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Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 3, 21 January 1867, Page 15

THE WEST COAST GOLD-FIELDS. The following items are from the Nelson Evening Mail of the 12th inst. „ At Hokitika, on the 7th, the river rose in an unusual manner, being fed by the mountain streams, which must have been swelled enormously by a deluge of rain on the high lands. Messrs Byrne and Co., of the Corinthian Hall, have cashhed some cheques on the Bank of New South Wales, forged by one Edmund,'alias Bichard Lamohd, now in custody.'

Okarita is looking tip again, a great many ofher truant population having been induced by disappointment at Fox’s River to return to their old.haunts.

A hawker of jewellery named Miohaelis Levy, is: missed, and apprehensions are entertained for his safety. It is reported that Mr O’Loughlin is likely to receive the appoitment of District Judge for Westland. • The! Circuit Court at Hokitika will open op the 15th inst., Captain Wilson is lecturing on. ElectroBiology, in aid of the funds of the . Church of England. . . ’ The schooner Glengarry' has left for Haast River with a party of twenty miners on a; prospecting tour. New ground has been.opened up on the Kaneri River, eight miles from the ; township. : , The return,of gold from the old "Fourmiles from the township is said to be on the increase. In the Big Paddock three leads 5 of gold are traced and. the average produce of the .different claims is variously estimated at >£6 to £lO, per man per week.,...' j At thr Pakihi sportß some disturbances took' place| mid' Mr Warden Jones got Buhdry , 'blowrahd knocks in attempting io interfere' between tKe disputants. ■

The following items are port Times, ofithe 9th As we stated in our last tor has arrived.in Westport, being now engaged.in a geological suryey of this part of .the island.

We understand that he came direct-frqm Collingwood, and has followed the coast line generally from that.place.. ; Respecting existing diggings it appears that no gold has ever been got north of the Karamea till reaching the Patarau, where a fer miners at one time worked with some success. From Collingwood he thinks that auriferous rocks extend to the S.S.W., through the head of the Aorere and the Anatoki, in the direction of the Upper Karamea, and on to the Lyall,

On the Golden Downs, up the Heaphy on the Slate and Rocky Rivers the Wanganui, the Wangapeka, and the Matiri, gold has already been got. From the Buller northward .the goldbearing rocks are mpre or less. completely cut off from the coast by ranges of nonauriferous mountains, composed of granite and sandstone, which are steep and almost inaccessible. The Karamea and Mokihinui Rivers, break through these ranges by gorges, and here the vast difficulties that attend milling adventures begin. It is impossible' to clamber along the sides of these -places l with heavy loads and the current, is. .so terrific that , canoes have no chance of getting through under the most favorable circumstances. Although. unquestionably auriferous country is beyond, it is, for the abwe reason unusually difficult of access from the Westward, and it is from mining parties being unable to. penetrate the rivers high enough, Dr Hector considess that so many unprofitable expeditions have been occasioned. - As a possible access to this country, it may be mentioned that there is a pass from the Upper Mokihinui to the Matiri, and a pass is supposed to exist between the Upper Mokihinui and the Lyall. On the present beach of the Karamea there are but few abdications of its being verry payable, ancL/bi fact, all the beach diggings in that country hold only gold that has been first washed down through the gorges above -mentioned and then cast up by the sea. If there is.gold on the Karamea Flat he considers it will be got behind the big lagoon. ‘ - He speaks highly of the coal resources of Mount Rochfort, Mokihinui and the Nakawa, but his examination of this district, has been a. very cursory one so far. though when completed, it cannot 'fail to be * resufts7*ahd ~to afford reliable information of the highest value to the miners on the coast.