MINING SUMMARY

West Coast Times, Issue 332, 16 October 1866, Page 6

MINING SUMMARY

Our epitome of mining news, published in this summary, embraces a period of six ■ weeks, that time hnving elapsed since the date of. our Jast issue. It lias, we are happy to saj r , beeu prolific in events which mark the steady progress made by the miners who are settled on tlie various gold-fields of the district. We use the term " i-cttled" advisedly, as there is an unmi>takeably growing desire evinced by the wandering tribe to permanently locate thembelves upon the different worlcngs which have already yielded such splendid returns. M nch reason is there" for so doing: as the fact ia notorious, and admitted onall,*ides that these workings are not half exhausted, and only require the aid of cap.ital, and a more scientific system of work to render them almost as reproductive jis in their palmiest days. In former summaries, we alluded to the introduction of steam p wer, which has already been attendid by the mo-^t beneficial results, although not to such an extent us at first was anticipated. -This is not so much attributable to the poverty of the ground, as the disappointment that ever attends the indulgence of a too snnguiue hope, for which the miners, as a class, are remarkable, the most extravagant estimate 1 being £' uerally formed by them of what sfccmld be the returns from any mining speculation they maychance to enter into. Moreover, tbe few companies which were first formed were hardly worth the name, notwithstanding that efich expended a capital wUch, convmred with the aim :»f the undertaking, was something enormous. The system adopted was faulty, as it savoured of individualism, instead of resting on that surest of foundations, co-opera-tive, labor and equal dividends. This was ■ lost sight of ir> the desire for individual aggrandisement, and that insane dependence on ''luck" which induced men to rate their particular claims at :i value f .r above those occupied by their neighbors : so that, although willing to form a general fund to place an expensive plant on ground too wet to be worked by manual labor nni« an nv^rnriwerinur objection was

evinced to shaie ia common tbo gold extractid therefrom. But tbe fullncy of tl such a system became apparent, and en- tl gendered a healthier feeling, which hns ni already been productive of gooji; as several ti /;o««yw/('coinpanieshavc been lattly formed h under the Limited Liability Act, and the n scrip issued by them stands high in the 1 1 market. Of these the Maori Reserve h Gold-mining Company, and the Commis- 1> sioner's> Flat Gold-mining Company, are t the chief. Both hold ground in the Kanieri district, the former having leased fifty acres of land situated in a native reserve on Ihe south side -of the Hokitika river. It is a very promising speculation, as a rich lead of geld whs traced round the foot «f v high spur closp to the boundary of the company's ground. But there the sinking became deep and wet, and, although many attempts nere jnade by individual parties to reach the bottom, none succeeded, arid 1 the 1 place was abandoned. A party of miners who worked a portion of the rich ground we have' referred to, feeling confident that the lead still ran on, entertained and carried intj? efoct the idea of securing on favorable t rinsa leasehold of fifty acres from the Maoris, to be worked by the aid of machinery and a tail rtfee to the river. The ground 1 was leased 'for twenty-one years at an annual rentalof LSO ; and the agreement being made, the company at once registered under the Actand published their prospectus. The declared capital is L4OOO, in shares of Ll each, and over 1000 have already been disposed of. The Commis-sioncr'sFlatG-oldminingCompany (limited) have leased, under the Goldlields Act, 'three acres of ground on the north bank' of the Kanieri river. Theyihave also registered and published a prospectus, declaring their capital at LSOOO in 1000 shares of L 5 each. ' As two leads of goM have been followed , into the ground, .which is too deep and wet to be worked by hand, the speculation is regarded in a -very favorable light, and a good deal of scrip has been taken up in consequence. Admitting that a.considerable proportion of the miners would rather settle down on the most promish>g fields, and follow their ca'ling by taking up ex-( tended a i- eas of g"t ound, which are rendered available by the liberal provisions of the Goldfiikis Act, there is still a larger number, who, urged