Kimberley Goldfields.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1884, 15 September 1886, Page 2

Kimberley Goldfields.

T t ’ - '■'ter intelligence from Kimberley is, on . u „le, of a discouraging character. The statements made by men who had gone to Derby and then, hearing bad news, have returned in the firgt steamer, without even visiting the goldfields, are of course to be accepted with some amount el caution. These men all say “ that the goldfield is,a duffer," but then they haven’t been there. But men who have gone to the goldfield and come back do not report well of it. 11 A New Zea« land Digger ” who went to Kimberley, speaks unfavorably of it. He says “ that there were about 2000 in the vicinity of the diggings when be was there, bnt the number seemed to be decreasing if anything. All sorts and conditions of men are there—from the bank clerk and counter-jumper to the Chinaman and African nigger. Very few, indeed, appeared to be making anything worth speaking about. One or two diggers bad found rather large nuggets—say of about two or three ounces—bnt they mightn’t, perhaps, get so much again for months. Scores there were who were getting nothing at all. He and bis mate prospected the country for miles around, but were unable to find anything that would pay them for working. At a place called Byster’s Creek they were the most successful, but the gold being for the most part in the form of dust, and water so scarce, they had to abandon the claim. The narrator says that be believes there is gold to be found somewhere in the district, bnt under the present circumstances it is impossible to out the right vein. He says that after the periodical rains (which commence about November) will be the time to trace up these veins, because the metal is washed down the creeks by the floods from the hills.” Altogether, the character of the views about this Kimberley goldfield, does not justify any prudent man in leaving New Zealand to go there at present.