THE THAMES GOLDFIELDS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 188, 18 December 1868, Page 3

THE THAMES GOLDFIELDS.

(From the Thames Advocate.") The land that was thought dear in one lump ai £2500 yields an annual rental of more than £7000; and the frontages that would not let at any price are often eagerly bought at £1 to. £5 per foot annual rent. Many of the buildings rival those of Auckland, and it may be said that no goldfield of a like age could ever before show so many permanent buildings in so short a time. The estimated value of the buildings and machinery now upon this field is over £100,000. A fleet of eight steamers plies almost daily between this place and Auckland, besides the large fleet of cutters, schooners, and other small craft. The Provincial Government has constructed a wharf at the landing-place at Shortland, while Mr Robert Graham has run out a jetty, five hundred feet long, at the town called after himself. Amongst the projected public works is a tramway uniting Shortland and Graham's town with the fine deep-water landing at Tararu point. The population is now about 20,000 ; and not the least of the marvels of this city, sixteen months ol<J, is that it has nowtwo daily newspapers. The diggings extend about five miles along the coast line, and some five or six inland. There is, as yet, great difßculty in getting into the inland country; the supple- jack, and ether under-growth, renders it far from a pleasant task to prospect the interior, but it may be hoped that before this summer passes over the Provincial Government will see fit to cut a practical track into the back country, so as to facilitate the opening of that part of the country. Until something of this Borfc is done, there is little more than conjecture to go upon as to what may be the extent of the field. We know that on the one side we have the Tapu district, 15 miles distant, and on the other the Puriri, also about 15 mileß distant, while beyond that again is the great Ohinemuri country, to which so many longing eyes are now directed. There is, as yet, no reliable record of the actual yield of gold from the field. In September it was supposed to be 20,000 ounces; in the last month the produce of the field cannot have been much under 30,000 ounces. But for aome reason, not yet explained, no returns have been given, and the. banks have shipped very little for London.