LATEST FROM KIMBERLEY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1276, 13 August 1886, Page 3

LATEST FROM KIMBERLEY.

(‘ Star’s* Own Correspondent.)

Wellington, August 4. Mr Seddon, M.H.R., has just given me the following letter received by him from Derby. Ido not give any names, but content myself with Mr Seddon’s assurance that the writer is to be relied on. The letter is, however, not addressed to Mr Seddon •

Derby, June 24. Dear Friend,- I arrived here in ; the beginning of this week, thank God, in good health. The diggings are not as repprted. About 800. ounces of gold'have been obtained, all in shallow ground at the heads of little gullies, near the ranges. It was got by scraping with a knife. The prospectors have left the field, and are here in Derby. One of them, Slattery by was in our camp, and we had a long yam with him for two or three hours. He told us that if he was to go up again he would have to go out prospecting other places, be* cause the old one are worked out, and he did not know for a certainty whore to get a pennyweight of gold. So anybody who goes out'has to prospect himself. If you know anybody wishing to come, try and stop them till there is better news. We are going to make a start to-morrow and prospect for ourselves. The distance is about 400 miles. Some are going up from here, and some are trying to sell their horses—but they ask a high price—so as to leave and go back. Many go away with wheelbarrows and handcarts, but whether they will reach tho diggings or not ibis hard to say.

On the back page of this letter there are a few lines from another writer who says—iam here with a party of Italians. We have a cart, but unfortunately we lost two of our best horses on board the steamer. We have only one horse left, and we are not yet decided what to do.

A letter has been received by Mr D. Chambers, of Melbourne, written from Derby to his brother, who says : The news sent south is greatly exaggen rated, and the diggers are greatly incensed at whoever penned the reports. They threaten to burn Deeley’a store down if the field turns ont a duffer. Advise any persons intending to come to stop until November ; it is very little use coming before. There is no water within eight or ten miles of the field. The report that gold haa been found within 100 miles of Derby is false ; the field is fully 400 miles from here, and, from what we can glean, over a very rough road, too. There is plenty of water here by sinking about thirty feet, but it is quite tepid, different to water in Victoria. The diggers here aro very noisy, and chased the police to their quarters the other night. Seperal men have coma hero without money or goods, and there is no chance to make any by working, as there is no work at present. No one will go to any expense until there la something more definite known of the goldfield ; and if the field turns out a duffer, why the amount of misery cannot be imagined. . . . Fever and ague are rampant, and we have-seen men lying about the placo bad. One poor fellow from Gippss land has been up to'the Elvira. He got nothing, except the fever, and hois a gaunt,' hideous skeleton to look at, nothing but bones and parched skiu. Persons coming here cannot camp where they like, but are subject to the will of the Government officials. One cannot fix his tent or start trade without interference. The climate at present is splendid—like Victoria in summer. Thera are no flies or insects ; but it is saidthat tho mosquitoes are bad in summer. The people are waiting for Sergeant Troy to return. He has been sent away to obtain all information possible. When he returns, and if the news is at all favorable, there will bo a stampede for the fields. Carting will be L2OO per ton from here to the field. Several wheelbarrows have been taken in, one man in front pulling, and one behind pushing, also two or three hand trucks—in fact, a wheel of a barrow would realise any money. We do not see any good stopping hero. Tho place will not develop for some time, and even then it will be overdone. There will bo no water before November, and if we went direct into the field we should have to camp where the water is, and await the rains, besides paying enormously for carriage forour provisions. From all information to hand, men had better wait until there are better prospects than have been obtained so far.