on by restlessness and, a love of adventure, choose rather to pushjj further afield, in the hope of discovering new aud more profitable workings. In every, district on the coast, ban 9 of proa- ,' pectors have been pushing their'researche-5 'far into the bush, atal their enterprise ha*s been rewarded by the finding of niaaiy rich diggings, which now e/nplnjv large and thriving communities. At present, the Waimea district may be considered the most important, so much new ground having been opened there lately, which has proved so attractive that the population now assembled there is estimated to number o,ver 7000 persons. In our last summary we alluded to the discovery of another section of that lead of gold which ruiib" along the coast range some furf >ur miles from the sea It was named the " Scandinavian rush," and at that time consisted of two hills only, both however- very rich. Since • then the lead has been traced northward into fiveother hills, all of which are payable, but not to thfe same extent as those first opened. The name's of the different woikings in this most extensive district may well be termed legion, so numerous are they, for besides the main lead of gold, I which, the name of the Ho Ho lead and New River and Teremakau rushes, is found in the Kanieri and Gre> districts to the south and north — there are numerous outlying gullies, creeks,, and terraces, which are paying very well indeed. " The Waimea Chronicle," a new and well conducted paper, has published its first report upon the gold workings of j ' that district, from which we extract the s following most interesting items :—: — | s " The Waimea tiit>triet is oi "Teat extent, », comprising the Old Waimea Township, c Callaghan's, the Three-mile, German, c Itilian,'and Maori Gullies, Fox's, Ballarat . Hill, Pretty Worasm's Gully and Terrace, n Scandinavian Hill, Stafford Town, and all the places between the Teremakau and c Arahura Khers, and has at pre-ent a *' population of not less than 7000. Mining 'f operations in this district were commenced - about December, 1864, when a rush up 0 the left -hand branch of the Waimea (Jrcelc took place, and a township was formed „ about February, 1865. The bed of the left-hand, middle, and right-hand branches „ of the crejsk was then woiked with more or less profit, the claims yielding, on an average L 7 and L 8 a-week per man. The s junction of the left-hand arid middle branches 0 of the Waimea occurs nearly opposite tut - Camp, and the right-hand branch joins 1 issue v little below the. township, fr6pi s whence down' to Stafford Town the bed of 1 the creek has been wrought .put ; but from that point down to the beach a hole here ' and there only has been as, c failmg to give a payable prospect, the " main portion of the civek has been left 5 undisturbed. To arrive at Callaghan's, the Time -Mile, German Gully, Maori Gully, and Italian Gully, the left-hand branch of the creek is followed for some distance, and fheu tracks branch off to I these diggings. Going to Greek's G-ul-j lies (Xos. 1 and 2), the road taken is > between the middle and right-hand bran- » ehes of the Waimea. Fox's dig1 jnngs areVeaclied by starting at the risjlu- » hand branch of the creek, and are about i sevi-u miles distant from the Waimea . township. Now that the gold-bearing 1 qualities of the bed of the creek are exr hiiusted, the terraces about it, for many . miles, are worked with success. The ; ground is patchy, and although great 1 finds are rare, the tei races altogether are > better than the creek work was, as they give to the worker s from Ls to L l s per week : a man. To obtain a good supply of water many races have been madcat a great out- ■ lay of money and labor. There are two . flumes of immense span and height across the right-hand branch of the creek ; the ! first belonging to Boyle and part}', and Ihe other to Nixou a-nd party, both! deriving th.ir supply of water from the middle ; branch. A third flume,, belonging to ! M 'Maine, King, and Company, is now nearly completed, and is a gigantic struc- [ ture, being, or rather will be when • finished, 106 feet above the bed of the . creek, having a greater height than the • second flume by forty feet, and being in ; [span fully a quarter of a mile. At Callaghan's (a part of the Three • Mile diggings), a shaft, taken down to the 1 'depth of 115 feet last year, is now being , re-worked, and, as slabbing has been resorted to from the top of tlie shaft, to the present dep"th of 140 ieet, it is likely that the washdirt will soon be uncovered. About fifty men are shepherding claims, patently waiting to learn the prospects obtained by the men now working. About . five miles up the right-hand branch, near M'Masters' dam, eight or nine parties are at work on the terrace, and obtain good returns. Two stores are there — De Wolfs and Thompson's— and several parties are prospecting. Two miles further on, at Fojc's, a few froah arrivals make their appearance every week, and the population is vow about 200. The big race belonging to M'Bride and party will be finished in three

