HOKITIKA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 303, 4 September 1865, Page 2

HOKITIKA.

(From the Correspondent of the Nelson Colonist.) Town of Cobden, Grey Elver, Aug. 15, 1865. We hail with pleasure the arrival here of the Superintendent of Nelson and a staff of surveyors, whose advent has caused quite a commotion in commercial circles ; especially with regard to the establishment of a township on the xVelson side of the river. Before their arrival, all was confusion, none knowing where the sito would be selected, some saying it would be at Coal Creek, aiui others predicting, what is now an established fact, that the town would be on a piece of level land at the foot of the large hill, situate a few hundred yards inside the mouth of the river; and on a portion of which a weather-boarded house has been erected for some time. The position is excellent, having deep water up to the point of land which runs round the hill to the east, and Irom which steamers have been accustomed to receive tbeir stocks of coal. Cobden is the official name given to the township on the Nelson side of the Grey, and Greymoulb the name given to the township on the Canterbury side. No time has been wasted by the Superintendent, for within a few days of his arrival a survey has been made, tenders accepted for clearing the tim-,

•ber off the streets, and tenders called for bridging 4he creeks, and forming a horse and cattle track to the first diggings township j known as the Twelve Mile. So far all has been activity, and the prompt action has met with an immediate appreciation by the discerning business people, who have visited the locality. Business licenses have been taken out in large numbers, and revenue from gold has already been collected from bank agents, who have brought the precious metal down from the diggings. There appears to be a predisposition on tiie part of the mining community favorable to the Government of Nelson, who if they press on public works in a liberal manner, will secure a large population on the western portion of the province. It appears that little is known by the Nelson merchants of what a splendid field tor their enterprise has been opened up by Providence in this part of the colony. Let me now inform them, that thousands of miners are located in the gullies and on the ranges on the Nelson side of the Arnold and Grey rivers, all of whom express their confidence in the richness of the country, and in the extensive nature of the golden territory. Thousands of ounces have already reached Hokitika in payment for supplies sent to the miners; hundreds of men may have been seen wending their way from down south of Hokitika, from the Hokitika river, and from all parts. For weeks together, the road between this and the Hokitika, .along the beach, presented the appearance of an army supply, moving on to its destination, so numerous were pack-horses, drays, and wagons. Packing rose from £9 to £3O per ton, and kept at that price until some vessels within the last ten days were loaded at Hokitika, and ran in here.

it is a remarkable fact that all the rich ground at present discovered lies on the Nelson side of the river ; and i otwitbstauding the high price of provisions (£l3O a ton for flour in some parts) notwithstanding the predictions of the Hokitika Press, that a return rush would quickly set in towards that place—and notwithstanding a new field having been opened 28 miles south of the Hokitika —yet, miners still make up the river, and old Ballarat miners (men who have been to dozens of rushes) inform me that they never saw bo few returning from a new rush in any part of the world. These facts speak volumncs for the wealthy character of the ground, and when the Superintendenfcalls for the duly on gold, now being carried across the river into Canterbury, a most surprising change will have to bo made in the export accounts of revenue collected at Hokitika. The latter place still takes to its own account the eleven thousand ounces on which duty was paid there last week when it is well known , that the Grey has furnished nearly all the gold. It must bo so, for the rush up the Grey has been more of a stampede than anything else ; every creek and every gully both north and south of Hokitika poured forth its miners by the score, few only remained ; and we have not received many from other ports yet; all have come from the Canterbury diggings, and are still coming, news having reached here that the new rush dowu Bouth is not so good as was anticipated ; this very day men came down the Grey, and on hearing the news, that the ground does not equal in richness and extent that up the river, made off again at once. We are in possession of information of a most surprising character, as to the extent of the gold country ; men have brought gold into Grey mouth who obtained it more than forty miles above the first rich workings on the river.

Goods sell at a splendid price here, immediately on arrival; freights are easily collected and every thing is moving on in a most legitimate style. On the Greymouth township large and substantial stores, and hotels are going up rapidly. Timber is rather high in price, £2 5s and £2 10s per hundred, but uo lumber or doors, mouldings, or Baltic timber of any kind, is at present obtainable fit any price, although a good demand exists. Let the Nelson people look to this and other supplies .quickly that the trade may not slip from their hands.

Two bank agents went up the river during the past week, one bought 1,200 ounees of gold, and another 600 ozs; they could have bought much more but had not money enough ; this was -done in a couple of days. Tuesday, Aug. 15, Noon, The steamer Eleanor is just leaving, and I have opened my letter to inform you that Mr Walmsley, of the Bank of New South Wales, has just come down the river with another 800 ounces of gold, and the agent of the Bank of New Zealand has also brought a large pareel. The latter Bank has opened a branch office on this township. Wednesday, Aug. 16, The steamer Eleanor was occupied takin® in coals at the landing-place Nelson side all yesterday, and this together with the rough weather hindered her from leaving, but she goes out by this tide. The weather has been of the most miserable character ever since Sunday. Lightning, thunder, hail storms, snow, and rain, suck as I hare not witnessed in Hokitika. Tins, however, has not hindered Mr Wahnsley, of the Bank of New South Wales, and a gentleman from the Bank of New Zealand, prosecuting a journey to the gold-fields in quest of the precious metal. They were enabled in spite of such miserable weather to bring down 1,630 ounces between them, purchased in two days, being nearly as much as they could carry, having to walk all the way. I believe the Eleanor takes between 1,000 and 2,000 ounces of gold.