WEST COAST GOLDFIELDS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 275, 16 December 1865, Page 3

WEST COAST GOLDFIELDS.

Of the serious riot we referred to a few issues ago as having taken place at the Okarita —a new diggings near Bruce Bay—the 'Hokitika Advertiser' says:—"lt appears that a number of miners left Bruce Bay for the Okarita for the purpose of taking up claims at that place, and when in the act of so doing were assailed with stones, bludgeons, hammers, and sluice forks by the miners residing there, and who were already in occupation of the quantity of ground allowed them by their miners-rights. The affray assumed such a serious character that two men are now lying dangerously wounded with little hope of recovery, and Messrs Chambers and Millar, storekeepers, who tried to quell the fury of the rioters, were kicked and beaten about the face and body in an unmerciful manner. Another storekeeper, whose name has not come to hand, had a large quantity of provisions destroyed, and was also badly injured in the hand; in fact, these desperadoes seemed to wreak their vengeance upon everyone that came in their way, and to have used the knife pretty freely, as Mr Bracken, in striving to protect himself from their murderous assaults, received a severe gash in his right hand, from which he is likely to suffer for some time."

We learn from the same authority:—" On Thursday afternoon a man fell down in a swoon in Revell-street. A large crowd, as is usual in such cases, gathered round, and of course every assistance was rendered to restore him. After a copious application of cold water and friction being applied to the limbs, the poor fellow recovered. The cause of fainting was soon ascertained. The man had had nothing to eat for twenty hours. A few seconds, after the fact became known the liberality of those present was sufficient to get the man board and lodgings for a week at least."

The 4 Hokitika Advertiser' says: —" One proprietor will ask for a thirty-three feet section with a tenantable building on it something a trifle over what the building actually cost him. An adjacent owner, with only some fifteen or twenty feet frontage, and an old tent on it which admits the rain through it as freely as would a kitchen colander or a baker's sieve, will ask a price which would purchase the fee simple of the best stand in the most business part of the town. As an instance of the extreme views which people entertain of the value of their sections, we may mention that a very snug two-roomed residence standing on a full-sized section of sand sold for £45. On the adjoining section on which was an old tent the owner asked £BO for twenty feet of the ground without the tent. It is not a little strange that every occupant of a section or a portion of one, whether it be on the sea beach or in a swamp or on the line of a surveyed street which is occasionally from four to six feet under water, has deluded himself by some process of reasoning beyond one's comprehension to analyse into the belief, that his stand is the very best in all Hokitika. There is always something coming opposite or alongside of it which will make it certain of being one of the most valuable spots in all Hokitika." The Grey River 4 Argus' gives the following account of a Maori burial-place at Greymouth :—" Not half a mile from the centre of Greymouth is the burial-place of the Maori tribe of this district, and in itself may be looked upon as both curious and interesting. Ascending about twenty feet the almost impenetrable range which overhangs the muddy track that winds along the edge of the Grey, there is a cave, down deep in the side of the cliff, and here for years past has been the last resting place of a race fast declining upon the West Coast. The coffins are piled one upon another, and from the mouth of the cave they can be plainly seen; but should curiosity lead the visitor further he can descend with a little difficulty, by a rude ladder, and inspect the curious home of the dead."

In a very able review of past results and present prospects the Canterbury • Press' concludes with the following remarks: —" One new feature will be presented in the action which the Province must take. Hitherto every fresh period of progress has called for fresh immigration, and a large sum has been voted for that purpose. That will now be unnecessary. It is impossible to carry on immigration in the pjesence of a goldfield. Should that branch of enterprise prove increasingly successful it will prove increasingly attractive, and labor will be supplied in abundant quantities without the assistance of public money. On the other hand, should the goldfields fall off, such an amount of unemployed labor will be thrown on our hands that it will take all our means to engage it on public works."

The 4 Wood's Point Leader' reports thaj a few gentlemen met at Drysdale's machine, for the purpose of trying the new discovery by Dr Crooke, of adding the metal sodium to quicksilver, for the purpose of making it more sensi. tive. Two samples of quartz-tailings, weighing 51 ozs each, were taken and treated, one of the parcels with mercury, and the other was treated with the addition of the sodium, which, immediately upon touching the quicksilver, was dissolved. The result of the experiment was not so satisfactory, as the quicksilver without the addition of the sodium contained the larger quanof gold after washing off and retorting.

The question as to when a person should surrender to his bail, was the subject of attention at the Nelson Criminal Session lately, when Judge Johnstone laid down the following law of the case: —He said it was riot a correct custom which required.a man to surrender till a bill had been found against him by the Grand Jury. The recognizance expressly required him to " surrender to answer any bill that might be found against him." His Honor said, as this was a matter of some importance, he was desirous that the law of the case should be known. The conditions of bail were not broken till a true bill had been found by the Grand Jury against the party bailed. The potato market of Hokitika is thus described by the ' Advertiser': —" The first shipment of new potatoes arrived from Nelson by the Kennedy. The price asked for them was extremely reasonable—only ninepence per pound. It would scarcely be thought that the sale hung fire at this rate, 1 Not,' as a most respectable hawker of them informed us, ' because the taters was dear, but because the people didn't care parting with the ready tin for 'em.' Perhaps our hawker friend was right."

Banquets (says the 'Nelson Examiner') seem to be much in vogue in Otago. The papers say a subscription-list is going round Dunedin for a banquet to Mr V. Pyke. The people of Dunedin adopt the Gallic maxim, "La vie, ccst le diner?

The 1 New Zealand Advertiser' mentions a rumor to the effect that the electors of the city of Wellington are likely to invite Major Richardson to become a candidate for the representation of that city in the General Assembly.

A grand banquet has been given to the Auckland representatives. There were about 200 gentlemen present, Sir F. Whitaker, Superin. tendent, in the chair. The report of the proceedings occupies eight columns of the ' Southern Cross."

The 1 Timaru Herald ' reports a new gold discovery made last week by a man named Doherty, at present employed at the Waitaki Ferry : —"A short time since Doherty, who was at one time on the Otago diggings, sent to Timaru for a tin dish, pick, and shovel, and shortly afterwards started off alone to prospect the country, which he believed, from its appearance to be auriferous. He sunk two or three after obtaining the first prospect, from all of which he washed a little gold; but his provisions being exhausted he was compelled to return to the Waitaki, without having bottomed any of the holes. The exact locality of the find is of course a secret, but jjre have reason to believe that it is not more than twenty miles distant from Timaru, in a south-west direction. The gold is of a fine scaly character, and the quantity obtained weighs from three to four pennyweights." We understand (says the ' Bruce Herald') that a meeting of gentlemen favorable to the railway scheme was held in Dunedin a few days ago. A number of members of Council were present, and it was resolved to endeavor to get a Government guarantee of eight per cent, and then if the Government did not itself undertake the work in any way to at once form a railway company with a view to immediate commencement of the line. The cost of a line from Dunedin to the Clutha is estimated not to exceed 350,000?.