NEWS FROM KIMBERLEY

Kumara Times, Issue 3154, 13 December 1886, Page 3

NEWS FROM KIMBERLEY

The correspondent of the Wellington Evening Post, writing from the banks of the Elvire, says :—" The-e are about 300 men camped near this, and, from what I can learn, about fifty are making tucker, the rest are almost starving. Some very old men are amongst them, who look more fit for their graves than carrying dirt to wash. A butcher 'here kills three bullocks a week, and about the time he is taking out the offal there is a great rush of meathongry diggers, who cut and tear away at it like so many wild beasts, und in five minutes there is not a bit of the gut to be seen. About three weeks ago there was a great i ush to what is called Brockman's Gully, about thirty mil-'s to the lefr of us, towards the Gulf, but it turned out to be a failure to ail but one man, who it is reported found about 50ozs. or 60ozs. The rest having done nothing cleared out to the Gu.f. Eveiy day pirties are leaving the fields, some by the Derby route but most by the Gulf, all thoroughly disgusted with the field." Writing later, on the 30th September, he says:—" I have been over to Hall's Creek, near where the escort is camped, ;md saw where a patty had struck a muilocky leader, containing a very fair quantity of gold. They are sinking a shaft, and are down about 20ft. The stone, which is the colour of a well-burnt brick, improve? as they go down. The party expect it to turn out well. There are reports of other leaders being struck in Hall's gully, which I believe is correct. Nearly all the. Triumph's passengers have left the field; I don't think more than ten will see the wet season through. There has been a great sale here during the week—drays were sold at from 5s 6d to 20s; harness, per set, about the same; horses, from £lO to £ls; beef, Is per lb; mutton, lOdperlb; flour, Sd per lb; tea, Is 6d ; and rice, Is. These prices do not say much for the field at present. There are a few cases of sickness, mostly fever or scurvy, and three or four deaths from the effects, bat on the whole the diggers enjoy very good health."