THE WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 336, 28 December 1865, Page 2

THE WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS.

(From the Nelson Colonist, December 19.) Omt smart lit tie local steamer, the Kennedy, arrived here from the Grey and Hokitika on Fridaylast. She brought 2,000 ounces from the Groy, and 1,000 from Hokitika. The Egmont arrived here from Hokitika early on Sunday morning, with 7,500 ounces of gold from that port. This makes the importation 25,250 ounces of gold into Kelson within six days. The news from both the Grey and Hokitika districts continue good. Ground which has been worked quietly to the south-west of the Grey is turning out very well. One party for the last six weeks averaged half an ounce per man per day, and others do much better. Tt is believed that all the terraces running towards the Arnold and Saltwater rivers are highly auriferous. Smith and party divided £25 per man last week. The North Beach diggings to the north of the Grey are turning out admirable. “ Darkies’' claim, which was previously spoken of as having a shaft sunk in it, has been bottomed, and at sixty feet the wash dirt gave a prospect of one ounce to the dish. Great excitement arose at this result of the first deep sinking attempted in this district. A man named Brown was killed in sinking a Shaft fifteen feet deep. The earth fell in and smothered him. From Hok’tika we learn that the summer sun, having melted the snow on the mountain ranges, has flooded the rivers and creeks, and injured the flumes aud races of the miners of the Kanieri and Woodstock, and so far stopped work in some parts, until more powerful machinery is applied. It is said four parties of miners have united under the title of the Kanieri Steam Drainage Company, and a couple of steam-engines will be erected with two months. Commissioner’s Flat in this district has produced excellent prospects, and is described as being very rich. Kanieri flat is being fully worked and yields handsomely. A paddock sixteen feet square, and seventeen feet deep, which took a small party a fortnight to sink, yielded at the bottom forty ounces of gold. Other claims are yielding equal results, aud many more highly. Double pumps are working on the Kanieri in numbers, and when the water is kept under, £2O n week is not at all rare division.