[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1608, 13 August 1861, Page 4

[FROM A CORRESPONDENT.]

Mr. Read, accompanied by Captain Baldwin, a neighbouring iunholder, and John Cargill, an old experienced Australian digger, left the diggings last week on a prospecting expedition. They returned on Thursday after a week's absence, and the intelligence they bring must be truly gratifying to those who have the advancement and prosperity of the province at heart; for whatever a few interested parlies may think to the contrary, I believe every reflecting member of the community must admit when the present excitement has subsided and given place to the second and more proper phase of digging life, when digging shall have become a distinot aud settled occupation, and the unfit (at present, a host whose names are legion) shall have returned to his more immediate and proper calling — that the advantages of this provinoe derived from the existence of a workable aud payable gold field must be gteat and important. Mr. Read has, I believe, discovered the existence of such a gold field, extending ten miles towards the Waitahuna; and I have seen a specimen of £ an ouuee washodout of two tin dishfulls of clay. This gold is heavier than the generality of that found* in the present gully ; and is — to a casual observer at least — of an equally fine quality. But we are not confined to the discovery of fine gold only, for I had in my hand yesterday, a nugget weighing 17 dwts; aud a mau named Brown, has found several others, varying in weight from a quarter to three quarters of an ounce. His Honor the Superintendent accompanied by Mr. Strode, the newly-appointed Commissioner, and the mounted escort arrived here on Friday via the West Taieii. The amount of gold they carry with them I have not as yet ascertained: but I kuow it will fall far short of the actual amount on the field, The diggers for the most part, have but very conl rae ted notions as to what is to become of their "dearly beloved dust" if entrusted to an esoort. " They will lodge it in the bank, and the bankers will buy it at their own price," or, " the bankers won't know me when I ask for my bag," are some of the doubts which suggest themselves to the unlightened, and make them stick to their gold. Whilst a wish to scud a good round sum at onoe has a similar effect upon the owners of twenty and thirty ounces.

Lying at full length with my tin dish for a table, such is my present writing position — no very pleosant one, I can assure you, nor likely to make one's pen that of a ready writer. But, EheU ! this Golconda life is no comfortable oue.