DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, AUGUST 12.

Otago Witness, Issue 715, 12 August 1865, Page 10

DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, AUGUST 12.

From every part of the G-old Fields accounts are received of works of immense magnitude, undertaken and carried out by raining parties for the purpose of obtaininggold. Sometimes a monster darn i 9 constructed with the view of protecting a claim against the encroachment of a flood ; at others, water is brought from a creek or river a distance of twenty or even thirty miles, to aid in sluicing operations ; in a third, the course of the river is diverted, or perhaps expensive machinery is constructed to render the varying level of a stream like the Molyneux a matter of indifference to the successful prosecution of labor, and numerous expedients are adopted for obtaining power and overcoming physical difficulties. It is evident the yield of the Gold Fields of Otago justifies this outlay of capital. The search for gold, in this, as in every age, stimulates enterprise and fosters industry. That which science and research fail to effect, the discovery of a payable gold field, as by the wand of an enchanter, achieves. For years the establishment of a port on the West Coast was felt to be a desideratum, and expeditions in search of an available harbor were despatched. Months elapsed — every cove and inlet were examined, and although the reports were not conclusive against the ultimate success of such a plan, the difficult and almost inaccessible features of tbe country a few miles from the coast, presented obstacles that overbalanced any counteracting advantage that might* have been derived irom its adoption. But in spite of all these adverse influences, in less than twelve months after the idea was apparently abandoned, the public were startled by the intelligence that a gold field had been found, and a township established, on the West Coast, that population was flowing into the district, and though the site was surrounded by dangers, and though in the first instance it appeared questionable whether the numbers rapidly congregating there would even obtain subsistence, every difficulty has been, braved, and Hokitika takes its place among the ports of New Zealand. Dazzling indeed should be the prospect when such known dangers have to be encountered as beset the voyage to Hokitika. Judging by the loss of life that has taken place there, and the number of vessels stranded or wrecked, not one of the numerous bar harbors of Few Zealand is so treacherous and dangerous aa that of the Hokitika River. Every mail that arrives brings intelligence of some new disaster. Already several small coasting steamers have been wrecked in addition to numerous sailing vessels, and the rate of insurance upon sea risks is nearly five times greater than that of the voyage from England . Calmly and without prejudice weighing the prospects of success at the Canterbury Gold Fields, there seems no sound reason for the inclination manifested to rush thither from this Province. The distance of Hokitika from the settled districts, and the difficulty of access to it by land, render it necessary to import provisions by sea for the population ; and though competition amongst the merchants and storekeepers may prevent the prices of necessaries rising excessively, they must for many years continue to range much higher than the average prices of the Colony. Even should a practicable overland road be constructed, it must necessarily involve immense outlay of capital, and cannot be available for traffic for a considerable length of time. It , follows, therefore, that in order to com-

xnand even the common necessaries of life, a very much larger quantity of gold ought to be obtained in a given length of time, than would prove remunerative on the gold fields •of Victoria of Otago. In the first instance, too, the discomforts of thecountry, the detriment to health consequent upon its peculiar •character, and the impediments to prospecting, arising from its dense tangled forests, were painted in glowing colors. The spirit of the mining population appears to be gradually overcoming these, •or perhaps they lose their terrors by familiarity with their features; but taking the amount of gold obtained, and comparing it with the population already there, It is impossible not to see that the yield per man is scarcely greater than that of Otago. What peculiar attractions there are at Hokitika over those of this province it is difiicult to say. If prospecting is the charm, there is scope enough for it in Otago to satisfy the most ardent aspirant after discovery. The area of auriferous country already opened up is only an infinitesimal portion of that which is known to exist. Gold is found under every conceivable variety of circumstances. It is found in the beds of rivers, and embedded in the beaches on their banks ; it is found in shallow and deep leads, or sown broadcast as it were over the surface. It is found buried in the soil, or encased in the •quartz reef; it is found in the valley, and on the mountain ; it is to be obtained in the interior of the country, or gathered from the sand on the sea shore ; it may be drawn from beneath eternal snow, or exhumed from the warm and sheltered valley. There is, therefore, ample field for the spirit of adventure, free to a great extent from the risk and inconvenience and priyation inevitable in such a district as borders the West Coast. But one idea seems prevalent in the minds of a large class of the mining population which no experience apparently is able to counteract ; they imagine it probable a Gold Field may be iound, where the precious metal is deposited in such quantities as to enable them to realise a fortune in a few days or weeks. It is not enough to show that such has never been the case anywhere nor at any time. Even in the best days of Ballarat, the lucky finds were only occasional, and it is capable of demonstration, that the profits of gold mining are now more certain to •those engaged in it than they were at the time when the finding of large nuggets in Victoria, gave sudden affluence to a very few individuals. The old adage currently quoted among sportsmen at home is : tf What is hit is history — What is missed is mystery." I And it is equally applicable to gold mining as to partridge shooting. Every body hear!* of an extraordinary find; nobody hears of the next claim proving a shicer ; and as for the steady going men who realise good wages by hard work, they mind their own busineds and make no boast. And thus it is that a distant prospect is presented in more glowing -colors than that which is nearer to us, and the treasure beneath our feet is neglected for the imaginary one in another land. There is no doubt that the West Coast diggings are remunerative, but so also are ■those of Otago. There is no doubt but they are extensive — so also are those of Otago. There is no doubt great discoveries are yet to be made on the West -Coast, so will there be in Otago. But there are grave doubts whether by migrating from Otago to the West Coast, the loss of time, the personal risk, the discomfort and the detriment to health, will be compensated by obtaining a larger quantity of gold in the one place than by common industry /Could be got in the other.