;ies are

eejts, and will be of very great service to w c miners in that neighborhood ; and js they practicalh admit by giving their c< sistance to bring the work to a speedy '* rmination. The dam will have twenty 01 .ads of water running into it, and as the fai am supply will be from the Arahura w ver, a "distance of seven miles, an ir.ex- ir uistible source will have been obtain- d. ox'» is about a mile and a x half from the a hristchurch road, which gives gre.it S icility of communication, and causes proisions to be cheap, so that the miners of lat place have a goad chance of being nccessful in their undertakings. About a lilc below the Waimea township on a terace to the left of the Wajmea Creole, a* mall rush has lately set in*. The prosectors, who sunk on the top of, the'terace. bottomed at six feetj and obtained ue and a-half pennyweights to the dish, nd those in a line with them are doing veil. The claims lower down the hill run 0 a depth of thirty feet ; and some jjiv'e in ounce to the load, but others not so nuch. There about 120 (»en on the ; round, which is all taken up. The ter•aces on either side of the W : aimea Cree i rom miles above the Waimva township' lown to Stafford Town- are how being jarefulJy wrought,- anu give fair wages to ;he workers. On the right hand or southern side of Stafford Town v is Bal,arat Hill, some parts of which are nearly worked out. Several good claims, however, are still in full work, and some yield^ is much as L7O a week each man. Several parties are now sinking on Gillan'a Gully, or southern side of the hill, where a continuation of the old 4ead is thought to be. One hole is bottomed, and shows a pennyweightto the dish. Many claims are prevented from.beingbottomed by reasdn of the water being- too strong for them. In Gillan's Gully, the old ' claims are paying well. On the flat where this gully terminates, several parties have endeavored to test the ground, but to the presmt time have been unsuccessful, owing to the .superabundance of tlie liquid element. Very favorable opinions as to the quality of this flat, have been formed by .those miners who have worked the ground near it. Pretty Woman's Gully is now all turned over, and the working- rousists iv tunneling into the "terrace on each side, where some very good ground has been opened. Three or four shafts have also been put down on the terrace, and the washdirt of, one showed a yield of two pennyweights to the dish, but the others are not so fortunate. 'Several claims ai - e now in working order there, -and t more will be known as* to its capabilities in a few days. The sinking is from 40 to 60' feet ; the ground is wet, and has to be slabbed from top to bottom. ( - A rush took place about a fortnight ago, to a place about a mile from Stafford Town, on the Hokitika side of it. The sinkifig is shallow, averaging from three to five feet, and some verj good prospects have been obtained. Om> 'man obtained as much as 3 dwts. to a dish -of wash-dirt ; and it is pretty generally known that all the ground throughout this flat would pay well if sluiced ; but at presbnfr there is not a sufficient quantity of water to do this. As it is, the average yield gives fair wages. At the sea beach, foot of the Waimea track, a good many parties are still at wOrk, but very few have yet succeeded iv arriving at the wash-dirt. The sinking is from 12 to 25 feet, and a great deal of slabbing is requisite to ensure safety and success it bottoming. The prospectors obtained aquar- ■ ter of a pennyweight to the dish, and the others who v have bottomed obtained fair prospects. % From, the above it can be seen that the Waimea district is in a very flourishing condition, and promises to support a large,* population for many months. The Kanieri district next claims our attention, as it adjoin^ the Waimea and con-/ tains very, extensive, workings. Owing to the superior attractions of the