The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1883. Gold Mining.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 60, 23 October 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1883. Gold Mining.

«l In the old time, the mere rumor that gold was to be found in any place in the Colonies, was sufficient to draw large crowds of men to the spot, where if there was a payable field, it was developed or worked, and if ifc was doc it was simply pronounced a "duffer," or a " storekeeper's rush;" a few tradesmen were thrashed or ducked in the handiest creek, the pa' ties who applied for a prospecting; claim were forced to fly for their Hves, ond the satisfied miner wended his way to another and more likely tpot, con- , tented in hia mind though suffering in his pocket. Uut thia was where gold was really to be got for the digging. A natural result ol the falling* off in the average gold yield of this Colony has been the formation from time to time of prospecting parties, who are sent out at the co.t of a nurn ber of confiding individuals to discover a new gold fh'ld, to revive the drooping spirits of the traders and othe-s, whose business is .olely dependant on the presence of the miners. It is a remarkable tact that very few miners ever contribute to these funds, or il they do so it is w.th a knowledge that the money is for the benefit of some old mate, who is to iorm one of the part}', and to whom they wish to "give a start." As for any real benefit being derived from the money, he is perfectly satisfied there will be none. The reason of this is plain enough He knows that no party sent out under these auspices ever did find gold, or open a new field worthy of the name. The time of the party is generally taken up in eatiug and sleeping, diversified wich the occa sional excitement of thi ting camp, and if the leader is a little of a " law yer," he amuses himself with posting up a diary for the instruction and gratification oi the promoters of the expedition. A shrewd man may find ' very profitable occupation at this for many months, and the only persons who suffer are the confiding individu als whu have the pleasure of finding the money. Since the Terawhiti fields have proved such an utter failure — as was pointed out in these columns would be the case — there seems to be a disposition on the part of some individuals, who are not satisfied with the experience thus gaiaed, but want to send out parties in other parts of the province in the vain hope to get sufficient prospect to start a flood ol new gold mining companies to be a snare to the unwary. We now protest against such action. If bona fide goldminers go out and discover a good gold field — all well and good — for should they tail — as is very likely — no one suffers but themselves, and our readers may be assured that the country has been submitted to a fair test, before they give up the searchBut we do not put the slightest confidence in any prospecting party, the component parts of which are seldom real practical miners, but men who will merely scratch over the ground as long as the food and wages last. No new gold discovery -at least, the exceptions to this rule are very few — has ever been made unless by almost an accident. New chums and green hands have discovered nearly ali the richest claims in New Zealand, and, singular to say, the prospector's clam has gr-nerally turned out tho richest on tbe field. We believe if there was any very rich reef in the province of Wellingtun, it would have been discovered long ago That there are reefs containing gold in small quantities cannot be denied, but we do not believe they will ever be found payable to work.