THE WEST COAST GOLD FIELDS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 326, 23 November 1865, Page 2

THE WEST COAST GOLD FIELDS.

DISASTROUS FLOOD AT HOKITIKA. THREE VESSELS WASHED OUT TO SEA AND LOSS OF LIFE, ’ 10,350 OUNCES OF GOLD FROM HOKIT I K A. GOOD NEWS FROM THE GREY. 10,616 OUNCES FROM THE GREY. [From tbe Colonist, November 7.] By the arrival of the steamers Wonga Rangitoto, and Kennedy, we have intelligence from Hokitika up to Sunday last. The reports from the various fields continue good, and although very heavy floods have proved a considerable drawback to miners, the yield of gold is satisfactory, and the arrivals yesterday are large.

The Kennedy, from Hokitika, brought the following parcels of gold for the banks Union Bank, 1750 ounces; Hank of New South Wales, 2000 ounces; Bank of New Zealand, 6600 ounces • total from Hokitika, 10,350 ounces. ’

The shipment by the Wallaby, from the Grey River, whence that steamer arrived last night, was as follows Union Bank, 1500 ounces ; Bank of New South Wales, 4000 ounces; Bank of New Zealand; 5116 ounces; total from the Grey, 10,616 ounces. Total arrival yesterday, 20,966 ounces. This is the greatest quantity of gold that ever entered the Port of Nelson in cue day, and the above shipments are with a single exception the largest we have ever received by any one vessel.

The news from the Grey Gold-fields is good • and indeed in the face of this importation of gold it could hardly be otherwise. Miners are doing well at all the recent rushes in the neighborhood of the Grey River, of which we have formerly spoken. Fresh gullies are continually being opened, and the diggings are fast assuming the character of a permanent gold field. Not being so subject to the heavy drawbacks experienced by Hokitika from the state of the river, the Grey Gold-field must eventually throw the other into the shade • indeed it is doubtful whether the yield of gold is not already larger than that of Hokitika,

The above arrivals, from Hokitika, bring news of the most disastrous flood that the people of Hokitika have ever witnessed. The very heavy rains which have visited the district, and the melting of the snow on the ranges, caused the river to rise very rapidly, and on Friday an immense volume of water came down the river, carrying everything before it. Houses have been taken bodily away ; the earth being washed from under them, and the dwellings floated do svn the river. Numbers of buildings in the town, still standing, have six or seven feet of water round them.

The fresh has formed a new channel, having entirely washed away the spit, leaving a passage over the bar of fifteen feet, where two days before there was but eight feet of water. The water rose over the wharf, and has washed away several vessels; the strength of the current being estimated at about nine to ten knots on hour. This is only the first of a series of floods which may bo expected now that the warm weather is coming on. The immense extent of mountain rangea perpetually covered with snow, and the very precipitous descent which the water must have, owing to the ranges being so near the seaboard, must, at the melting of the snow under the influence of the sun, produce a series of floods which will prove very disastrous to the commercial interests of Hokitika, for while a deeper channel is

is formed for the entrance of vessels, the strong current in the river, during such floods, renders their safety when inside a matter really more doubtful than when outside the bar. We have alluded to the fact of vessels being carried out to sea by the flood. Three vessels ■were thus carried out, and we regret to say that these accidents have been attended with the loss of at least three lives.

The schooners Dolphin and Sarah, which recently got stranded, and crossed the bar by the <c overland rente,” but had nearly completed their repairs, were washed out to sea on Friday night. he former bad one man on board, and the remains of the vessel were found next morning on the beach, smashed up into innumerable fragments, the man’s body nowhere to be seen. The Sarah had two men on board, and she lias not been seen since. The fear is that she has gone down, as the repairs were believed to be not in such a forward state as would make her safe for the sea. The names of the men we have not learned.

The brig Craigevar, as will be seen by our shipping intelligence, has been totally wrecked at Hokitika, through being washed out to sea also, although moored by two anchors. A Political Disappointment has occurred at Hokitika causing considerable disgust among the people there. A meeting was held on Tluirsday last to receive the adresses of Messrs Hawke and Young, who had offered themselves for nomination to represent Hokitika in the Council. From information received that day, it was found that both gentlemen were ineligible for election, and the meeting after expressing indignation at having to elect Christchurch men, broke up. Gold in the Sand at the Sea Beach.—The Advertiser publishes its belief that the whole of the sea beach from the Grey River, north, to the Bruce, south, is one almost unbroken area of auriferous sand, which scientifically and economically worked will afford a living to many thousands of men. Certainly not more than a living, but a good living nevertheless.