latter, the Kanieri community, have sadly decreased 1 in number during the past six weeks, aud, as a natural consequence, mining matters ate somewhat dull there. The Ho. Ho lead, however, still employs many miners, of whom not a few are making high 1 wages. At the same time much of the ! ground Mm^ been worked out and aban- , doned to' " fossikers," who manage to ! extract therefrom a decent livelihood. This lead was lost within a short distance of Tucker Flat, and a. great many shafts Were sunk in the hope of recovering it. Oue succeeded in striking gold, but in such small quantities, that, "although at first a ru&h set in, i:he place was soon afterwards abandoned to a persevering few who, by their determined energy, ! seemed lient on " making" a lead if the old one could not bfe found. At Tucker Flat about 200 men are at work turning over the old ground, and some few succeed in earning good wages, say from L 7 to LlO per man a 1 wee^ The great majority however, obtain very small returns. Two mining companies formed and took up extended clainis on this flat with the intention of sinking through the first to }he second bottom,, which lay at a depth of between eighty and ninety feet. They were not successful in so doing, as after two months hard work the ground was abandoned us unworkable by aiiy ordinary method ; but gold being known to exist there the question as to the advisability of introducing steam power to extract it has been very favorably entertained, and will, we have no doubt, be eventually acted upon. The old Five Mile diggings i(Kanieri township) have languished sadly of late, too much water, and a scarcity of that element (according to the site of the workings), being the cause. On the Kanieri Flat the Westland aud Star steam-pumping companies were at a standstill for nearly a month, waiting fir the arrival of a new pump, which the latter company sent for to Melbourne. It reached its destination in due course, and proved a splendid piece of machinery, on the centrifugal principle, capable of throwing 960 gallons of water per minute, with the engirt^ going a three-quarter* speed, and 1200 gallons at full speed. The pump is simj/ly constructed, without '->oxes or other' paraphernalia peculiar to the ordinary lift and force pumps, consisting merely of a circular chamber, to which is attached a ten-inch discharge pipe above, and a feed pipe of similar dimensions below. Within 1 the chamber isa castiron disc or, fan, which revolves upon a spindie -with great rapidity, and throws the water up. in a continuous stream through the discharge pipe. The' chamber should not be fixed more than twenty feet above the bot*->m of the pump well ; but the extraordinary velocity with which the face revolves supplies sufficient power to lift the water f'lll forty feet above it. fhe manner in which the pump is placed n position reflects the highest credit on :he company and its engineer, Mr Shearer — for a more substantial piece of work of he kind we never before examined. Simultaneously with the re-commencement >f woik by the Stur Company, the Westand Company set to pumping, and the ;wo engine* found 110 difficulty in keeping lown the water. Renewed activity remlted amongst the different claimholders, ,vho had just cot into their ground again

when tilt* h< avy floods of last week swamped them out, so once more they are condemned to a state of idleness, that we trust, however, will not extend over a day or two. Some of the clainis in this locality are very rich, and all of them pay high wages. Murphy and party, who are working between the two engines, ob(a : ned btitween 80Q and 900 011110*68 of gold out of 'a pad-lock in size fifty feet by thirty feet. Since then the yield has kept at a minimum through the constant submersion of the gravel constituting the washdiVf. A great portion of the claim is still untouched, but it is riot anticipated to turn out so well, although supposed tv be extremely rich. Murray and party, who hold the next claim, are also working rich ground, in proof whereof a $hare in it changed hands for tbe sum of L 250. On the other side of - Murphy's olaim, Shanks and 'his nvites are doing well, and when in fa\r work can make on an averagefrom LlO to Ll2 per week each man. The shareholders in the Hibernian claim, Lyttelton street, have no reason to complain, as they confess to a weekly divi-* dend of L 9 to Lls per man. The claims above enumerated contain a great thickness of washdirt, and will not be worked out for months.

