WEST COAST GOLD FIELDS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 316, 19 October 1865, Page 3

WEST COAST GOLD FIELDS.

GREAT INFLUX OF DIGGERS FROM AUSTRALIA. 1 NEW CHANNEL CUT THROUGH THE SPIT. WRECK OF THE MARIA FROM MELBOURNE. REPORT FROM BRUCE BAT. Jftom tbs ITelssn Examiner, October 10.] To the kindness of Captain Mundle, of the steamer Rangatira, which arrived here on Sunday morning from Hokitika, we are indebted for tho first copy of a new weekly journal published at Hokitika, called the Leader, which made its appearance on Friday last. The paper is published at the office of the West Coast Times, and is a publication which does credit to the proprietors.

We have very little gold nows by this arrival beyond what we have previously received. The steamer Bruce returned from her second trip to Bruce Bay on the 15th inst, but the intelligence she brough is rather calculated to check than to increase the rush to that locality. A special reporter of the West Coast Times, writing from Bruce Bay, states that a township is being surveyed, and that storekeepers have already established themselves there, and says:—“ The population I estimate at 140, many of whom are spending their time in washing, resetting their tents, picking cockles at low tide, which are here in great quantities, while others are fowling ; but although many reports can he heard, in no instance I have seen them return with game. They say that ducks and pigeons are much scarcer than they anticipated. The question now arises, what has justified this largo rush of people. I have been unable to visit the Nine-mile Beach, as it is called, from what I can learn there are about 250 men, besides seventy-three horses, and eighty two pedestrians that come overland. Hunt and party have, or are about to commence operations with quicksilver on the sea beach, and I am assured by those who came in the same cntter that the prospects were much inferior to those’that can bo had on the beach between Hokitika and Three-Mile Creek. He advises prospecting, which ho intends doing, and some are now back in the interior. I might mention that the main range approaches mu oh nearer the sea than in the vicinity of Hokitika, which must limit tho area for prospecting, and, a swamp of co isiderable breadth runs in a lino with the sea-shore that will require crossing. I would strongly and sincerely advise all parties whoso minds are disturbed by this rush, to divest themselves of its influence, or wait until something tangible has been found ; as yet there is nothing and it is quite within the range of probability that if nothing is discovered within a few days the sea-shore will be lined by returning disappointed miners.

*' On the night of Sunday, the Ist instant, the heavy rain which fell caused a great flood in the Hokitika. The Leonidas, which has been launched from the spit, and was at anchor in the rived, was •wept away by the flood, and carried on to the islands at the mouth of the river, but she was subsequently got afloat a second time. Before the week had half expired, the flood had cut for itself a straight channel to the sea, and so good had this become on Friday, that seventy vessels were able to enter the river on that day, only one of them suffered any disaster, the Maria—a threemasted schooner from Melbourne, which being the last of the fleet, went on shore, the arrival of such a large number of vessels, many of them being from Melbourne and Sydney, must operate considerably on the market. The Omeo, which had heen ten days off the port, with 450 tons of cargo, had only succeeded in landing 24 tons, as the Yarra, upon whose services to lighter her had been calculated on had been wrecked.

** The wreck of the tug steamer Samson has been sold for £224 5». The flood spoken of abovo cut through the spit, directly under the bows of the wreck, slewed her head to sea, and finally washed her afloat, only, however, to be cast aground again between the Mount Alexander and John Bullock. When the cargo of this latter ▼easel came to be discharged, it was found that it bad sustained little or no damage.”