STEWART ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 953, 25 April 1889, Page 12

STEWART ISLAND.

(Fkom Otm Own Cobbespondent.) Half-moon Bay, April 15.

The s.s. Despatch returned from Pegasus to-day. She brings little fresh in the shape of news. It seems that hitherto the true lode has not been found, but now it is stated that Mr Ruha has at last struck it. There however, so many reports flying down about here just now that it is hard to know what to give credit to. Swain, Longuet, and party are reported to be in Inveroargill trying to negotiate with the Welman dredger people to work out one of the beaches near " Smoky," on the north coast of this island, for gold.

Great excitement was caused here lately by the discovery of silver in Patterson's Inlet, but it is now generally supposed that the stone is not rich enough to work. Be that as it may, a considerable quantity of ground has been pegged off and applied for. The prospectors are of opinion that when they get deep into the reef that it will yield payable silver. This discovery, like the tin, was made by Mr James Thomson, who, for the past four years, has spent a great deal of time and money, prospecting on Stewart's Island.

There is no difficulty now in getting to and from Pegasus. The s.s. Despatch runs once a fortnight, calling at Half-moon Bay on her way. The track is so far completed that a man can walk from Half-moon Bay to Pegasus in two days, and not hurt himself or lose his way, and there is a good store at Pegasus and an accommodation house in course of erection.

Inveecaegill, April 23. A large deputation of those interested in the Pegasus tin claims waited on the Minister of Lands to-day. They asked for a reduction of the rent of land from 10s per acre to 5s as in Tasmania, also that the Government should forego the first six months' rent, and wait for the second. The Hon. Mr Richardson gave no definite reply to these proposals. They also aßked for the expenditure of Government money on tracks to open up the field. To this the Minister replied that he would visit the island shortly, and thereafter say what he would advise the Government to do. He let the deputation understand that he was not satisfied that those interested were as much in earnest about working these claims as they ought to be before they asked for Government assistance ; also, that so far as at present informed he was not greatly, impressed with the importance of ihe discovery.