THE GOLD FIELDS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1707, 14 March 1862, Page 5

THE GOLD FIELDS.

(From the Olago Colonist's Correspondent, March ,4.)

There is a remarkable absence of anything in the shape of interesting news to communicate. Everything is dull, stale, and unprofitable. Even "hew rushes, which' are of every day occurrence, cease to create much excitement, although largely run after. Mau go now to a new rush as a mere matter of course, expeciug but little, and frequently getting less. Hundreds of miners afraid to meet the coming winter, are leaving for Victoria, though it would be well for them to think twice before hastily throwing up their present chances. The winter may or may not be as severe as most people imagine, but the weather for the next two months is likely, judging from former experience, to be better than any we have had during the summer. Last year the weather was dry and fine from the middle of February till the latter end of April, and it is not at all improbable that some valuable new field in the neighbourhood of timber, may yet be opened up ere the approach of winter. That a great deal of unsuccessful prospecting has been carried on during the past few months to very little purpose is perfectly (rue. But, it must be borne in mind that during the first nine months after the opening of Ballaarat, Beudigo, and Forest Creek, prospectors iv Victoria were equally unsuccessful, and that many and sad forebodings were indulged in with respect to the non-discovery of new fields. And even when such places as M'lvor, the Ovens, Karong, Kingower and Jones's" Creek were discovered, thousands that proceeded to these places unhesitatingly condemned them as little else than rushes got up by store and shanty keepers. Even the unprecedentedly rich Eagle Hawk gully, Bendigo was pooh poohed as a place of no consequence. It need not therefore at all excite surprise that no new large gold-field has yet been opened up here. Indeed much of what has been termed prospecting is not worthy of the name, take for instance the block of ground 4 miles wide and 8 miles long, lying between Waitahuna flat to the south, and Gabriel's and Weatherstone's to the north. Here may be found half a dozen magnificent likely looking gullies from one to 2£ miles in length, by a breadth of from a few yards to two or three hundred yards, with only a narrow paltry hole sunk here aud there, and in many instances not bottomed, while blind gullies (only a few of which have been worked) can be counted by the score.

I have no hesitation in asserting that that block will ere the expiry of another year be worked to great advantage, aud that some parts of it will be found to vie in richness with Wealherston's and Gabriel's.

Supposed new Discovery near the Waipohi. — For some days past several parlies have been fruitlessly engaged in trying to discover the whereabouts of a new gold field near the Waipori. Without passing an opinion as to the value of the new discovery, I shall content myself with pointing out the locality, so that no time need be lost in finding out the spot. The exact spot, then, is about 6 miles on the Dunedin side of the Waipori Accomodation House — four miloa from Fulton's exhibition hut, and within a-half or f of a mile of the Eldorado Accommodation House, situated on the, road from Mount Maungatua to the Waipori diggings. To prevent disappointment it may be as well to state that a party of four men have lately been prospecting that neighbourhood, and that the results of their labours consist in having obtained half a dvvt to a tin dishful of dirt. This certainly is no very great prospect, unless it is .first proved that such is the average yield of a large area, in which case the discovery would be of a highly valuable character.

The sinking is quite shallow, but wet. By the latter end of next week [ shall bo in a position to send you full particular's as to the value of tho discovery. Should it really turn out a good field a stop will be put to the present exodus, but should it only provo of a similar character to the hundred and one rushes that have lately lakon place, there will be a greater desire than ever on. tho part of numbers to clear out and be off.

My own opinion, therefore, is that the present regulations give by far too large claims for new ground, and especially ground over 100 fe^t in depth ; aud that tho mistake will only be discovered wlion it is too late, and when speculators have taken advantage of the ill-timed liberality of the government. 128 square yards of ground for one man, or an area of 1 1,520 square feet for six men is preposterously large, and of the most suicidal character imaginable. Had it been foiv old or abandoned ground, little fault could have been found, although even then it would have been premature.

The object of the government should be not to enable a small portion of the community to become speedily rich, but rather that the large bulk of the population should be placed in comfortable and easy circumstances.

To talk about extended areas and the encouragement of capitalists is the sheerest nonsense under present circumstances imaginable. Till good roads are formed, rivers cleared, and a settled population exists, there can be no opening for the use of expensive machinery, either for the working of new or old ground ; nor yet for quartz reefs, even supposiug any of the latter to be discovered, which as yet has not been done. In nothing is it necessary that the government should be more guarded agaiust, than in working into tho hands of speculators at the expense of the great body of the mining community.

The Roads, — I have so frequently directed attention to the every day becoming worse state of the roads, which if not improved immediately, will be the means of doubling iv price nearly every article of consumption on the diggings, that I entirely leave that subject in your hands for the future. There is. yet time ere the winter sets in, to effect considerable improvement, but unless the work is proceeded with immediately it will be too late for this season. [It will be seen that our correspondent takes a somewhat different view to ourselves; the subject is an important one and will bear ventilation. — E. C]

(From the Daily Times, Correspondent.)

