The Kimberley Diggings.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1710, 17 May 1886, Page 3

The Kimberley Diggings.

Mr C. E. Deely, of the firm of Alcpck Bros, and Co., merchants, Palmerston and Derby, and who' is stationed at the latter place, gives. the following interestin^ particulars relative to the Kimberley gold-tield- ' Writing on Mare&'3oth, Mr Dcclv says :—" About eight men have made their way m from the snpposed gold-field; They report about forty men up there. They haye.com* m to buy rations. It is-goinc; 'to be the .biggest field m Australia m oar opinion. All men who are m have gold with them, but they are keeping it dark, and have only brought m enough for their wants. I bought 84ozs from two men yesterday, 22ozs from another. We hear of another party close here who have 2400z, with them, one piece weighing 19 ozs. It isa beautiful sample-of gold, quite as good as that f rom the Palmer. What we have, runs from soz to loz pieces, all water worn, except one parcel, which was cvi dently- got on the surface from a rough leader/ AU I •am afraid of is a rush with a lot ofm.enjmd.no money. This is the nearest oort, and the best road is from here ; but the field is 300 miles inland at least, and poor men cannot get there. It never will be a. poor man's ai<*2ings— they must have horseß.' In another letter Mr Deeley fays the gales sometimes, experienced there are terrific. They come on very suddenly, accompanied by loud thunder and rain, and it is almost impossible to hear any sound while they last. Alligators are numerous m the rivers, and snakes are frequently seen. Speaking of the goldfields again he adds, " there is going to be an awful rush, and I do hope the papers will warn poor men that there will also be a 1 lot of misery. Recently m Derby as much as 15s was paid for fitfcy gallons o£ water. '