THE NEW RUSH TO THE PALMER GOLDFIELD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1432, 18 September 1878, Page 3

THE NEW RUSH TO THE PALMER GOLDFIELD.

(From the " Queenelander," August 24th.) Warden Sellheim's report from the above* gold field for the month of July, states : " The most important event during the period, and one that is sure to affect the prosperity of this goldfield most beneficially at the present time, is the discovery made towards the end of the month of payable alluvial gold in the bed of the main river below Palmerville. I received private information on the evening of July 25th of a rush likely to set in down the river, and I proceeded in that direction on the morning of the 26fch ultimo. The first payable gold was found in the bed of the Palmer, about thirty miles below Palmerville, reckoning the distance by the track that follows more or less the windings of the river. From this point to the lowest present workings, by the river, cannot be less than forty miles. The gold, as a rule, is fine and scaly, and confined to the river bed. It is evidently derived from the gold-bearing rocks higher up the river, and has been caught and retained by the numerous mica-schist and porphyritic granite bars that intersect, and in many localities choke up, the river-bed. I did not observe any local source that would account for the gold found here, though the prospecting of some blocks of quartz noticed by me may throw some further light on this point hereafter.

" I may state here that I was particularly struck with the extent of metamorphic agencies that evidently have been at work in this part of the goldfield, and that, from the super-position, and the similarity in strike and dip of the different formations, the highly crystalline schists forming the leading features of this particular district are doubtlessly the analogues of the silicious and clay slates forming the mountains of the Upper Palmer. At the time of my visit about 500 men had arrived on the ground, and were making by means of the cradle from 2dwt. to 4dwt. per I have been told of Bomo men making considerably more, but I am confident that from the fineness of the gold, and the exceptional nature of its deposition after having been carried by flood Water in a state of suspension for a long distance, rich patches will form only an exceptional feature of this part of the goldfield. I think, however, that this new ground will be the means of providing profitable employment for a la ge Chinese population for a couple of years to come, and avert the starvation that otherwise assuredly would have overtaken these people during this very dry season. About a hundred white men, mostly disappointed diggers from the Ooen rush, and a sprinkling of the wages men of the Maytown reefs, have bent their steps in the direction of the Lower Palmer, and I think, if satisfied with fair wages, will stay on the new ground for some time. I have laid off a new township, which I have taken the liberty to name Lukinville, near the confluence of Garnet creek with tho Palmer river, and directed Warden Towner to form his camp in Borne central position on the new ground. Application has also been made to the police authorities for the necessary men to maintain order. It is my intention to proceed to Lukinville and the other camps that probably by this time have formed lower down the river, within the next week. On my return from my first visit of inspection, in striking across the bush, I found an excellent dray road, perfectly level, and that, with the exception of the making of a crossing place over a creek with rather steep banks, is available for wheel traffic at once, and which brings Lukinville within a distance of twenty miles of Palmerville. Beef is at present sold at 9d per lb. on the rush, and rice was at the rate of 443 per bag. As, however, there is hardly a business man on the goldfield that is'not either contemplating forming a branch establishment or removing altogether to the lower part of the river, before long the necessaries of life will most likely, as a natural consequence of competition, be procurable on the now ground at fair and reasonable rates. "In consequence of this and the Coenrush, operations on the reefs have been confined in most cases simply to holding the ground, as men were not to be had at any wages, and no crushings have takon place during the month. I may state here, however, for your information, that what had been assumed tho natural water level—at any rate, on the Queen of the North line—has proved to be only surface water, as in the above claim, at tho present moment, the shareholders are working the reef in black slate, and in perfectly dry ground, at a level 30;'t. below that from which their steam pump drains at present. The quartz on this line, since sinking in the black slate, is turning out all that can be desired, and gives promise of splendid crushings. " Fever remains a very prevalent diqease on the goldfield, and Warden Towner reports having found not less than twelve sufferers from this complaint amongst the inmates of a small e.tmp at Mick Gehan's Creek. Mr Towner also reports good returns of tin being got by tho sluicers in Granite Creek, but that their supply of water most likely will only stand to them another fortnight. He says it i§ tho intention of some of the Stony Creek storekeepers to open business places in the immediate vicinity of the stream tin workings as soon as the wot season sots in again.