Tuapeka, 27th February, 1«62. Notwithstanding the repeated assurances that Gabriel's Gully was worked out, instances of extraordinary success both in the old aud new ground are constantly to be met with. At the upper end ofthu gully on the blue workings, so named from the colour of the strata passed through, there have been some remarkably rich finds. One claim that I visited yielded, as the result of one week's washing, over 240 oz., and the wash dirt of several in the immediate neighbourhood, glittered after a shower like a jeweller's shop. In the old ground, [ hear of occasional lucky hits, but they are chiefly to be met with in working old pillars, and holes bottomed by miners unaccustomed to gold digging. Whea the first rush took place mauy holes were sunk and not bottomed, and even when this was done, the gold bearing stratum was either entirely overlooked or else thrown on the surface to be mixed with the pipe-clay and soil that had been passed through. So frequently has this taken place that it is the opinion of experienced miners that the gaily would pay to sluice from top to bottom. I may mention in proof of the permanent character of the goldfield that Major Croker has had numerous applications for permission to erect puddling machines. Several of these applications have been granted conditionally, and the parties are now busily employed in erecting their machines. I find that the applicants are for the most part old Bendigo peddlers, who, no doubt, remember well the extraordinary sucoess that waited on the efforts of those who first established this method of extracting the gold from the soil in Victoria. Besides men engaged in this kind of working, are always men continuous in their efforts, aud usually settle down to it, with the same untiring industry that they would apply to their trade or calling. Indeed, it is better that the gold-miner should look on his occupation as a kind of business rather than think it, as many do, merely a sort chance work, only to be undertaken as a species of approved gambling. Why should not the extraction of gold from the soil be as recognised a business as that of storekeepiug. It is to the absence of this impression that wo owe much of the the erratic work undertaken by the men who are for the nonce dubbed miners. They have never looked on gold-mining as a business, and are not prepared to stick to it; hence any rumor of a rush to some spot where gold is being obtained by the bucketful, is sufficient to induoe them to abandoii'payable ground, and at once undertake a journey to the new Eldorado. It is of no consequence that the information is vague and frequently wild in the extreme. It may, perhaps, turn out to be corrept. At all events they will! give it a trial. I trust that, profiting by experience, we will have less of this rushing about, and more of steady, quiet work, which in the end is the most remunerative. No new ground has been opened at Wetherstone's, and the large body of the miners are either engaged in working out their claims, or washing the headings

from those that have been abandoned* Tho diggings are gradually extending down the fiat, but the ground is wet; and from tho fact that each party is allowed to turn the creek just as it suits them, many claims that would be profitably worked are abandoned. If a Mining Board is ever to be formed, one of their first duties will be to urge on the Government the propriety of at once cutting a new and direct channel. Were this done, the storm-waters which are now allowed to flow without cuuttol, would be collected into one bed, and safely carried through the various workings. As it is, no sooner have we a shower of rain than the creek overflows its banks, and holes are flooded, i paddocks swamped, and a general scene of wreck and confusion ensues. Again, were the storm waters safely carried off miners would set iv to work ground, which at present they will not look at — knowing full well that the first rainy day would destroy the fruits of their previous labour. Monro's Gully is the scene of considerable activity, and the diggings are gradually tending towards the Tuapeka. AU most daily we have small rushes in this direction, and it is no uncommon thing to witness strings of diggers, thirty or forty in number, returning in the evening to their tents at Gabriel's or Wetherston's. I feel certain that this is the direction the diggings must ultimately take. Population very fluctuating, and rather, if anything, on the decrease.

Enlarged Claims. — The Government are evidently auxious to act liberally towards the miners in' allowing large claims for mining purposes. This liberality, however, will I am much afraid, have a tendency exactly the reverse of that anticipated.

Among the scores with whom I have conversed relative to their reasons for leaving the colony, not one has assigned the smallness of the claim allowed as a reason for his departure. Many however, (I might safely say all), complained that when new ground was opened, that it was impossible to obtain a claim, unless early on the spot, and that consequently first comers only reaped the benefit. Want of fuel, want of poles for the erection of tents, want of slabs and timber for mining purposes — the horrible state of the roads in the neighbourhood of the diggings — ignorance aud stupidity of Miniug Commissioners — bad provisions — the broken state of the weather— difficulties in the way of prospecting, &c, &., were the various reasons assigned, but the first mentioned was the powerful reason assigned,

Now, the grand plan to keep the diggers in good humour with themselves, and to look with a favourable eye upon the country as a place of settlement, is to give every man the oliauoe of earning a fair share of what is being got, than for a few to realise fortunes, while the great majority cau only earn a bare subsistence.

To illustrate the case, we will suppose that to-morrow a new field of great richness, but limited extent, is discovered, aud that a large rush immediately ensues. The gully or flat embraces an area of say 720,000 feet, and the average depth is a little over 12 feet, and that the area allowed to each man is 12 feet by 12, or 144 square feet. This would give employment to 5000 miners. Of course the ground would soon be worked out, but as all would have the chauoe of saving a considerable sum, all would be impressed with the belief that ground equally good be again discovered by prospecting. But supposing that each man was allowed 80 square yards, or 720 square feet, as the amended Mining Regulations allow, theu, instead of 5000 men getting temporary profitable employment, only 1000 could obtain it; so that, supposing fully 5000 to visit the ground, 4000 would be compelled to leave it, all of them, of course, discontented, aud fully impressed with the belief that the best days of the diggings were over and the sooner they cleared out the better.

This might be further illustrated by supposing that in Dunedin there were 5000 carpenters, and that the employers of labour resolved that as there was only a sufficient quantity of work going on at the moment to give five mouths' employment to 1000 men, it would-be better to pay them £3 per day than employ the whole 5000, with a prospect of one month's work at 15s. per day. Of course the absurdity of this arrangement would become matter of universal condemnation, and all would agree (except the favoured 1000) that it would be better for the colony aud the community at large that 5000 should be ensured 15s. a-day for one month, than 3000 £3 8-day for five months. " Give us extended claims " was a cuckoo cry got up in Victoria when the yield of gold had so seriusly fallen off as to alarm the community at large. So long as the yield was on the increase, and the mining community generally doing well, 12 feet by ' 12 per man was considered a fail* area of new ground.