THE WEST COAST GOLD FIELDS.

Evening Post, Issue 242, 16 November 1865, Page 2

THE WEST COAST GOLD FIELDS.

The following scraps of intelligence are condensed from the Hokitika Leader of the 11th instant: — At Woodstock a great sensation has been caused by a fatal a cident to a miner named Jamet Pringle,.who was killed by the falling of timber in the tunnel in which he was working. At Totara, complaints are made of the difficulty there is experienced on the south beach, in crossing the numerous rivers, the currents of all of them being very rapid and dangerous to ford during the heavy freshes so frequently ocenrriny. Ferry-boats are greatly required. 'I he tracks between Aiacnally's and Jones's Creek are in a very bad condition, and the pack-track is in all places almost impassible for either man or beast. The wreck of the unfortunate Craijjievar was sold for £75, everything moveuble having previously been removed from it. The last passage of the Wonga Wonga from Nelson to Hokitika was affected in thirty-two hours. Mr. Prosset in a recent address to the electors considered the money spent on the rofld to Christchurch a reckless waste, and the vote for £20,000 for an escort service, utter folly. Escorts should be first established from each mining centre to protect the gold in its transit to Hokitika, and if the Christchurch troopers ever arrived here he thought they could not be more usefully employed. Instances of mining success at Bruce Bay are given as follows —Nixon and party washed out 73 ounces, and Hughes and party 45 ounces in a week ; Bracken 2 ounces per day; Hunt, with one cradle 1

2to 2£ ounces ; and several others from lfr to 2$ ounces per diem. This was at Hunt's rush. Two dead bodies have been found during the past week, on the beach, one near the Teremakuu, and one near the Salt-water Creek. Mr. Macgregor, of Dunedin, and Mr. C. S. Button, of Invercargill, have just arrived, to praotice their profession as barristers. A miner, named William Andrews, waa recently killed on the Waiinea, by the falling of a tree which he was cutting down. Captain Beddons, of the p.s. Ballarat, was fined in mitigated penalty of £20, on the 4th instant, for conveying passengers in excess of the number specified in his license. A new paddle steamer of 100 tons register, SO horse-power, and drawing five feet of water, has been launched in the Yarra, at Melbourne for the Hokitika trade. The recent heavy floods have greatly injured the lagoon into which the Totara empties itself. The Kate Grant has narrowly escaped an intimate acquaintance with the spit. The steamer Yarra has got to work as efficiently as ever. The Star of the Evening has imported SO cats from Dunedin, the owners of which expect to find eager purchasers in a land where rats are so plentiful. An indignation meeting was held in the Corinthian Hull on the 4th instant to induce the Government to throw open the port of Hokitika for the free importation of cattle. A memorial was drawn up, a committee appointed, and the meeting adjourned to the l. r >th instant.