(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

West Coast Times, Issue 691, 11 December 1867, Page 4

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

December 6,

In the beginning of the week a small rush, set in to a terrace about two miles up the left-hand branch of the Waimea Creek, from Goldsborough. A few parties have been earning good wages there for some time, and there is a great deal of ground yet to be wrought. Several stores are being erected, and there is a probability of a limited population remaining for some time, as the ground, so far as it is tested, pays very well when sluiced. In Callaghan's, on the terrace to the right of the gully, the holders of the Last Chance claim are deriving satisjfrotory returns from their labor, their

wash-dirt averaging nearly half-an-ounce to a load. A share in this claim was disposed of last week for the sum of L6O. Several parties have set in to work on this terrace lately, and in wet weather they earn very good wage 1 !. The sluicers in Italian, Maori, and German Gullies, and in the right-hand branch, have been much benefitted by the steady downpour of rain, and a good deal of gold has been washed. The advertising for tenders for the erection of a Court House at Stafford Town gives general satisfaction to the inhabitants, who hope that suitable quarters for the Warden will also be built, so that the principal office maybe at Stafford Town, which is more centrally situated than Goldsborough. The heavy rain of Thursday and Friday, fortunately, did but little damage to claims, notwithstanding that the creeks were higher than they had been since November, 1866. At Goldsborough, the left-hand branch creek flooded the street and ran through some of the houses. The Waimea Creek was immense and furious, being above the level of logs and bridges by three or four feet, a±d running with wonderful velocity. At Tie mouth of the creek on Friday afternoon, Cobb's coach from the Grey was only by chance saved from being carried out to sea. The driver took the coach to the usual crossingplace, and when midway the current completely overpowered the horses. The progress of the coach, however, was arrested by its catching against the bank, when one of the horses fell. The driver at once cut the traces, hoping to save the animal, but the fresh was so strong that to gain the bank was more than the horse couldmanage,and be was therefore hurried into the breakers and drowned. In the meantime the three remaining horses contrived to bring the coach, driver, and passenger to dry land again, and proceeded on to the Arahura, where they wasted several hours for the ebbing of the tide, and eventually reached Hokitika without further mishap.