THE MARLBOROUGH GOLDFIELDS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 106, 4 May 1864, Page 3

THE MARLBOROUGH GOLDFIELDS.

The special correspondent of the Ndson Examiner, of the 19th April, says: — The diggings were discovered in the following manner. Two years since a party of sawyers were working near the mouth of the Wakamarina, and for four days prospected for gold, and found a speck. They did nothing more. Wilson, who lives close by, heard of this, but he did not like to mention it lest it might be said he wished to draw persons there for his own sake. He has ever since desired to prospect for gold in the river, but the reason, as he states and as I believe, for the delay was that his business required all his time and attention. Ultimately a party of four was formed, consisting of Wilson, two Messrs Rutland, and Harris, and this day fortnight they started for the Wakamarina to prospect. They went up the river, trying it in several places, and found the color in every dishful of dirt except one. The result of their several prospects was 3|dwts., and to get which they had to sleep out one night. They returned, however, last Tuesday week, and on Wednesday Mr Rutland made a " torn," and on Thursday they set in where they got their best prospect. The Wakamarina rises not very far from what is called " The Devil's Arm-chair," in the same range as does other branches of the Pelorus, all of which I fully believe will be found auriferous. The Wakamarina valley is well wooded, but not heavily, nor do you find any troublesome underbrush. You can walk anywhere in the bush, and the river has terraces to which no flood can reach. I fully I believe that gold reaches quite back to these terraces. The river has not much washdirt, save here and there some good bars. It does not run rapidly, and is quite of as great a body as the Maitai, at Nelson. There is a very large quantity of beautiful flat land, fit for the I agriculturist, that of course will now be withheld from sale, as Mr Carter tells me he shall at once request powers similar to those conferred on the Superintendent of Nelson. But there arises a difficulty. No one can fix the limits of the field. It is now known only in one river and a few small creeks, but in how many it may be will require some time to as- | certain. A dispute, I regret to say, has already arisen with regard to the bonus. Wilson and his party undoubtedly found the gold, but unluckily sent in their claim for the bonus to Nelson. Another individual, hearing a day after that Mr Wilson had found gold, with some amount of keenness set off at once for Picton, and lodged his claim. I hope, however, the authorities will fully inquire before they give the bonus. There is but little washdirt, but the banks are all good, and I believe there is any quantity of room. Ihere are now, I think, about 200 persons on the diggings, but the higher they go up the heavier is the gold and the better the yield—that is, so far as I hear. These are those who are now working twelve miles up the river, and they all give good re- | ports. Whatever those reports may be, I j would beg everyone, unless he can undergo j fatigue and do much hard work, to keep away. | It is useless, worse than useless, for persons to I come here and hang on to trees because they I cannot travel, and beg of persons to give them | provisions or shelter. No one here has more ! that he wants at present. i The distances between Nelson and the digj gings are—from Nelson to the foot of the 1 Mokatapu hill, nine miles; Mokatapu hill to | the Heringa river, eight miles; Heringa to ITinline river, three miles; Tinline to the i Pelorus river, five miles; Pelorus to Waka- | marina river, six and a half miles; Wakamarina to Wilson's house, half-mile; Wilson's to I diggings, five and three-quarter miles; though I these last five and three-quarter miles cer • j tainly seem eight. j The same journal of the 22nd ult., contains j the following:— The general intelligence from the new goldI field continues to be satisfactory, and various ■ accounts of good gains are received. Of J course, in numerous cases these are greatly ■ exaggerated, and the word of mouth reports I require to be received with considerable cauj tion. For instance, the other day a report j was spread that a party of four Nelson digjgers had got 8 lbs. weight of gold; this quantity speedily became 16 lbs. in the current gossip, while the actual returns, and very good they are, amount to 24 ozs., or 6 ozs. to each member of the party, with which all are, no doubt, very well contented. On Monday last the Superintendent of Marlborough proceeded up the river to the diggings, and a meeting of the diggers was | held, when the extent of claims was fixed at 30 feet by 20 feet for each man, and various disputes as to claims were settled,

Gold has been discovered in the Kaituna river, and passes by the township of Havelock- All that is known is that a good prospect is reported to have been obtained, but to what extent the ground is auriferous remains to be proved. ,