WONDERFUL GOLD DISCOVERIES AT PORT DARWIN.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume I, Issue 88, 5 July 1873, Page 3

WONDERFUL GOLD DISCOVERIES AT PORT DARWIN.

We have been favoured with the following extract from a private letter received in laaranga from a gentleman in Adelaide ; “ By this post I send you some Registers (newspapers). Read the reports of the share market. It may give you some idea of the state we are in. You will probably have gleaned from your papers that some time ago rich gold reefs were found in the Northern Territory. It appears that the more they are developed the more they expose the richness of the reefs. Estimates have been made of some of them yielding from 30 >z to 600 oz to the ton! Suffice it to say that there is a constant crowd and buzz on the Exchange kept up till it is pitch dark, and they then adjourn to hotels. People say our Verandah is something like the Ballarat one is, as to the number o f people who assemble there, and jet people say that it is nothing to what it will be when the crashing commences. Of course there are many and great difficulties to the working of the mines in such a climate, but where gold is the reword men will do anything. Already four ships have left, and two more are on the berth, and I should not be very much surprised if that is not merely a beginning."

ARRIVAL Of NAPIER COACH.

TUB DKPA'RTUBB. i' Mb Michasl Hannon, of Cobb and Co; (who, our readers are aware, is the contractor for the new postal service overland between Napier and lauranga) left the former named place with a fear-horse coach at 6 o’clock on Tuesday morning last, carrying one passenger and her Majesty’s mails. The coach arrived at Taupo in due course on the following (Wednesday) evening, Heft nest morning at six o’clock, arrived at Ohinemutu m twelve hours afterwards; loft Ohinemutu yesterday at six, and pulled up at the Booking Utoce (Masonic Hotel), Tauranga, at half-past o o clock in the afteruuon.

THE KOAD AND THK NATIVES. Mr Hannon speaks very favourably of the roads although ue considers some slight improvement, will be advisable, which, wo have no doubt, will be carried ouT The contractor states that the natives througnout the lino of route are greatly excited and ovoijoyed at the cocmnoneoinont of coach traffic through their various districts, and are especially proud of having formed a considerable portion of the road themselves. Those natives resident ar the Ngae are, we learn by telegram, extremely anxious that “ kooti haero” should also pay them a visit.

POBLIO HOLIDAY TUB RECEPTION. The occasion was celebrated as a half-holiday m Tauranga, in order to give King Cobb a public reception, and we are happy to state everything wont off most satisfactorily Too much praise cannot be accorded to the Reception Committee for the thorough manner in which the preparations were executed. Ihe archway erected across the Cameron Road, near the Roman Catholic chapel, reflected great credit on Messrs Luudou and Bennct, who had undertaken its erection and decoration. “ Welcome King Cobb ” was displayed over the arch in large letters, and the whole structure was tastefully decorated with branches of pines and other evergreen trees and shrubs, Mr Elgcumbe on Thursday telegraphed to the Hon Mr Vogel requesting that the Government offices might be closed at 13 noon in honour of the arrival of the first coach, and yesterday received a courteous reply granting his thoughtful request.

.1 he school children, who mustered in great force at the archway, were regaled with buns, oranges, and other good things by the committee, and it was a treat to witness the excitement with which they anticipated the arrival of the coach, an unknown thing to many of them. In the course of a long residence in different towns of the colony, we can safely assert that never have wo seen more untiring zeal and energy displayed by any Reception Committee. All the available bunting was displayed, the stores were closed at 1 p.m., and altogether the town and suburbs wore a holiday appearance. It is a curious coincidence that King Oobb has made his debut on “the glorious fourth/' the anniversary of American Independence. Ae many of our readers are doubtless aware, the original Cobb was an American citizen ; and now, throughout the length and breadth of Australasia, the name of Cobb, in connection with coaching matters, is a household word. We have no doubt that Mr Michael Hannon will prove himself a leal representative of this great Jehu. Mr Hannon is well and favourably known in our sister province, and has the reputation of being a careful and expert driver.

Wo nearly forgot to mention that a large number of gentlemen rode out to meet the coach, and, forming a guard of honour, escorted the welcome stranger into town.. The whole turn out was most creditable to the contractor. The coach itself is of the newest construction, and the team—well, four bonnier greys it would be difficult to imagine. We are indebted to Mr Hannon for files of late Napier papers. We cannot conclude these remarks without again expressing on behalf of the public our cordial recognition of the services rendered so promptly by the Hon. Julius Vogel, C.M.G., the Postmaster-General.

COMMEMMOBATION SPPPKB. At 7 o’clock, pin., about forty gentlemen, responding to the liberality of Mr McDonald, the worthy host of the Masonic Hotel, sat down to a most recherche supper. E. M. Edgcumbe, Esq., J.P., occupied the chair, and Captain Skeet, the yice chair. A report of the proceedings, which were of a moat interesting nature, shall appear in our next.