THE ALLEGED WAIKATO GOLD DISCOVERIES.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1122, 2 March 1872, Page 4

THE ALLEGED WAIKATO GOLD DISCOVERIES.

There were rumors lately in Auckland of a gold discovery in the Waikato district by Cash and party. A miner named Alexander Erskine writes to the Auckland papers what he calls a history of the facts. He saya : — About 18 months since, from certain information received from pcor Todd (who was murdered), myself, accompanied by another, left Auckland for the Waikato. On onr arrival at Alexandra, finding thero had but recently occurred disturbances with the natives, I procured a guide, who, in company with one of tho prospectors, formed the party with Ser-geant-Major Kolly, but vrhoro natn© I cannot remember. Tho guide took us precisely the satno route that had been followed by Kelly and party. Having previous to our departure, through tho courtesy of the Superintendent, been permitted tho perusal of Kelly's correspondence on his pretended discovery of gold either in 1865 or 1860, we left Alexandra after nightfall, and proceeded to the Pirongia Mount, and even discovered the spot on which Kelly and party had encamped. After ten days, myself and those who accompanied me relinquished further search for gold ; nothing during that time was discovered to lead us to believe that gold was anywhore in the vicinity. Had Kelly been one of the party he possibly might have experienced the pleasure of "lynching," similar to what I have witnessed in Otago, and more recently at Mercury Bay. Ido not hesitate in asserting the whole of Kelly's correspondence to the Superintendent, from beginning to end, is a tissue of falsehood. But more recently, in fact, during the past month, Cash himself has been to Auckland, still reiterating the same tale of the pretended discovery at Pirongia. After meeting him, and being guaranteed by three merchants, I, in tbe presence of a third party, offered to place a sum of LIOOO in tho Union Hank, the same to bo handed to him immediately he took myself and two of my friends to the spot where the pretended discovery of gold had taken place ; but what was his reply ?— "Go and find the place yourself; the Government have deceived mo. 1 will take care that no one else does." In conclusion, I again assert that Cash has no grounds for the representations, ha has bor.n making ; otherwise why should he allow the opportunity to escape of so easily pocketing HOOO, and the same so safely guaranteed ! The only charitable conclusion I can arrive at from the eccentric conduct of. Cash is, thafc.ho is cither directly or indirectly made the tool of other parties (principally land-jobbers).