THE GOLD FIELDS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1690, 10 January 1862, Page 3

THE GOLD FIELDS.

_From the Correspondent of the Otago Colonist m V Decembers]. ' - ■. y .';.^ Last Saturday and Monday, a small rush: ; took place to the extreme Southern point of Wetberstone's Flat, where it strikes the. ridge leading from Wetberstone's to Waitahuna, by the short road. Some fairish piospects have been got, but with the exception of one good patch there has been nothing obtained of any importance. Men have been working there ■---*.• : - and in the immediate neighbourhood =••'". foi-. Vseveral months past arid earning* wages. : ; - The Waipori.— There is a great difference of opinion as to the value of this new gold, field. Some giving it a very bad name, while <.' * others speak very favorably of it. The preponderating amount of evidence, however, is V decidedly favorable, and a considerable number have started for the new scene of operations V.V since last Saturday. Some splendid samples of gold have been obtained, all of a nuggety character, and some of it as large as beans. The difficulty of obtaining provisions, and the badness of the weather have greatly retarded ' the development of this gold field. Provisionare now to be had at a reasonable rate, and many parties that have proceeded thither during the past five or six days have taken a fortnight's supply with them, so that ere the expiry of another fortnight, especially if the weatheii? clears up, Otago will have one more extensive gold field added to the present number. Parties are spread over a large area, but as in many instances it will be necessary to turu the river ... to enable operations to be properly conducted, larger claims ought to be given. Gabriel's, Wetherstone's, Waitahuna, and the Woolshed still continue to yield satisfactory, but what with the holidays and the bad weather there has been a very great deal of time losr which will probably reduce the escort returns for aweek or. two. Should this and the next week's escort returns prove as large as previous ones, it will be proof positive that a large pro- ' portion of the gold sent down will represent. ' former savings. There is a large amount in. V private hands, and the holders are. not, at all* / anxious to sell. One fact out of many more of the same kind will saffie to prove this. , On Monday last, a man went into the Bank, of N. S. Wales, Gabriel's Gully, and offered for sale, a parcel of rough gold weighing two or three pounds. The manager before purchasing, it ; wished to break up several small nuggets containing an admixtuie of quartz, &c. But the digger would not permit him to do so, but demanded back his gold— remarking that he was not necessitated to sell, and would not do so except the purchaser would take it in its then state. THE ESCORT. .'..;■ yy'l The Escort, yesterday afternoon, brought down from Tuapeka 8,447 ounces, and from Waitahuna 3,215 ounces of gold, making a total for the week of 1 1,662 ounces. Doubtless, the extremely unpropitious weather, together witk the holidays, and the unsettled state of a large number of the digging population at k present, have contributed to render tbe amount less this week than it would otherwise have been. *