THE OKITIKI RUSH.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 200, 29 March 1865, Page 2

THE OKITIKI RUSH.

The mail brings us, on the whole, favorable accounts. A goldfieldof considerable extent has been opened up, but the earlier accounts of its wonderful richness have not been borne out, and neither is the field a central one. This goldfield, for we should no longer call it a rush, will soon assume its proper position. It is a scattered one. The population nocking to it have already exhausted the known rich ground, and we read of prospecting parties being out in every direction. The movement is now southward, towards Martin's Bay, instead of the diretion of Nelson. Many vague rumors are current, but we prefer giving our readers reliable extracts to judge for themselves, but we can safely say that, until new ground is opened, many of those who have flocked to the spot will find the Okitiki by no means a glorious Eldorado. The river bar continues to be a great obstacle to free communication—one day small steamers pass over it readily, at others they are unable to do so at all. Business is very brisk and plenty of people to do it, and though many are returning, the mass seem to be contented with the prospects before them. We wish these new goldfields every success, and feel confident that ultimately they will be of immense advantage to this portion of the Province of Otago. We now proceed to give the latest intelligence we can gather. The 'Press' says:—"The following statement of the quantity of Canterbury gold on which duty has been collected at the port of Nelson since the 15th October last, has been furnished by the SubTreasurer at Lyttelton, J. W. Hamilton : Date of Receipt. Quantity of Gold.

It is estimated, however, that about 15,000 ozs more should be added to these returns, if extended to the 20th inst, giving a return for the first quarter of the year of about 22,000 ozs, or over 7,000 ozs per month. The average population cannot be estimated, but it is probably about 2,000 persons. The returns are high under any circumstances. The 'Press' of the 20th inst gives the following resume :—" The news from the goldfields is of a cheering character. It seems that the yield in the week was as much as 3,000 ozs, but the steamers had been obliged to return on their last trip without getting over the bars. Neither the Okitiki nor the Grey were practicable from want of water. It is a very serious matter that several thousand persons should suddenly congregate in a district which is thus cut off for any lengthened period from the rest of the colony." The City of Dunedin and another steamer had, however, through the instrumentality of the smaller steamers landed their passengers safely. The discomfort through want of accommodation is stated to be very great. The weather was fine but squally. most dispiriting accounts are to be found in the 'Lyttelton Times' of the 20th inst, which sa y S :__" We learn from up-country that our anticipations are correct. A large number of men are returning to town from their attempt to visit the western goldfields. If any of these have ever seen the diggings at all, the instances, at any rate, are exceedingly rare, and will have, therefore, no news from the field itself. The men returning are chiefly mechanics and laboring men, who have given up something tangible here to try their fortune at gold-mining, and are now sadder and, perhaps wiser men, foot-sore generally, and many quite hard up. Some of them, whose names we. could mention, as well as known tradesmen in this town, are in a miserable plight, and repent heartily of trying the overland route. The accounts they give of the road are equally awful and absurd; one of the statements given being, that the river had to be crossed 104 times! Some of the men returning have not crossed the Saddle; some have never seen Taylor's; and some even have not got beyond the Gorge. A few days ago Mr Taylor's stores, at his station, were 4 stuck up.' On Saturday week, a party of men broke the store open, took all the flour—about a ton and a-half, and a quantity of mutton; and finished up by digging and carrying off a plot of fine potatoes. This is but a poor return for Mr Taylor's kindness, who has done everything in his powef to help the diggers." We regret, as must everyone else, the signs of rowdyism. Mr Taylor has been very hospitable. The road is well furnished with stores, and some explanation is required for the proceedings we are about to give. The Canterbury people have received the miners very warmly, and we shall impatiently wait to learn the reason why so poor a return has been given. The * Timaru Herald' says:—"We hear that the stores at the Weka Pass were rushed this week by a large mob, who, as our informant stated, were going it 'tall ropes.' The few police stationed in the district were powerless. The rush along the North road is losing that peaceable character whieh first characterised it." For our last account we are indebted to the Dunedin * Times,' and we extract from a letter dated as late as the 7th March, from the Greenstone. Our own accounts are to the

