THE THAMES GOLDFIELDS

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 385, 24 October 1868, Page 2

THE THAMES GOLDFIELDS

The news from the Auckland goldfields, brought by the Charles Edward, is of a more sober character than usual. The local papers complain that the goldfields are languishing for want of a better system of management—a system that will encourage the investmeut of capital, by creating good security in lieu of the uncertain tenure consequent on the present regulations, allowing 'jumping.' They strongly urge the establishment of a mining board. Some of the pas engers by the Charles Edward speak unfavorably of the prospects of thislastgreat rush, and from their statements, we are led to expect a good few diggers will return this way by the John Penn, on her next trip. The following letter which has been shown us is from an old experienced miner, who recently left this district, and whose opinion may be relied upou as honest. He says:— "I write you the following to let you know what I think of Auckland and the Thames G-oldfields. In the first place I don't believe in the future of the Thames Groldflelds, there are a few very good claims, but hundreds of duffers. There are hundreds of men (many of them from the West Coast), walking the streets of Shortland every day of the week. The country is pegged out for miles, in the neighborhood of Shortland and (xrahamstown, but very few of them are at work, the most of them are registered, andafter a trial of perhaps a day or two, application is made to the Warden for protection for three months for the alleged purpose of getting machinery, forming a companies to work them. The West Coast miners are very dissatisfied with the diggings ; many of them will return immediately. Any man making £3 per week on the Coast should not come here with the view of making more. £2 per week is the wages here for diggers, or laboring men on the diggings, and there is little or no work to be had. Carpenters are getting 9s per day. You can generally tell what a new rush is by the rate of wages given. The best Eestraaunt in the the town of Shortland (Barnells) charges only eighteen-penee per meal, and the same for beds. This is not like what it was on any of the rushes in Otago or on the Coast, that I have been at.°The Auckland papers keep puffing the Thames up as the finest goldficld ever discovered, but they know very little of goldfields, and this they will soon find out."