THE NEW RUSH AT THE TEREMAKAU.

West Coast Times, Issue 303, 12 September 1866, Page 2

THE NEW RUSH AT THE TEREMAKAU.

(FROM THE GREY RIVER ARGUS CORRESPONDENT.) ,

September 7. Since my last letter to you an extensive rush has taken place on a terrace about four miles up the Teremakau, on its northern bank. The name of the place, as near as I could learn, is " Candle Light," jso termed on accoiint of its being night I when the discovery was made public. From Greymouth to the rush there are two roads. The first is the old Greenstone track (which is anything but a good one, ■being equally as bad as the Arnold track) which- leads to the diggings known as ' Cameron's, which were opened some eighteen months ago. Here there are two stores and a bakery, with about fifty ' miners, all of whom are 'making a -fair living, and 'some of them are doing very well. I believCCameron's party are doing the best, as, on several occasions, thay have shared pounds weight individually at the week's end. From Cameron Town you can look across a deep gorge to the new rush, but you have to go round this place about a mile to get to the prospectors' claim. On arriving there I made it my business to learn all possible particulars of the prospects, as rumor had.it that they ranged from dwts. to ozs. to the dish. But, as seeing is believing, I determined to see for myself. * I found that the prospectors' claim is worked by a tunnel driven - in from the face of the.hill, where the rock, a sort of sandstone, is- to be seen. The prospects obtained, taking, it out of the heap, were from a to 1 dwt. to the dish, with 8 inches of wash-dirt as far as they'have-gone yet. By picking up 'the bottom they can obtain- a much better prospect than that, but I give what I term - a fair' average. Perhaps they will have* more wash as they go further" in. From -this claim south there are three shafts bottomed at various depths, but they are, so far, complete duffers. The owners of them are now going to drive. Along the line towards the river several parties' will be down in a few days, and the ground is pegged off right to the river's banks. Qn the* north end several have bottomed, but they, being out-of the supposed line, are " quite shallow. From the prospectors' to Cameron's is in a line direct north,, and there is apparently a continuous run of ~ gold of a thin and scaly description. Besides the prospectors, two others have struck gold, but nothing of any importance as yet— about 3 to 5 grs, to the dish— but no doubt by driving they will get on to the run. To( express any opinion~on this ' place would be rather premature, but by another week there' will perhaps be a good many holes down. A's usual at all rushes there are plenty of would-be business people, especially in the way of nobbier selling, as at every, corner you cau find a stand with " a drop o'the cratur." There is a sort of » township formed south of the prospectors, a few stores and two stalls with plenty of good meat. Provisions are, about the usual rates, only the beef is ~ [ rather high in price ; but it is a bad place to get anything. Goods are taken up the river to within half-a-mile of the rush, then packed up by men at so much per lb. If this place prospers no doubt they will improve the roads, so as to allow horse 3 to go.

As to the population of this place, I should think it is about 3000. There is nothing here as yet for the half of that number, but they will no doubt find something in the' neighborhood, as the country is all of an auriferous nature ; but one drawback is the scarcity of water. Some of the old hands here are about to bring in good races from some phce of supply. In my next I hope to give you better news, as the place will have had a better ■ trial.