WEST CANTERBURY GOLD-FIELDS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 311, 2 October 1865, Page 2

WEST CANTERBURY GOLD-FIELDS.

A. Correspondent of .tho Press, writing under date Hokitika, September 18, says:—Nothing of interest has transpired during the week, and but little news has come in from the diggings. The Egniout, Alhambra, and Barwon steamers bring in large numbers of new faces, and the town has consequently presented rather a busy appearance. The Dancing Wave, which I advised you in hit last was ashore, will most likely be in tin* water again to-night quite uninjured. The Leonidas is in course of being launched again, and will also be but slightly damaged. News has come in that three vessels, the Spray, the Swan, and another are ashore at the Grey, and if so, as the sea is uncommonly rough, they will probably become total wrecks. The races were a great success, and gave universal satisfaction. The weather was heavenlv, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. The course, which was along the beach, might perhaps have been better, but still it was the best that could be had, and it is hoped that the next meeting will be run on turf. The Egmont having left for Nelson without discharging her cargo, has caused considerable inconvienee to consignees, and if no dependence can be placed in these large steamers waiting off the port a sufficient time to enable them to lighter goods they have engaged to deliver, persons will do well to ship only by vessels that can enter the riven THE GREY. The West Coast Times of the 16th says:— Whilst admitting the truth of the adage concerning rumour, and the proverbial verdancy of herbage at a distance, we cannot altogether pass over in silence the reports that are reaching us from the Grey district. We have hesitated laying them before the public in consequence of their lacking anything in tho shape of authenticity, but the plain straightforward statement of Captain M’Meikan, of the s.s. Uno, leads us to suppose that there is not only some truth in the accounts but there is every probability that a new and important district has been opened, and proved to be highly auriferous. The intefigence we have alluded to was communicated to the above gentleman by some canoe men, who had been up at the Grey with provisions, and their account was, that forty-five miles from the mouth of the river, a country free from timber, and well grassed, had been prospected, and good payable gold discovered. The situation of these workings is within three miles of Maclay’s station, and from the “ lay” of the country it is fancied the gold is running towards the head of the Buller. The report goes on to say that so free is the land from timber that a man can ride for miles without coming to a single tree. The boatmen also stated that they found a ready sale for their flour at eight pounds the hundred. In giving publicity to this report we would warn our mining readers agaimt too implicitly relying upon it until further inteligence reaches us. Eew who are from the Lake district but know what boatmen’s rushes mean, and although in this instance their information may be quite correct, a little consideration before starting may not be unadvisable. It is quite certain that if it is a horui fde rush, we shall soon receive information through more reliable channels.