THE OTAGO GOLD-FIELDS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 38, 20 March 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE OTAGO GOLD-FIELDS.

(From a Correspondent.J

Dunedin, Otago, 29th Jan., 1802

Since my last I have visited and prospected the Waipouri and Beaumont rivers, and have bidden farewell to the Tuapeka district. The prospects of miners at Gabriel’s are such as only incorrigible miners would long put up with. While the correspondents of the Dunedin press are stating that A 1 per day is to be got anywhere, thousands of miners are working for half that amount; in fact claims yielding one ounce per week each wan would be eagerly taken up and carefully worked these times. Old miners will hold on long in the hope of something turning up, but that hope may be long deferred, and the heart as well as the body become sick. Winter will undoubtedly start the greater part of those who stay till then, for the summer has been sufficiently severe to warn the miners of what a winter may be. Ke-working old ground is the main work now at Gabriel's. Gold is found in many places so fine as to promise rations and low wages to men working sluices, See., on a large scale, and to that the miners will have to turn their attention, unless the something expected turns up.

At Waipouri, and the streams flowing into it from the range on the North side of it, gold is found iii the beds of the streams, ■which run over rocky bottoms ; the miners are turning the streams to get. at the bottom, and in some cases will probably be well paid for their labour ; but the sides being in many places bare rock, there is very little probability of any gold being found in the ridges, as has been the case at Weatherston's, and in a less degree at Gabriel’s and Munro’s, and I believe also at Waitahuna. From the formation of the country, I should not be surprised if heavier nuggets arc found in the streams flowing into the Waipouri than in any other part of the Otago diggings yet discovered. But when the field is limited to the bed of one or more streams, as is the case in some other places of ray acquaintance, there is only room for a very limited

number of miners.

At tbe Beaumont gold exists in (apparently) small quantities, chiefly the finest dust, but with occasionally a large scaly piece, heavy by comparison with' r the rest. Yet poor as is the prospect, a party have cut a race, and intend turning the river, in the hope to find their regard in. its bed. Should it prove payable, of which I have serious doubts, there.will be a rush to the Beaumont. The place where the party are turning the river is some twelve miles per track from the camp at Gabriel’s gully. The Tuapeka itself has been turned out of its usual "co.urse in a few places, but I believe in each case the result has been .as unsatisfactory to the miners as possible. There are continually reports of new rushes in the press, as prospectors occasionally find a “ prospect” that promises to pay well; but in nearly all these cases, nowadays, the rush proves a failure, or in diggers’ terms, “ a sbicer.” In the neighbourhood of all gold fields, “ patches” of the precious metal are found here and there occasionally, varying in quality from the poorest fine dust to the dish up to payable amounts ; and the finding of these scattered patches causes excitement and rushes when the heavier deposits have been bagged, and the real gold fields nearly exhausted; probably the “ Tuapeka” has now arrived at that stage of its fortune.