THE THAMES GOLDFIELD.

Dunstan Times, Issue 545, 27 September 1872, Page 3

THE THAMES GOLDFIELD.

—o— To THE editor of the dhnstav times. Sir,— Your paper, together with the Wnkntip Mail and Cromwell Argun have lately been presented to the Grahamstown Mechanics Institute, they are perused with much interest. I am frequently interroatrl respecting the prospects held out for settlement and mining on the Otago Goldfields. 11 being some years since I resided at Clyde, 1 refer tie questions at issue for answer to the columns of your paper, at the same time giving you a short resume of our position here, by which you will sea the information required is not from mere idle curiosity. The Thames gol fields’ population is estimated at about 9,0 {l 0 men, women and children, and depends entirely on its quartz reefs (no alluvial gold being found) which are mostly worked by Companies. Miners' wages average from If. 15s. to 2f. 10s, per week, with only limited employment. .

The township# of Shortland and Gra-

hams town now emerging into one town, are built with wood on leasehold allotments—a few exceptions, where freeholds have been obtained, can boast of brick buildings. The ground rents are heavy, and act as a drawback to good, substantial agd safe buildings, this is especially the case in Grahamatown. There is some fine country up the Thames, but it is mostly all Native land, and as such no tme dare use it for, any pur- | poses, not even to prospect, or run a Tele- | graph line over it without paying large 1 sums. It would make you laugh to see the zigzag manner the wires have been erected near this place, in consequence, I am informed of this Native prejudice—it is this great Native difficulty which hampers our progress up here Even when a block of land is in the market, the Government and Survey charges often come to more than the value or first cost of the laud, and then perhaps you have no road to your estate It is this great want of being unable to obtain freeholds, which is continually driving our would be settlers either out of the country or to other Provinces, where land can be obtained at least at a moderate figure. We have good land within sight of us, with good water communication, and yet all produce has to be imported, which might (and ought to be) grown here. I am sorry to say there are numbers going to' Queensland, and many 'more would do so did their means permit. Would it not be far better forlthe Government to induce those to remain import raw hands from home, encumbering the country with a pauper population and an incaeaaed debt. We look forward with no little anxiety to the Stafford government to open up the lands, foster industries, and initiate reproductive works. Yours, he., ALEX. HUME. Grahamstown, September 16, 1872.