THE Wellington Independent TUESDAY, 7th OCTOBER, 1862. THE RUSH TO OTAGO.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1776, 7 October 1862, Page 3

THE Wellington Independent TUESDAY, 7th OCTOBER, 1862. THE RUSH TO OTAGO.

The tocsin of a mining exodus has already beeu sounded, and its voice has echoed not only throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand, but has been beard across the gulf which divides this country from Victoria, and the seasoned diggers of Ballarat, of Bendigo, and of Castleniaine have been seized with r tbe iufatuation, and eagerly flock by coach, by steamer, and by rail, to the Port of Melbourne en route for the new El Dorado of St. Dunstau.

The history of the progress of gold discovery in the Middle Island if looked back upon now reads almost likea fairy tale. Scarcely more than twelve months ago, the startling news was scattered far and wide that gold had been discovered in Gabriel's Gully, and] that the douce and sedate population of Dunedin, consisting mainly of " canny Scots", had been startled out of their wonted piopriety ; that the laborer had thrown down the mattock and ihe spade, — the shopkeeper deserted his calling, the merchant's clerk hastily dashed down his pen, and closed his ledger, and even the merchant himself, roused from his wonted spirit of cool calculation had shared in the general intoxication, and joined the multitude in their eager rush, bound on the search for riches. Nor did the excitement confine itself to New Zealand alone, the news, with all the speed that steam power could give, was conveyed across the sea to the neighboring colonies, and produced an excitement there, further enhanced by that distance—

" Which lends enchantment to the view,

And clothes the mountain in an azure hue."

The talisraanic influence of the reported golden deposits, which promised to make the Clutha rank with the ancient Pactolus, extended to many a Victorian home, and forthwith the streets of Melbourne became crowded with swarthy diggers " bearded like the *pard," black pipe in mouth, and swag on back, all eagerly pressing forward to the place of embarkation for the new golden country. By and bye the adventurers were all safely lauded, and in brief space, the previously desert country was the scene of busy life, and the hum and bustle of hard and painstaking labor. What is the result now, will be gathered from the statement that instead of Gabriel's Gully alone which includes Wetherstone's, Monroe's Gully, and the Tuapeka River, the auriferous fields of Otairo now number the Waitahuna, the Waipori, the Woolshed Creek, the newly discovered diggings of the Dunstan and the Nokoinai, and several minor fields which, though little heard of here, are yet giving steaily and remunerative returns to a considerable numher of miners. The yield too has been both valuable and encouraging, as the following approximate table, made up to nearly the present time, of the amount sent to Dunedin by escort will show: — oza. Tuapeka .. .. .. 332,476 Waitahuna 78,610 Woolshed 3,883 414,999

The above figures, startling though they may appear, do not by any means represent all the gold taken from those sources, as they are compiled rneiely from escort returns, and do not include what reached Duuedin by private hands. None of the recently opened diggings either are included, and should report speak true, their productiveness bids lair to cast into the shade the once considered fabulous richuess of the earlier fields.

The news received a few weeks ago of the Dunstan, and ishorlly following of the Nokomai diggings, caused a revival of the gold-fever here, aud many of the more unstable portion of our population caught the infection, and started hastily for the South.

Disappointment, of course, has ensued to many. They found the available ground all occupied ; that provisions were scarce and dear, aud that it was no easy matter to solve the problem of how to live from cay to day iv that overcrowded region. Some consequently came back sad at heart and empty in pocket, while others made of " sterner material," have shared all the privations of the adventure, aud still abide the chatice of fortune there. And- no meau chance either is it. Even by late intelligence, although with 3000 men on the St. Dunstan, and 1003 at the Nokomai, the fields were somewhat overstocked, yet the actual working miners were getting fair returns, and every prospect appeared of the further c'evelopement and extension of the already existing remunerative sources of employment.

The Otago Press remarks, turly enough, that the Province is uot yet prepared, even- with iis goldfields, to support the immense population which all at once is being thrown upon its hands, and that unless employment of an extensive land is found for the new comers, much hardship may result. There never was ? goldfield yet siuce the days of California, in which the same representation has not been ma4eand made too fruitlessly. The gold miner, like the eldest born of Israel, is unstable as water, and the exciting and hazardous nature of the pursuit, prompts him, disregarding the impending hardships — cold of and hunger— to rush off to "fresh fields and pastures new,' on the first intimation of a fresh discovery.

Already we learn that more than 3,530 persons had arrived at Dunedin from Melbourne, aud that many move were on the way, and though we know bow much these adventures will have to undergo at first, yet we are confident that all will be well in the end to those who struggle manfully through the heat and burden of the day. The interests of this colony from the North to the South, emphatically demand a large access to the European population, and we look with confidence on this great influx to the Middle Island, as the beginning of a system of colonisation, which will in the end settle all internal difficulties. Meantime, the latest news which we have received from a gentleman who implicitly believes its truth, tells that the St. Dunstan diggings are a great fact, and that 20,000 ozs. was on its way per escort to Dunedin. We earnestly trust the intelligence may be correct — but for the present, we would urgently iecommend all smitten with the cacoethes migrandi, to await further and confirm-

atory news