On the -river bank only one- claim (the Cumberland) is now in work, and in a few , weeks it is expected thnt this also will be worked ou£. It is still yielding well, although the payable ground is becoming very circumscribed. The 'least valuable portions of the claim are let on tribute, but I believe the results are not particularly satisfactory. Townsend's 'claim, j which adjoined the Cumberland, is at last exhausted, and an excellent piece of ground it proved itself, for, from first to, last, \ but little less than 2000 ounces were extracted from it.

1 Since 4he date of my last report, two mining companies on Confmissioner's Flat have collapsed, as ways and means for thej further prosecution of the works could not be devised. The New South Walts Company was the first to stop work, and their claim and plant were afterwards sold by auction, realising the ridiculously low sum of LlO4. The engine alone is valued at L4OO, besides which there is a circular saw, pumps, and other appliances for working deep and wet ground. Mr Emerson, of Hokitika, was- the purchaser, and since then has let the claim on tribute to a party of Cornishmen, who, on consideration that the claim is kept. dry for thorn, or in other words that pumping expenses are defrayed by the proprietor, have agreed to pay him two-fifths 'of the gross yield. The new party commenced work a month ago, and were lucky enough to strike a cross vein of gold r which pays from L 8 to LlO per man per week/ The' other company alluded to was the United Steam Drainage, ■ which, like • the New South Wales, ceased to exist through the pressure of circumstances. The plant and claim were made over to the Commissioner's Flat Udld Mining Company, which issued its prospectus the other day. The ground thus" bought is to be paid for in« paid-up scrip, the United shareholders preferring .this arrangement to that of selling the plant, &c., by. auction. The remaining claims on this flat are yielding t mpre or less gold. Those dead on the lead pay, on an average, about L 8 per week each shareholder, but the outsiders, are hiuuh poorer. The expense of working the ground is very heavy, as four engines and two water-wheels-are kept constantly going. The forty feet workings at the hear) of the flat have not extended/ and may be said to ' consist of some eight or ten claims, which pay on an average about L 7 per week to each shareholder. The gold is much coarser than that found in the flat, as it is not uncommon to find small nuggets weighing from ld\vt. to 6dwts. The sluicers on the old terrace^ have been nearly ruined through scarcity of wuter. For many weeks, they 'patiently awaited the comple- ' tion of- the Pioneer Company's new race, which, it \va3 asserted, would supply an' unlimited quantity. About a week since the snddeu increase of water in the terrace flume showed that > the work was finished, and the next day the terrace pre- ) sented a scene of activity which contrasted i strangely with the dull quiet which so long j reigned supreme there. Notwithstanding j this increased supply of water (here id stil 1 a ciy for more, and we believe that if twice the quantity, were available it would be taken up in twelve hours, so profitable are-the terrace workings when the sluice /box is kept constantly ' going. At ( the point df the terrace two parties,, have been employed, in ground-sluicing| for several months, and have made onj! an average from LlO to Ll2 a week each shaieholder. Shenandoah Flat is separated from the Kanieri township by the terrace. There are a few miners at work there, and one .associated body. The latter has leased an acre of ground, "and erected thereon a water-wheel, and to supply the motive power, they cut a head race nearly two miles long, which in dry, weather carries about one head of water. At the begiuning of the month a rush set in to home low terrace ground, situated on the banks of the Kanieri River, about fourteen miles above its confluence with the Hokitika. A great many claims were taken up, and the place now carries between 200 and 300 miners, who,, sluicing and working long hours, can command a return of between L' 6 and LlO per week. A'spiendui s-ample of gold was founri in one of the tributaries of this river, and very naturally excited sanguine hopes that heavier patches existed in the neighborhood. The sample we refer to consisted of large water worn pieces, which weighed from 1 dwt. to 16 dwts. each. In taking leave of tlie Kanieri we can truthfully aver, that, although its first bloom has passed away, the district is in a healthy flourishing condition, and will support fyr years a numerous and thriving community. ■ " Our latest advices from the Totara district tell a very satisfactory tale. The ■ workings there have extended very considerably during the month, owing to the completion of several large head races, which have placed an abundant supply of water at; the command of the miners^ Sluicing is in consequence the favorite mode of working, and much ground which ' was once deserted as worthless, has again been taken up and found .to pay well. Tne race .cut from Donoghue's Creek by the Ross and Totara Water-race Company, is the most .extensive wor,k of its kind in the district, and keeps a large number of miners employed on the range of terraces which border Jones'vCreek on i the east side. In Donoghue's, Swipers, I German, and other gullies, sluicing is also carried on with marked success. The wages made by those diggers who follow this particular branch of^ mining in the Totara district, may be averaged at from L 4 to LlO a man, weekly. But, whilst admitting the importance of the sluicing interest of the district, its rich and extensive deep workings must not be lost sight of, as they promise to give permanent employment to hundreds of miners for years. AtDonoghue'sFlat the lead has been struck at a depth of 120 feet by Purcell and party,

who declare thembelves satisfied with the prospects obtained. Between this depth | and the surface there are two or three payable layers of drift, so that the claim will not be finished for at least two yeara. Several parties are working on the shallower levels. One at 60 feet obtained 100 ozs of gold for their last week's work. Below the deepest level a fourth bottom was struck, but as the ground is very wet steam machinery is needed to work it. The ground ia wet from the surface, but is effectually drained by the aid of horse whims. There is more water to contend with in the Boss Flat ; and in consequence'the diggers there make but slow progress. A very 'large area of this flat is known to be auriferous, and, as at Donoghue's, the gold is found in several layers of washdirt at different depths. The ground is absolutely unworkable without the aid of steam power, which has accordingly been !>ent for to Melbourne. Oau engine ordered ( by the Scandinavian Comp my arrived yesterday, and another sent for by the Prince of Wales Company is expected in the course of a fortnight. These, we believe, will prove sufficient to drain that section of the flat now in hand •, but should the workings extend, others will have to be procured. ■ The Totara miners have shown no disinclination to explore the country towards the ranges, as we hear that several parties are making good wages in the neighborhood of the head waters of Mikdhui and Donoghue's Oeeks. At Black's Gully, about twelve miles from Koss from 80 to 100 men are at work, who are doing very well. Heavy gold is found f there, somja of the nuggets weighing as much as 3^ ounces. Pack tracks are in the course of construction to these diggings, and; when completed, will give, by cheapeniug provisions, renewed impetus to mining operations there. It is Delieved that much of the adjacent country will be itested, and found no less payable. During the month nothing has -transpired in the Okarita district worthy of comment^ The place is unprecedently dull, owing to the decline of its one rich beaches. The far-famed Five-mile still employs 1 about 800 miners, and some few of the claims in hand there yet yield returns that would have been considered good in the best days of the place. Gillespie's, Hunt's, the Three-mile, and other beaches, earn' an exceedingly spare population, and pay very small wages mii deed. At the same time it must not be imagined that the Okarita district is exhausted, for there is an immense extent of back country which has never been explored by the white man, and from its position and configuration as eeen from a distance, warrantable hopes are excited that rich and 'extensive (ields will be.discovered there. With the view of thoroughly testing it, a prospecting association has been got up at Okarita, and LSOO subscribed as a> n ward for the discovery of, a payable goldh'eld in that direction. v A few miners arc still located at Big Bay to the southward of Jackspn's. , They* are moderately successful in goldgetting, if reports are' true, but being situated so far from Hokitika (120 milea), the information of their doings which reach us is exceedingly scanty and unreliable. Tuking a loug skip from south to north, across 1 those districts We have already alluued to, and the Grey territory is reached. Its v southern boundary -.rests upon the Teremakau river, close :o which is situated the New Kiver and Teretnakau rushes. The former is an important diggings, 'and promises to be permanent^ as it carries a population joi over 1000 souls, who are. profitably employed in tracing