr, with two hands on board ; tlnee of those who left Nelson in her had disembarked at the sandpit. When met it was blowing strongly from the south-east and the boat was making good weather of it. — Ibid.