KIMBERLEY GOLD-FIELDS.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1843, 11 June 1886, Page 3

KIMBERLEY GOLD-FIELDS.

S.’.xi'Hurst, May 30. A young man named lin okman, just relumed from Derby, give:- the following informationHe left Koeburuo in August last, with sheep for Derby. The roads were good, and the Government wells supplied water. At the Fitzroy river he waited three months before he got across the- river to Derby, owing to floods. He met two miners, who said wages on the diggings were poor. Two others, however, brought down 280 ounces of gold, which they obtained on the surface. The gold was much water-worn. They declared the field was not payable, and said it took from three weeks to a mouth to reach it from Derby. The country was bad for travelling, the high grass being troublesome. Some of the miners on the ground did not take enough provisions, and had to live on snakes and iguanas. Parties were daily coming into Derby for rations. Fever, ague, and scurvy prevail on the field, and Brookmau was laid up for a month. Flour was selling at Derby at £2O per con, and horses at £3O each. Four hundred head of cattle had reached to within 150 miles of tbs diggings, but 80 died on the road.