REPORTS, &c.

Otago Witness, Issue 1653, 28 July 1883, Page 22

REPORTS, &c.

The Canterbury Goldfield.

We take the following particulars concerning tho new goldfield on the Ninety-mile Beach from the Lyttelton Times of yesterday :—: —

We have at length the pleasure of announcing to our readers that the various rumours which have been prevalent relative to the existence of gold in Canterbury have had their foundation on a substantial basis of facts. A goldfield, and one that promises to be a payable one, has been found. In the first place, however, it must be distinctly stated that those who work thiß field must not expect to be able to adopt the more simple processes. What will be required will be exactly similar to the process in vogue in working the beach gold on the West Coast. There must be the " splash," with the quicksilver treatment, and a long " run " must be used. The discoverer of the auriferous deposit is Mr George Frederick Smith, of Southbridge, who has— through his solicitors, Messrs Izard and Loughnan — made application to the Government for the reward which it has been understood will be forthcoming. As a matter of fact, communication with the Government on this subject has been proceeding for some time. It will, no doubt, be remembered that the Minister of Mines mentioned that he had submitted a sample of washdirt to Mr Skey, who pronounced a most favourable opinion thereon. This sample had been forwarded to Mr Rolleston by Mr Smith. Mr Smith has shown us a first-class sample of his find, which seemed fully to justify the very moderate assertions which he makes.

Mr Smith's statement to us as to the locality is as follows:— The ground extends along the Ninety-Mile Beach, from the mouth of the Rakaia River. The auriferous layer of sand may be traced some miles to the southward, but it is to the northward that the deposit is clearly and unmistakably defined. The extent in this direction is from 15 to 16 miles along the beach, from the river mouth. The deposit is found between high and low water marks, so as to present a belt of a few chains in width, and the depth of the workable sand ranges from three inches to three feet, the average depth being given by the discoverer at six inches. Mr Smith (who is an old miner) estimates that working parties, with proper appliances, will readily make £3 per week per man, but that this result will in many cases be increased. Mr Smith may be said to have been doubly

fortunate. " He_hasJourid.a second- deposit of the sand, which appears to be equally rich. This last extends from the beach, along the western shore of Lake Ellesmere, running along by tho Maori pah and tho fishermen's huts, and as far as the lake ridge — a distance of about two to three miles. Some claims, we are further informed, have already been pegged out on the beach, each man taking a length of 90ft.

The great importance of the discovery, it may be pointed out, seems to be in the fact that it must be regarded as an unerring index ©f a large extent of gold-bearing quartz at the head waters of the Rakaia. Yesterday morning two Italian fishermen, Nicholas Basse and Dominick Serre, came to town from Southbridge, bringing a sample of sand, which they stated had been obtained from the Ninety-mile Beach, in the neighbourhood of Taumutu. This sand was somewhat different from that first brought to Christchurch by Mr Smith, having a considerable number of grey particles intermixed with the rad sand. The amount of gold contained in it was apparently gbout the same as in the former. Basse and his companion proceeded to the Land Office, where they obtained a lease of 10 acres of the beach under a prospecting license, on behalf of themselves and two mates, named Francisco Oaffaro and James Fowl. _ One of the party (Serre) has had some experience in gold-digging, and was engaged in the attempt to recover the gold lost in the ship General Grant, wrecked at the Auckland Islands some 15 or 16 years ago. The sample of washhirt brought to town by them is now on view at Mr Wickes 1 office, Oashel street. It may be as well to state that until the Government proclaim the Ninety-mile Beach a goldfield under the Mining Act, no person can obtain any titles to claims that they may choose to peg out for themselves. But as soon as this proclamation is made any person can pay his pound, and obtain a miner's right entitling him to select and hold a claim on the goldfield, provided he does not interfere with previous holders. In the meantime it may be inferred that it is open to others to make similar applications to the Land Board for prospecting areas, as has been done by Nicholas Basse and his party. A fortnight or three weeks ago a party took out a license to prospect for auriferous quartz in the neighbourhood of the Wilberforce Kiver, the north branch of the Rakaia. So soon as the news of gold on the beach got abroad the natural conclusion come to by many was that this gold was washed down from the hills by the Rakaia and other streams. It is probably with the object of tracing this out that the party referred to have gone up the Wilberforce gorges. As a novel theory to explain " where this gold comes from " may be mentioned that of the four fisherman who have taken up their prospecting area on the beach. They imagine that there is a quartz reef about 10 miles out at sea, the surface of which is partially exposed at low tides, and that the action of the sea gradually wears down this reef and washes its golden sands upon the shore.

The Duimnyism Question.

Wellington, July 20. The following interim report was brought up and read in the House to-day :—: — The Select Committee to whom was referred the question of the alleged evasion of the Land Act in Otago have the honour to report that in the opinion of this Committee the present inquiry cannot be successfully prosecuted to a conclusion unless an indemnity be granted to witnesses who may be called upon to answer questions which they may allege would tend to criminate themselves. That the Government be requested to take such steps by introducing a bill as will give the Committee power to grant a certificate of such indemnity where necessary."

Acclimatisation Sooiety.

A meeting of the Council of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was held on Thursday last, at Government Buildings. Present : — Messrs J. P. Maitland (ehairmau), H. Howorth, J. T. Mackerras, Thomas Brydone, W. Cuningham Smith, W. Arthur (hon. secretary), and F. Deans (manager).

THE FISHERIES BILL.

The Hon. Secretary reported that the Fisheries Bill was again before the House of Representatives. The bill as presented, although not in the form the Society deemed the wisest, was a very fair one, and it was to be hoped that the House would support the Government in carrying it through with as littlfi alteration as possible. The resolutions agreed to at a conference of the societies had been laid upon the table of the House, so that members could read them.

In discussing the Society's position as affected by the bill, the members of Council concurred in the statement that unless their revenue Was secured to the Society, they could not possibly go on stocking rivers with trout, and that experience went to show that the trout would all disappear from the rivers by poaching and fishing unless the stock were artificially kept up.

THE DOMAIN BOABD.

A letter from the Chairman of the Domain Board was read, asking tho Society to again aid the Board by a further grant of £50 for the year, and pointing out as a reason that the cultivation and distribution of trees and plants, which should be done by the Society, was really being done at the gardens by Mr M'Gruer.

After some discussion, it was resolved that the request was reasonable, and, if> possible, should be granted this year. It was also reported that several applications for trees had been received, and it was agreed that the Society should get such trees as might be available for its members and correspondents.

COBBKSPONPENOE.

A letter from Mr Francis Fulton, a member of the Society, was placed before the Council. It was from the Isle of Bourbon, and referred to a conversation with Mr A. Lucas, Port Louis, Mauritius, from which it appeared that a very useful acacia, a native of Mauritius, might be introduced into New Zealand, as well as birds and other animals. Concerning the acacia Mr Fulton wrote as follows : " I am also getting from him for my special use a quantity of seed of the small acacia, which is most useful. It is sown, and at the end of three years cut as fodder for stock of all kinds. Sheep, cattle, and horses eat it voraciously, and fatten upon it very fast. The sticks are used as firewood. It does not die with cutting, but is ready again the following year, and it will, I think, be a great acquisition in the northern parts of New Zealand."