WANGAPEKA GOLD FIELDS.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 610, 14 December 1869, Page 2

WANGAPEKA GOLD FIELDS.

(PJtOat'QVR OWN COaRgSPONDJRNT.) . 8. As the lately discovered quartz i^eefe in this locality. are, at present the cause of difference of opinion with the provincial authorities, and much excitement amongst the miners assembled here, I have thought' that a description of the place and .tfoik state of affairs may prove acceptable to you, as it would certainly be interesting to' the mining community oh the Wes*~ Coast. As yon are doubtless aware, the. reef was discovered by a man named Culliford, and the fact soon made known to other miners in the immediate heigh-, borhood, where gold digging has been, carried on for several years past. Several claims were marked out by these men* and Culliford proceeded to Nelson to ob-* tain protection for a mining lease. It ia now a matter of common notoriety how* Culliford was induced to depart from hia original honest intention, and to purchases out and out rich auriferous reefs under the denomination of rural land, as ajsa how this scindalouß transaction was connived at and shared in by the very Government officials paid to watch over and protect the public interest. Upon. arriving in Nelson the other week, I found the city aroused from its usually quiet slumbers, knots of its inhabitants busily conversing about the r«©f, admiring the sharp practice/of its land-jobbing officials,, aid " Nelson expecting every map ta=d<* the hard-working miner." I had seen some good specimens, and resolved to have a look at the ground myself. The distance. is. about 60. miles from Nelson, and for the first 40 miles or so leads through a farming country, which strongly reminded me j of the home scenery, and traversed by j good well metalled roads, the faultless, state of which . clearly showed *f which < way the money goes." This ended at the Tadmor hill, and from, thence the means of easy progression became gradually 1 ' smaller and beautifully less" until within a few miles. o£ the rerf, the recognised > muddy, disgraceful, and- dangerous track I clearly pointed that I was on. a road formed "only for the diggers." This passes by the rivers Sherry and Dart, in which, as well as in the neighborhood of the Tadmor hill, gold digging has been extensively carried on for years, clearly showing that the auriferous nature of the locality must have been wellknown to the Nelson officials, and proving the culpability and illegality of the sale. The very site of the present Wangapeka township presents all the well-known indications of its hay tug been formerly selected for the same purpose. When T arrived there, I found what might he. likened to two camps for civil warfare. The, Warden's Court officials and Surveyors occupying teats on> one side of. a small creek, and the digger's tents and business places the other,, In one of these, the committee appointed to, protect the miner's claims held their meetings, between which place and the Warden's camp blue-coated officials might; often be seen, passing and repassing, the/ hearers of negotiatory documents. Still farther on was what I may term an entrenched camp, leading to the disputed reef,; only attainableZ-'by a bridge, across which the officials were not permitted t*x pass, and floating above it a banner jvitfo the suitable motto "The miner's, rights^" At a rough calculation'! should estimate the number of men on the ground at about 120. The reef crops out on a steep Bpurbstween blue and nuggetty creeks, which:-. with granite creek form the rolling river. It appears to be . almost three feet thickj." and rich specimens, can be. obtained in ■• many places, .gold being easily ' discernible with > the naked eye. I have also seen some good specimens from other reefs the position of" which is not at present disclosed, and slibnld this unhappy affair be equitably adjusted I can safely predict lucrative employment for a large'mining populationi.. I regret to say, ;that at through* the unwarrantable action of the Nelsonites, the men are thrown into a state; of compulsory idleness, many parties beingjust able to Keep, the others going in tucker by working the banks of the creeks,, but great fears are entertained that want of funds,' superadded to the intentional tardiness with which the Government is. treating the case, will eventually compel the diggers to surrender their just rights to the grasping Nelson drones,, ''who toil, not, neither do they spin." It is therefore to be hoped that this matter will be taken up by the miners of the Grey and other districts, as one which might affect: their own personal interests at no distant occasion, and the pressure of public, opinion brought to bear upon the subject. The fact of the list of so-called purchasers of the land being two-thirds composed of" salaried officers of the provincial government, will show that having long subsisted, chiefly upon the exertions of tile mining community, they desire to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, and it depends . upon the united action of the mining classes to say whether injustice and chicanery shall prevail or not. lam glad to • say that since I have been here I have observed the strictest order kept, and the utmost: respect shown towards the officials, by the men. The. attempt to cross the. bridge to commence the survey was for-, mally made, ai\d as formally and quietly-

repelled, by the committee, supported by every man on the ground. An excellent arrangement has been made by the committee, prohibiting all sale of intoxicating liquors pending the dispute ; and taken altogether the quiet but firm and determined action displayed calls for the warmest support on the part of their brother miners, I shall have the pleasure of addressing you again, and will inform you how matters are goiug on. I may mention in conclusion, as a proof of the claims of the district to rank as a gold field, that I ani writing this in a lint alongside a claim in Nuggetty Creek, where workings have been carried on for years by means of a largo race brought in over a mile by the party. I may also mention that it is •the general opinion of the miners, confirmed by the experienced knowledge of several of their number, well acquainted with the various mountains forming the boundary line, that the land in dispute is within the South-west Gold Fields, and if such be the case the sale is doubly illegal.

(For continuation of news see fourth jniqe )