NELSON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 458, 25 March 1857, Page 5

NELSON.

We have Nelson "papers to March 18th. Since our last information, dated.; Feb. 22nd, the gold diggings have made great progress. The details connected therewith will be best gathered from the subjoined extracts from the "Examiner." /" ■. THE NELSON GOLD FIELDS. (From the "Esaminer," Feb. 25th.) The important news brought from Massacre Bay byG. Ridings, Esq., who has tins morning returned from a visit to the gold-field m that, district, induces us to publish the information we have thus received in the form ol a Supplement, in order. that this highly interesting' information may be forwarded to Wellington tomorrow by the Monsoon, for transmission to.. England by the Oliver Lang. We shall indulge in no remarks ourselves on this occasion, on. what may now be considered little short ol _ a fact actually demonstrated, that we possess in this ■•province' a rich gold-field; for every one acquainted with the gold-fields of Australia, who have seen those at Aorere, is of opinion that richer indications have rarely come under his observation than at the diggings which we are now speaking of. The flakes of gold, are disseminated so equally throughout .the surface soil, as to.leave no doabt but that jar richer deposits will be found at the foot of th? higher ranges ; and we:look forward with considerable interest to the report which Miv M'Gregor will be able to furnish of the prospecting tour which he has undertaken to these ranges of mountains. The government of the province, \ve learn, has taken measures to survey a township at the harbour of Parapara, which is within five miles of the diggings now being worked ; but there is no present intention, we hope, of interfering with the labours of the diggers, by calling upon them to pay a license-fee. If the diggings go forward, as we believe they now will, we hope some better plan than issuing

licenses will be devised for making these goldfields contribute to the revenue. The license, system has'never worked well in Australia,, one great objection to it being that the successful and unsuccessful digger are required to pay to the Government the like sum. A: gold exportduty would probably be better. While on the subject of gold, we must mention another important circumstance. A nugget of gold has been shown as, weighing three pennyweights, twelve grains,- which was- picked up accidentally by a gentleman, in a stream on the eastern side of the'province. Being on a journey at the time, no search was prosecuted for evidence of further auriferous, treasures existing in the neighbourhood. ' ABSTRACT OF LETTER FROM MR. W. G. LIGHTBAND TO HIS BROTHER. Since I last wrote to you respecting the goldfields, a great change has" taken place for the better. The diggings are certainly promising a good reward to all those who are „ now at work on them. As regai'ds our' own party, our success has been small. After"working with the long-torn for twenty-eight days, our division of gold only amounted to about 1 oz. each per man, and | oz. for the boy. I attribute our want of success to bad management, -none of the party knowing properly the way the longtorn should be used: in Australia I principally used the tub and cradle. We have since separated —I and G-. Adam and the boy forming one party, and are now working the tub and cradle; and, strange to say, both parties have made a- good start for the better, having accumulated in the last three days 2\ ozs. of gold. I think we shall do better with a long torn which I intend getting in a day or two. lam acquainted with several pai^ties at the present time who are making £1 per day each man. I was instructed by'a number of the diggers to draw up regulations for their protection,' peace, and quietude; and, at a meeting-at which I was appointed to preside over, the regulations, were agreed to, a copy of which I will forward in my next. For my part, I would sooner take my chance on these than on the Melbourne diggings, being perfectly satisfied with the richness of the deposits on these diggings. - I am, &c, William Lightband, , Massacre Bay Diggings, Feb. 22, 1857. ' N.B.—Mr. Catley will give you a list of the working of some of the parties..