10th inst:—" There is a great rush to the Three-mile Creek, Six-mile Creek, Callaghan's Gully, Fox's Creek Gully, and Maori Gully; and the whole of these have turned out very well, and in some instances they have done first-rate; and on our arrival we found the ground all taken up, and the number of people daily arriving could scarcely be counted, from the fact of their arriving in the steamers, also overland from Christchurch—the steamer City of Dunedin on Sunday last, also two others; and in speaking to several of the passengers, they tell me that the excitement in Nelson is very great—the steamers are full. lam afraid that a great many persons will be disappointed here. The place is very rough, aud the <*old is very much scattered indeed; whenever* we tried, and that in a great many places, we could find the color, but not in sufficient quantity to pay. We went to the diggings I have mentioned, and were not satisfied with the place, and returned to the Greenstone, where a great many who are at work are doing pretty well. Wages are from 25s to £2 per diem. On our arrival here we we were offered a claim, and did not accept the offer. I cannot advise any person to come, but 1 believe there will be a large quantity of gold obtained on the West Coast, and it will certainly get a trial. Now there are men out in every gully prospecting, and if gold is to be found in them they are directly rushed; and in out of the way places provisions cannot be obtained and the country is very rough—the gullies where the gold is found are very steep, and do not take long to work out.

" Provisions are very high—flour, Is per lb; bacon, 2s 6d; beef, Is 6d; tea, ss; potatoes, 8d to Is; sugar, Is 2d; nobblers, Is; pick, 17s 6d; shovel, 15s; tin dish, 10s; and gold, £3 Iss per oz. Those who have horses for packing are making from £6 to £7 a-day. They are charging £2 10s per lOOlbs for a distance often miles; each horse carrying 2501bs—and very independent. There are a great many horses arriving from Christchurch, also from the Wakamarina."

The following shipping news extracted from various sources, may be of interest to many of our readers:—"The steamer Bruce which sailed last Thursday week, with 100 passengers for the Okitiki, reached Nelson on the morning of the I2th inst all well. She encountered a heavy cross sea on the Friday previous, during which she was kept away, and lightened by throwing over a deck load of coals and one iron water tank. This much relieved the little vessel, which only draws 4 feet 3 inches when loaded; she behaved throughout in a manner which speaks well for her seaworthiness. Those on board of her say that scarcely a sea was shipped during the voyage." The schooner Mount Alexander, which was one of the first vessels to sail from this port for Okitiki river since the commencement of the rush, returned on Monday evening, and subsequently proceeded to Dunedin jetty. On arrival at Okitiki her passengers were conveyed ashore by steamer, at a cost of £1 per head, paid by the vessel. The weather at the time was very fine, enabling the landing to be effected much more easily than is usually the case. With a westerly wind the anchorage is a very unsafe one; and the bar, at other times good, is not such as can be taken without considerable risk. This was demonstrated by the steamer Storm Bird having got ashore on the spit, where she lay high and dry. Other two vessels, small sailing craft, had also got ashore in taking the bar. On it, at low water, there is not more than two or three feet; as there is a rise of from eight to ten feet, it is not by any means difficult at the proper t'me of tide, or with favorable weather; and inside the spit there is a fine lagoon or basin, affording good accommodation for shipping. The Titania was tying there."

A Special meeting of the Forester's Association takes place to-night. Our Arrow correspondent's letter is very reassuring, and shows how valuable, for sluicing purposes, is the fall of snow on the ranges. We have to acknowledge the courtesy of Mr Beetham in handing us the statistics published by the General Government for the year 1863. At Oamaru they have, as well as here, to print their own Electoral forms. The only difference is that Is has been charged there, and 6d here.

We have received the copy of a pamphlet containing the address of the hon. Major Richardson, delivered to his constituency, at Dunedin, on the 23rd February, 1865. The 'Press' remarks on the licensing system in Canterbury:—" A serious obstruction has arisen out of the provisions of the Public House Ordinance. We are sick of denouncing that illconsidered measure. The longer it remains on the statue book, the more blunders will be found in it. It seems that no public-house can now be established on the road, even temporarily, as used formerly to be the case. Application must be made to the Bench of Magistrates on the licensing day, that is, on the Ist of May. In the meantime, men wet and cold by crossing rivers, must go without accommodation or stimulanta"

The Bchooner Wild Wave, with passengers and a fall cargo, sailed for the Okitiki on Saturday afternoon, with a strong breeze from S.W., proceeding via Cook's Str its. By the Wild Wave are several of our townsmen, visiting the new El Dorado. The ketch Blue Bell, Swan, master, from Otago to Okitiki, put into this part and anchored on Saturday morning, weather bound.—* Southland News.

— — X Ozs. Dwts. 1864, October 1 - 73 19 „ 8 - - 350 0 ii November 4 - 300 0 j) December 3 - 890 0 1865, January 3- - 1200 0 » February 3 - 2325 0 i) March - 3655 0 8623 19