THE MAEREWHENUA GOLDFIELD.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1971, 30 August 1869, Page 2

THE MAEREWHENUA GOLDFIELD.

Under date August 26th, Mr Warden 801 l ll ins on reports as follows respecting the goldfield at M aerewhenua : “ In accordance with instructions in your memo, on letter of Mr Jajnes Ashcroft, returned herewith, I have now the honor to report afresh upon the diggings in the vicinity'’ of the Maerewhenua.

“I returned last night from a trip which I have made via Oamaru, in company with Mr Ashcroft. Without going into minute details, I may be allowed to say that I found the report of Mr Ashcroft to be in the main correct. Most of the people mentioned by him I myself saw and questioned, and I am fully satisfied that a payable field exists which only require * water for its development. We traversed the country from the Kakanui to the Kurow, and almost everywhere saw like y looking gullies and spurs, while the rivers showed an abundant supply of water. Most of the miners are working in the neighborhood of the Awaraoko, but there are also a fair proportion on the other side of the Marewhenua. I estimated that there were about a hundred miners of European race on the ground and fifteen Chinese ; but since I came away I believe about forty more Chinese and a few European miners have gone onto the ground. Only a small proportion of the men were actually getting gold, the rest being employed in prospecting or preliminary works. Two parties are engaged in cutting races. “The workings at present are chiefly confined to the centres of the gullies, but I was assured that fair prospects had in several places been obtained on the spurs. It must be on the sluicing of the spurs that the future prosperity of the field will depend. The shallow runs of gold in the centres of the gullies will soon be worked out. Ido not see any very great difficulty about setting the water on to the ground ; in fact, I know of several parties of miners who are prepared to undertake the construction of large races, so soon as they can do so under the protection of the Goldfields Act. Two races are already being made, with the sanction of the ruuholders.

‘ ‘ The gold obtained at the Awamoko and Marrewhenua is mostly fine, but at the Kurow, where two men have been prospecting for the last six mouths, the gold is heavy and scaly. There was a rush to the Kurow some years ago, but the ground was soon deserted again without being fairly tested. The gold seems *o be very patchy in the gullies, but the prospects obtained on the spurs are said to be very encouraging. Water could bo brought in from the Awakino river, but it is said that the race would be expensive.

“ I was informed that quartz reefs had been found up the ranges but time did not permit me to go in search of them. ‘•From enquiries carefully made I think I may safely say that the men who are getting gold are as a rule earning about two pounds per week, and that they can live for 10s or 12s.

“The total quantity of gold purchased in Oamaru for the three months prior to August I7th was ISO ounces, but I saw sevo ral small parcels in private hands on the diggings which would bring up the produce of the field to about 40 ounces more.

“ I find it almost impossible to select the country so as not to include land of a nonaurif crons character. lam well aware that there will be in this, as in every other goldfield, tracts of country without any gold deposits to pay for working. But it must be borne in mind that the water to work with is almost as essential as the auriferous drift, and this can only be secured by including ground not yet proved to contain gold. In the enclosed tracing I have shown by a red line the boundaries that I would recommend for adoption by the Government, viz.: From Kakanui Peak to the south-west corner of Kakanui Hundred ; thence by the western of the Kakanui Hundred and the Macrewhenua Hundred; thence by the southern and eastern boundaries of the Macrewhenua Hundred to the Waitaki river ; thence by the boundary of the Province to the Little Awakino river; thence by the Little Awakino to its source ; thence by a straight line to the Kurow mountain ; and thence by the boundary of the present goldfield to the starting point. “ These boundaries will take in all the present workings, and provide for water being obtained from the upper branches of the Kakanui and from the Awakino.

“ It would, of course, be possible to make the boundaries so as to include only the present workings on the Awamoko and Maerewhenua, by adopting the Otakaike as a boundary, but this would exclude the Kurow, which must eventually be brought

into the goldfield, and the intervening country between the Otakaike and the Kurow looks very likely. “ As regards the Maerewhenua Hundred, I believe it is nearly all bought up ; so that the only advantage in including it -will be the facility for "the construction of races. But should the Government not be disposed to include the Hundred in the GoMfied, I have little doubt but that mining can proceed.

“ In such a case the boundaries might bo known in those shown in blue. These would embrace the greater part of the present workings outside the Hundreds. But while laying the case thus beffore the Government, I adhere to the opinion that the red line will be the best to adopt.”