OUR GOLD FIELDS.

Colonist, Issue 18, 22 December 1857, Page 2

OUR GOLD FIELDS.

To the Editor of the Colonist. ■ ' - Sm^The sun having reached the summer solstice,and the weather being now likely to continue fine for several months, and the^now having desertecf our mountain tops, we may expc-'ct our gold-fields to be fairly tested. The Slate River is now looking up, after the serious loss "by recent floods; energy and enterprise are, not yet driven to despair. The Q,uartz Ranges are now attracting the attention of many, and some fine samples of gokihave been brought from that quarter lately. Deep sinking is being tried in Bedstead Gully, and Appo fs Fkt is even preparing to spend a merry Christmas. The Takaka and Anatoki diggingsare talked of with great hopes and some doubts. From the Wangopeka we have a very fine sample, and another from the Baten Riverj both- of which I expect you will see to-day. A small quantity, of gold has been found near Wakapawaka, and a party talk of prospecting the country as far as the JPelorous, the Koretumik, and Queen Charlotte Sound, where, certainly, there are strong indications ; and 1 believe a small speck was found some years ago in the Okanemia River, a tributary of the Kaituna. The diggeis have certainly enduredmany hardships during the wet se; sri, and many, have been compelled to leave; others have left "usin disgust,- and no doubt will give the Province a bad name. However, with the few we have left ■us, of which there are many good men and trrie, •■ we must do the best we can. Will not the public generally, and the mercantile coinin'uttity, comb&e

in" rendering assistance to develope our gold-fields? I must say the.apathy "shown by many as i yet is such that they seem very much inclined to allow others to befit' the" bush while they eat' the berries.'. Private enterprise say they will do ; all, and no doubt it will do a great deal; but, Sir, I maintain, that owing to the extraordinary-nature of the country, the difficulty of- access, and the getting of provisions, &c, transported into the interior, it becomes the duty of the Public and the Government to assist not only to prospect but to explore tho country, for as you very properly remark Territory is as valuable as gold. Ought we not then to get a thorough and proper system of explorationcommenced, and connect the West and East Coast, not by fits and starts which admit of doubts and differences such as we have lately heard of, but by an outline trigonometrical suivey. This would at, once give us at least an idea of the level and available land—and those points ' once found, even although at some expense, would serve as guides, checks, and starting or connecting points, for future surveys, and prevent* us getting those' confused and incorrect surveys which we now have got, and are still getting, for want of a proper system. To all our present diggings roads might *be made with advantage, even although there should not be any gold found on them td pay. This I have ascertained by actual inspection within the. last, few months, and am prepared to stake my professional character that they may all be done' at" a moderate outlay, and will open a great deal ~of land fit for settlement; and as our diggings can only be worked with advantage by actual settlers, which in my opinion is one of their greatest attractions, and is one reason why we ought to give every facility for settling on that land for which neither the present nor proposed Land Billis adapted: whether •& free grant be made, the limited creditfeystem^cToljfe^the selection at an assessed Value, or'the Ruction' system adopted, with all its train of jobbery and corruption. We ought to pause well before legislating on this allimportant subject. I might, and indeed had entered into' a detail of the advantages that would result from opening every district where gold lias been found; but as that is more a matter of detail I shall leave it to a future opportunity. One road however which I assisted to explore six years ago, viz., to thePelorus, Kaituna^ and Wairau, where a great quantity of land is about to be sold, I nave no hesitation in stating, coxild, with a moderate outlay make a tolerable bridle track, — a great part |of the Kaituna a good and easy dray road, and will, no doubt, be attended to by the proper authorities, particularly as the Wairau and Queen -Charlotte Sound will in a few weeks be connected by ;a road, and render that district still more attractive. I quite agree that it is not advisable to create Government works for the purpose of keeping men in the country ; but I think it is only an act of common prudence to get those works done as ' cheaply as we can, which will not only employ the unfortunate and it may be improvident digger, as well as the industrious and unsuccessful, but at the same time open up the country. If you think those few hurried remarks worth a corner in your paper, or the substance of them they are at yonr entire disposal. . , Your obedient servant, ALEXANDER OGG. Nelson, 21st Bee. 1857.

To the Editor of the Colonist. Sib,—There are two extracts to appear at the end of this letter, which, had this communication been meant as an essay would have appeared more in place -as mottos at the top of the article, like a grocer's label, to shew, forth the merits and the value thereof; but if placed at the head of this epistle they might have been deemed personal, and as we are at the antipodes, probably they will do equally as well below. _ . They both refer to social customs, of which the prospectus to your newspaper professes to take cognizance, with regard to the reformation of tile same. ~..,;.;■ ••.;<• .■ ■•:■■; :.'■ ■ •••' ' :: ; There are times however, Mr. Editor, in which reformation dr. alteration.with existing customs is out of time and place. Chrisjanas, the New Year, and Nelson, we . ppine i belong to these. We suppose, the■,iNelsomtes,rleverG--of- com rivialit,y-j Avill keep up the, season much as usual. Those denizens who call England; their place of birth,-will have their roast beefy plum pudding and ale if they be not teetotalers. The teetotalers will have their roast beef; pudding, and tea. Tea parties to boot in the evening will take place for all and sundry. The Land o Cakes men will keep up New Year with calces, spirits, and cheese and. bread ; and we hope the teetotalers of the cold and frozen North will not forget their place of birth and the customs of auld Scotland. They will also join with their English friends in tea parties in the evenings, and the Irish will unite with both if they have not national customs of their own peculiar to the occasion, of which we cannot speak precisely, and the Irish are not numerous., Yankee's and Darkies, Welsh, Maoris, and though last in our list, certainly not least, Germans, will doubtless all, or nearly all, contribute to the sociality of the time; and leaving sentiment and politics till the new year has been opened with glee, let them recollect their bills, and those who are anti-social, the other enatch with which we conclude — And much more economical when all Your bills are paid. Dost thou think because thou art Virtuous there shall be no more Cakes and ale ? ' Paid or unpaid Mr. Editor, the cakes and ale will doubtless appear to many readers of the Colonist, to whom a merry Christmas and a happy New Year is wished by A SETTLER.

Per favour of the Colonist. TO "ONE OF/THE, WAIRAU JURYMEN." .. Sir,— " " Ne 8. v. cr." ccstum et anna reponas! Respectfully yours, THETA.