tlie lead, Which has already run for a distance of nearly two miles/ The sinking is rather deep and very wet, so that miners find so:ne difficulty in reaching the Washdirt, which, however, in the cases, amply repays for the time and trouble expended. During the month shares have changed hands there at figures varying from L9O to L2t)o, * and many prospects obtained which may be reckoned by pennywe : ghts to the dish. \ Several water races have been constructed, and extended claims taken up on the deeper arTd wetter parts of the lead. Sundry stnall rushes took place in the neighborhood of this locality — one to Bri^h^on's Gully, which is classed among the old i Salt. Water Creek workings. About 20(X men found remunerative employment there in ground from six to nine feet deep, which yielded prospectE of 5 grs and 8 grs to the dish. At the Teremakau rtfsh the lend is exceedingly narrow, but rich in proportion, several of the clnims averaging |oz to the dish out of a fair thickness of >vrashdirt. -The sinking is from forty to fifty feet deep, and many suppose that the lead is a continuation of the gold found at the Ho Ho' and Scandinavian rushes. We huve not heavd that any new ground ••has been opened in the inland workings of the Grey district during the month, but very fair returns are still obtained on the old fields. At the Arnold diggings sluicing and tunnelling is followed with much profit, and a great deal of ground, otherwise, unproductive, ?s made to pay well by working it systematically. At Red Jack's and Maori Gullies (Noo. 1 and 2), sluicing is universally adopted with excellent results, as is proved by the quantity of gold weekly sent down to Greymouth. A <?reat many miners are employed at the Upper Grey diggings, and appear to be satiahVd with their earnings. Between tho Grey and . Buller Rivers is the Pakihi rfiggiugs, from which very favorable accounts have been received late.lv. The population there is increasing, and was the place a little more accessible it is believed that a large extent of country wouH be opened up. As it is, the ( difficulty of couveying stores' there acts as an almost insurmountable oßstacle to its advancement. We understand that the Nelson Government contemplate connecting' it with the Buller by a pack track. • If theminersof Westland have discovered the most indomitable energy in the pursuit of their avocation, the business people, who compose the other section of the community, are not one -whit behind them in this respe"ct. Wherever a dozen miners congregate there is to be found an establishment combining in itself the characteristics of a shanty and store. As the place improves more ♦pretentious., buildings are , erected, until, -in the course of time, a flourishing township stands where, but a few week's previously, nothing could be seen or heard but the dense forest and the cry of the kaka and wood pigeons. At the' New River rush an extensive township has sprung up, whilst a 'smaller one is struggling intp existence at the Teremakau diggings. In the Waimea. district there is one large commercial centre (Stafford Town), and numerous smaller trade communities on the different workinga. Stafford Town has made wonderful progress during the month, and now contains emporiums where all kinds of wares are vended. It is a thriving place, and what is more, gives promise of a stability that very few goldfields townships can boast of. Koss is also a flourishing town, and in mportanee stands next to Grevmor A.n

excellent hospital is established there which reflects the highest credit on the humanity and liberality of the inhabitants. A weekly paper has also started there, which, from the support abeady accorded it, promises to fairly repay the enterprise of the proPP 1'"1 '"* 01 "- rh e "Koss Guardian" is a very' creditable publication, and seems determined to thoroughly advocate the interests ot its constituents and the district Great improvements have been" made in the luinien township, which has considerably extended of late, and now boasts of two places of worship, a Church of England having been lato'y erected there, in addition to the chapel built by the Wesleyans a long time since. T/ c church is a pleasing little building, capable of holding between 200 and 300 people. Our monthly epitome shews, that miners in Westland are enjoying a prosperity not to be found on any other goldfield in the colonies, as the rate of wages made by them rule exceedingly high. The exportation of gold from the province will support this assertion, as within the short term of six weeks 41 160 ounces passed through the Custom House of Hokitika alone This ,amount does not include the produce of the Grey district, which may be estimated at over 30,000-ounces