LATEST FROM THE WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2223, 24 June 1865, Page 5

LATEST FROM THE WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS.

NEW RUSH TO THE aKEY RIVER, ARRIVAL OF 8500 OUNCES FROM IIOKITIKA. MORE VESSELS ASHORE AT HOKITIKA. SILTING UP OF THE G-REY AND HOKITIKA BARS. The local news from Nelson is not of any general interest, but our files contain later West Coast intelligence. The kelson Colonist of the 20fch inst., says : — Since our last publication there have been two arrivals from the Hokitika, tho Favorite, which came into port on Friday, and the Wallaby, which reached here on Saturday about midnight. The Favorite brought 2000 ounces of gold, and the Wallaby 6500, for the different banks. The latest intelligence is that a traveller from tho Grey who arrived at Hokitika on Tuesday last, with the news of a new rush having taken place to a spot several miles beyond the old diggings on that river, which, it will be remembered, were situated a few miles above the coal mine. The precise locality, our correspondent says, "is not known, but from what I can learn it will not long be a secret, as the report here is that from 250 to 300 men had gone up the G-rey, many taking provisions with them from the township. This demand appears to have pretty well cleared out the storekeepers at the Grey, and provisions of all kinds were very scarce ; flour, it is said, being barely a week's supply, so that prices there have risen extremely." The difficulty will be to know how to supply stores to the Grey, for what with the straiiding and loss of so many steamers, tho withdrawal of others, and the lapse of a fortnight which must take place before the Wallaby is overhauled and ready for the trade again, it will require nearly all ; the available steam fleet to meet the wants of I Hokitika itself. Sailing craft appear to be unfit for the service, more especially with tho growing obstructions to taking the bar. Tho entrance has recontly had much silt deposited, and tho sand bank is so given to shifting that sailing craft lose a great deal of time in waiting for a favorable opportunity to take the bar, and even the best opportunity is bad enough for a sailing vessel, unassisted by a tug. There are about two hundred yards of broken water to go through, and at times the breakers hero are very powerful, as may bo concluded when it is narrated that one sea which struck the Wallaby, after she touched the bar, smashed the starboard boat to pieces, leaving only the stem and stcrnpost hanging to the davit falls. We have the following from a correspondent at the Hokitika : — " On Saturday last, I saw what is popularly called Five Mile diggings. The operations, which are but commencing, give evidence of the confidence the digger has in tho ultimate success of his tindertaking. There are numbers of holes sunk to the depth of ten, twenty, and forty feet, and then tho ground beneath is excavated. On some of those claims there arc said to be several "bottoms," or deposits of gold at different depths. The ground is very undulating but not of great elevation. Most of them, who have claims, make what in diggers' parlance is styled wages. The operation of washing is in nearly all cases performed by means of the cradle. A township is springing up on tho bank of the river in juxtaposition to the diggers claims. "Within the present week, two small schooners have stranded near tho entrance of the harbor, and will probably be broken up. Their are eight or nine vessels outside, and which have been warily watching an opportunity to make the harbor for a week or more. Steamers alone, and those of light draft and groat power, are suited for the West Coast trade. " The other evening, I began to enumerate the number of public houses, hotels, &c, in Hokitika, whore liquors are sold, but I failed in counting them all ; but still I made out as many as fifty in one street. This street, the main business street, has a brilliant appearance from tho number of lights on each side suspended in front of the pub-lic-houses. "On Sundays, Mr O. Powell preaches in a large building called the Corinthian Hall, where Thatcher, the rough rhymer, performs nightly during the rest of the week to crowded audiences and tho latter performance with its slang, and its attact upon the Government authorities, attacks very easy to make, appear more attractive and more in accordance with the general taste than are Mr Powell's ministrations, earnest andaincere though theso undoubtedly are." The subjoined extracts are taken from the West Coast Times of Juno 14-th : — \ HOKITIKA. — THREATENED SCARCITY OF STORES. Hokitika will shortly have to return to a state of bacon, if a supply of beef and mutton is not soon to hand. Already the dearth of sheep has | raised the price of mutton to 2s. per lb., and we believe the last of this race on Hokitika was slaughtered on Monday. Beef is nearly, if not quite as scarce, and there will be a good chance soon of the butchers having to shut up shop for I want of saleable meat ; if such should be the case, I it will be advisable for purchasers to look well to the composition of any sausages that may be offered for sale. STREET DRAINAGE AND IMPROVEMENTS. The work of draining and forming Revcll-street has been commoncod, and if tho present weather holds we have no doubt the contract will bo completed within the allotted time. The advantage of tho outlay will bo doubtless considerable, for tho traders, resident in that locality, must have have suffered material injury through the late impassable state of the street. It is a pity some- ; thing is not immediately done for tho benefit of Wharf- Btreet and Gibson's Quay. ; PROGRESS AT WAIMEA CREEK. } The recent rushes to the Grey and Kanieri I rivers have taken a good many miners from this place of late, but some of tho disappointed are

