STEWART'S ISLAND GOLDFIELD.

West Coast Times, Issue 683, 2 December 1867, Page 3

STEWART'S ISLAND GOLDFIELD.

(from the otago times.)

Very contradictory rumours of tho extent and character of the auriferous ground lately discovered in Stewart's Island have obtained currency. The most reliable information is that contained in the report of the Warden, W. H. Rogers, who furnished to the Superintendent of Southland an account of his late visit to the Island. It will be seen that although the existence of quartz reefs is incidentally referred to, the information obtained applies chiefly to the beach workings at Kuggedy Point. The following is the report : —

I have the honor to enclose herewith copies of application received by me from Messrs Baxter and Party, and Messrs Longuet and Party, who have been for some months past prospecting for gold near Ruggedy Point, on Stewart's Islaad.

In accordance with, your Honor's inrttruetions, I have visited the ground applied for ; also, that of another party (Robert Todd and Leathain), near the same locality. I first landed at Ruggedy Beach with good landing, under shelter of Rugged Island. Todd and party are working a sand flat on the border of a creek, at the east end of this beach, some two or three hundred yards from high- water mark. Their statement was that they were making about L 4 per week a man. They had not sufficient water brought in to their claim, having failed in damming the larger creek on which they were working, - which might supply eight heads of water ; and they were taking their supply from a small creek (scarcely two heads of water), most of which they lose in their race, which crosses a quarter of a mile or more of sandy river bed. I saw several prospects washed, here. The gold is in layers of black sand with no stripping. There are only about ten heads of water in both, creeks. The. ground is payable, but not for more than twenty men, unless water is brought on through tho bush from a distance, and at some expense. Claims hero should bo granted of large extent. From Buggedy, I walked over to Longuet and party's claim. Say two miles of bush, over a saddle, and tw« miles of sand dunes and beach. This party are working the beach above high water mark — some foot of stripping and about threo feet of shingly wash. They report it payable, but have failed in getting on sufficient water, owing to the difficulty of leading it along the side of the sand hills; but they still report good pay. There is, I consider, some six heads of water on this, the southern end of the beach (Codfish) ; and the party report gold in about equal quantities for a little over the last qiarter of a mile. I washed several prospects, and believe the ground proved ; the water is sufficient for about twenty miners. I have no report of the northern portion of the beach ; it has similar indications of gold, but is short of water. On the return track, near the northern end of this beaca, in passing up a gully through tho sand dunes, Mr Longuet, junr.' showed me a quartz reef (of which I forward you a small sample). We crossed a section of the reef from E. to W., I believe, at least twenty-five yards. The bearing of the line of the reef is supposed to be about N.E. to S.W., and it is stated by Mr Longuet to crop out in several other places. There is no safe landing on Longuet and Co's beach, (called by them " Codfish," being opposite Codfish Island). They staved their own boat, and injured their provisions greatly, when landing here. I next landed at Smoky Cove Beach, at the eastern end of which (one mile long) Baxter and party are working — up a creek — a broad sandy bed, with a roughedged, broken stone, not water- worn, in the wash-dirt. • I believe the prospects here are richer than in either of the two former places. Baxter reports L 5 a- week man; and, I believe, has kept well within the mark.

This party have the only water readily available already taken up, aud have been to considerable labor, having failed in several races from a quartc to half a mile long. They have finally flraned through the sand on the sides of the dunes with timber, and covered the top. In the event of the ground being declared a goldfield, I should recommend their race and water should be secured to them, and the extended claim which they have applied for granted. In conclusion, I have to report that I have every confidence in tho value of this district being at least equal to what has been reported to me, and what I now report to your Honor ; but there are great difficulties to be encountered by any parties sotting in on this ground. There is great risk in landing both men and stores, and it will bo necessary that any parties trying tho ground should have money to start with, and make arrangements for supplies of stores at stated intervals. Under these oircumstances, large claim* should be granted to those taking up ground.