ALLEGED EXAGGERATED REPORTS. Prospectors Wishing to Return. (PER R M.S. ALAMEDA).

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 158, 26 June 1886, Page 1

ALLEGED EXAGGERATED REPORTS. Prospectors Wishing to Return. (PER R M.S. ALAMEDA).

Townsvillk, June 14. A man named Andrew Buateed arrived at Townsville by the steamer Galveaton today for Port Darwin. In a letter to the "Townsville Bulletin" he states that he visited Derby, and left there on May 22nd He had several conversations with Hall and Slattery and Moore and Hedley. He asberts that the quantity of gold said to have been received at Derby is grossly exaggerated. Moore and Hedley, who brought most of the gold down, only got27oozs., and the report that they got 500oza. ia incorrect. Hall and Slattery did not get 200oz. altogether. They told Busteed that the country was very rough where the gold was best, but that a well equipped party had a chow in the wet season. They state that it would be madneae for anyone to go before November. They are going back, and reckon to make wages. Hall and Slattory's party comprises five men, including McGlugue and 13 horses, Moore and Hedley, two men and 12 horses. One man, who went overland from Port Darwin with three horses, obtained 40ozs. Over 170 men were camped at Derby before the Gambier, Afghau, Victoria or Aii lie arrived, and many were there wishing they could get back. The storekeepers were very apprehensive of a riot. All aver that they are not responsible for tho report, and Adcock Brothers, the chief to • keepers, produced their letter-book to chow that they were not guilty of exaggeration. The Government resident is blamed for exaggerating statements, and it is unauthoritatively stated that not SOOoz. of gold have come into Derby. All the prospectors are unanimous in stating that Cambridge Gulf is the best port. J. M. (Jagne has ai rived at Derby with gold. The following has been wired to the " Townsville Bulletin" from their Herberton correspondent. " George Hide, of Herberton, has received a letter dated April 7th, from a well known miner named Dan Dedvy, who left Herberton some months since for Elvira River, Western Australia. He states that 20 men in that country during last wet season all got a little gold, the total perhaps being l,ooooz. | All the diggert are leaving for Derby for rations. The trip to and fro takes three months. He has lived 14 weeks on damper and tea, v> ith no Bugar. He prospected on the Margaret River a long distance, and found gold t©r 50 miles in narrow ravinea Now that water haa given out, no gold can be obtained till the rains in November. He states that unless better country be found it would be madness for anyone to go there Nothing payable had been discovered up to tho date of his letter. Be says it is dreadfully hard to live on the diggings. Horses coat £oG each at Derby." Perth, June 14. The steamer Otway is en route from Derby to Fiemwntle with 2300z of gold. A' greater quantity has left Derby. A large number of diggers, owing to the scarcity of water, have returned to Derby. About 20 aie lett on the fields. Several parties on the way. Diggers report very favourablyofthefield?, but complain of shortness of water. Crabb and Kelan brought in lOOoz andEdw;mi(*3ooz3. Fallon is on board j tho Utway with 2Soza, including a nugget of 240z8 of pure gold, a splendid specimen. Moore's party have started to prospect Lennard range. Diggers advise parties to wait till September. A great number of diggers at Derby are living in tents. Two men have been murdered by natives on the fields. The Port Dai win correspondent of the "Ago" telegraphs that an "Extraordinary" was issued on June 9th by the " Northern Territory Times ' containing the following information regarding the Kimberley goldfields :— "Mr Kilfoyle, of the Ord River, arrived at Katherine on the evening of the 7th June, and reports as follows upon Kimberley goldfielda :— ' The goldtields are situated on the Elvey Rirer, which runs into the Panton River, and the Panton runs into the Ord, eight miles above Messrs Osmond and Panton'a cattle station The total distance from the cattle station to the diggings is about 35 miles, and thore is a good track all the way. Diggers are supplied with meat from the station referred to. The latest reports brought down by Mr O'Donnell, the explorer, who is packing rations from Cambridge Gulf to the diggings, is that all the men who were first on the field got gold, most of them in good quantities. A lot of gold is being held on the field. A carpenter named Lilly had GOoz. ; Redloy'a party obtained a good quantity, and Jack Horriganhad about lOOozs. Everyone who has been down for rations has got gold. McPhee and Leonard took down about 70oz. to Cambridge Gulf last trip. It was fine rough coarse gold, one piece weighing 4ox. The value of gold on the field is £3 13a, per oz , and at Cambridge Gulf £4 per oz , the market value being £4 2a 6d per oz. Mr O'Donnell sold one load of rations on the diggings at the following rates :— Flour, la. 3d. per lb. ; sugar, Is. per lb. ; tea, 4s. per lb. The distance of the goldfields from Cambridge Gulf by a new track to be opened by Mr O'Donnell, will be about 170 miles.' Mr Kilfoyle recommends that peoplt going to the diggings by sea shculd gefc out at Cambridge Gulf, and also bring horses with them. If travelling by land from the Katherine, the distanco would be about 580 miles, and there is a good road. The farthest stage without water is about 20 miles. When Mr O,Donnell came down to Cambridge

Gulf there were about seventy men working, and all had gold. The country at the diggings is getting dry. Mr Price, the Government resident at Cambridge Gult, is to visit the dial rict, and formally proclaim it a goldfield. There are no wurdens there yet, and no Chinese are allowed. The f-inking ia only lOiu. deep. No gold has been discovered in the Margaret. Mr Kilfoylo returns from the Katherine to Kitnberley on Friday and will take a mail. A great number of Queensland diggers are passing the Katheiine every week on the way to the Kimberley goldfielda."