beginning to find their way back to their old quarters. For the last few days the arrivals have boon considerably in excess of the departures. The weather though showery, has not been suffi- ' eiently bad to impede tho working of claims to any extent ; the effects of this are seen in a slight improvement in trade, and a general liveliness in mining matters. During the last few weeks a great many applications have been made for head races, and the registration of water rights. For miles round here all the available water is being i taken up, and water privileges are acquiring a i market value. Several of tho races already con- | strueted arc from one to two miles in length. ! Within tho last week I have seen three very handsome specimens. Tho largest, containing about three ounces of gold, was found in a gully near Fox's ; the other two, weighing from one to two ounces each, were obtained in a gully about two j miles from here. A QUEER FIND OF GOLD. A rather singular find of gold was made on this township a few days since. Some sawyers observed several specks of gold on a stump, situated at the back of the stores on the lower terrace j the first dish washed yielded aboxit two ounces. By this time a little crowd had collected, and the holders of the ground came up and claimed the gold. The sluice-box was soon set to work and a , considerable amount of gold obtained from the soft mud on the surface. As to the amount realised accounts differ, but it is generally supposed to be not less than several pounds weight. By many it is supposed to be part of the three hundred ounces stolen some time since from the Bank of New Zealand. STOPPING- THE GltOO. The business people of this place were rather disagreeably surprised on the 3rd. June, by notices being posted on tho township, declaring that on and after the 11th of June, all Sunday trading was to be discontinued. A public meeting was called, and very numerously attended, at the Harp of Erin Hotel, Mr. Lawford took the chair. After a few resolutions had been proposed and carried, a deputation was appointed to wait upon tho Warden, and endeavor to get the official order recalled. On the Monday following Mr. Revell so far acceded to tlieir wishes as to promise that affairs should remain in statu quo until the return of the publicans' licenses from Ohristchurch. KANTERI TOWNSHIP. This side of the river appears now to have tho greatest attraction, and the hundreds that left for j the Eight-mile have for tho most part returned, thus proving the good opinion of this place. Tho flat here is still turning out well. M'Kellard's party are making six or seven ounces per day, and Maher's party are doing nearly as well ; some parties, lam told, arc doing much better. The terraces and flats on the shallow sinking are all being worked, and the parties there appear to bo satisfied with their prospects. One or two small rushes have taken place in this locality, but nothing of importance has turned up. The surveyed line of street is now nearly built on, and presents quite a different appearance to the old one ; the only drawback to this is the swampy nature of the ground, which should be remedied at once. I think if a large drain were cut across the flat into the river, it would effectually remedy tliis, and the expense of it would be trifling, Prospecting parties are daily going up the river Kanieri, and if this present fine weather only lasts, I. hope to send you some good news. There are diggings up the River Kanieri that I have not visited, and which I intend going up to report upon. THE EIGHT MIIE. This field, which was over-rushed some few days ago, has not come up to the views of the majority of the diggers, and a great many have left tho place as quickly as they came. Those that remain will, I have no doubt, be able to test the ground. One of the prospecting party has sold his share for £35. The ground up to the present time is very patchy, and if there is nothing else struck in the shape of payable ground this week, I have no doubt this place will be left in the hands of the parties who have already got payable claims. A great number of the would-be land or frontago speculators have given up tho idea of squatting at this place, and I dare say will wait for the opportunity of a new rush, and in the meantime sojourn at their head-quarters — Hokitika. The parties working the terraces in the township 2i\ miles lower down the river are making good wages, and I should estimate that there are about 100 working at that place. Business on the j whole is quiet.