THE THAMES GOLDFIELD.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 474, 6 March 1869, Page 2

THE THAMES GOLDFIELD.

(from our own correspondent.) Auckland, Peb. 20. Since I last wrote to you from Ohinemuri, it has been decided that the Upper Thames will not be opened for some time. All travelling in that part of the Proyince is prohibited for the jr.sent. Mr M'Kay has sent to Shortland all the diggers who were up the Thames, and no more are allowed to go up the river to see the Natives there. Mr M'Kay blames some of them for obstructing him in his dealings with the Natives, and he has | failed for the present in his endeavours to open the land. Before I came down there was one of the largest floods that have ever happened in that part of the Province. The whole country for miles was under water, and many miners had to leave tents and most of their things, and to take refuge at Mr Thorpe's station until the flood had taken off. Shortland is very dull at present, as business of all sorts is overdone, and most of the diggers are hard up, in fact more so than ever I haveseen them. There are some 1500 claims registered, and out of that number I do not believe there are more than one hundred paying. Some of them, however, are getting gold by the ton. The G-olden Crown got 2784 ounces of gold out of one day's crushing last week, and Hunt's has paid some £IO,OOO since Christmas. Several other claims are nearly as good. What is retarding this field is the system of selling half shares. The purchasers pay so much for half of the claim, and ten shillings a week to the man to work it, and most of them are old soldiers and men who have never seen a gold-field in their lives; and all the work they have done in some of their claims for the last twelve months might have been done in as many days. Crushing is very high. It ranges from £1 10s to £2 ss, so that it takes an ounce to the ton to pay for the crushing. On the contrary, provisions are very cheap. Men can live for ten or twelve shillings per week. "Wages are from 20s to £3, but there are some working for even less. The races came off this week, when the horse belonging to one of the "Westport hands took the Maiden Plate, and made some of them run in some of the other races. Auckland is quieter than it has been for some time. Most of the business people are trying to sell what interest they have in claims on the diggings for cash, and I think a party with money might do a little in share-buying, but he would have to watch his time. The Provincial Council have had two miners returned lately as members, and, although diggers, they are improving some of tbe members' ideas.

W hooping cough is very prevalent at the diggings and in Auckland. M3ny of the children have got it, and adults are just as had. There is some talk of small-pox having made its appearance in Graham's Town, but I do not think that there is any truth in it. The John Penn is expected here every day, and I think she will have a large number of passengers back, as they are tfred of waiting for the opening of Ohinemuri, and there is nothing for them to do here. The Post Office here requires some radical change, for you may call a dozen times and they tell you they have nothing for you, and go next day and you will get letters that have been lying there for a month or more. I know one party who called the other day, and they told him there was nothing for him. He told them to look again, when they gave him five English letters. One had come every mail, and he had called once a week for four or five months, but without satisfaction, and this case is by no means an exceptional one.