THE KIMBERLEY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1729, 9 June 1886, Page 4

THE KIMBERLEY.

The following list of requirements for j the journey to the gold fields has been | compiled by Mr Oarr-Boyd :— Two or more horses,, two pack-saddles and l bridles, four sets of shoes, with plenty of nails, four pairs oE bobbies and chains, one large mosquito net (6ffc. by 6ft), one large pair blankets, two pair strong boots, small pick and shovel, one prospecting dish, small :'.x\ ;r->M S" n w^." . plant y'oi No 1 shot-, mvx.v-.w. arain;mi- j tiotf, 'horse shoeing tools, saddling tools, eood sheath knife, one steel, flour, sugar, salt, bacon, rice, one calico fly (for tent), preserved apples, citric acid, vinegar, quinine, carbonate soda, soda, preserved potatoes, tinned meats, matches, castor oil, laudanum, pipes, fonr quart billy, quart and pint tin, chisel, one waterproof shirt* . . ' The following extract from the mining regulations m force m Western Australia, as published m the "Handbook for 1886," will prove interesting to those who contemplate proceeding to the hew diggings.— " On 17th April, - # 1884, amended mining regulations were issued, empowering the Governor to proclaim any portion of Crown land to be a goldfield,. and to appoint wardens, who could grant miners' rights to any parson upon payment of .£1 per ve;vr, anrhoripinjj the holder to search and' mm« for gold on any waste land upon registering the occupation of the claim with the warden or other dnly appointed oflicar. Alluvial ordinary claims, t'> comprise an area of 16 by 1G yards for one person : ordinary river and stream claims to have a frontage of 20 yards on the coarse of the river or stream, and a depth 0? 50 yards on both b \nks \ ordinary qnart/5 claims nottoencsod 50 feet m length, on the supposed course of the reef, by a width not exceeding 400 feet. Any gVound taken np for mining and. unoccupied and nnworked for ten days to be considered as abandoned. Goldmining leases are granted for areas of not less than one acre nor exceeding 40 acres, at an annual rent, payable m advance, of 5s per acre. These leases are liable to cancellation unless duly worked by the proper number of men, or machinery power equal to the men. The leases can be determined by .giving three months' notice, and the iessees have power to remove all machinery used on the land."

In a communication to the .Albany Mail, dated the -12th May, a correspondent writes as follows :— Sir,— Having just returned from tlio Kiraberley district, T wish, through the medium of your polumns to ventilate an opinion as to the best point of starting for the goldfields. 1 say undoubtedly that the beat route is from Derby, and I do so upon the assurance of a number of diggers who have travelled both ways. All of them, without a single exception, contend that they would rather travel the road from Derby twice than from Cambridge Gulf once. From Derby there is a good dray road for upwards. of GO miles, and the country is level almost as far as the ■ **oldfields, whereas the road from Cambridge Gulf is mountainous and is otherwise bad travelling. While on board the s.s. Albany, on my trip - down, 1 heard several arguments by an interested party m favor of Cambridge Gulf who contended tnat the road from Cambridge Gnlf to the goldSelds is much . better than that from Derljy. I may as well here state that my opinion relative to the two routes is an impartial onn, as I bare closed ray business at Derby, and, personally, I have no interest there. In my opinion it is the dirty of H<? "powers tlint be" to facililnto thu trade and traffic of Derby as much as possible, as by assisting Cambridge G-nIF we simply give a lift to South Australia without doing this colony nnv {rood whati'v-r. It is w«llIcpo'vn Hint A'M'ii'h- h.'»s mgular^ com nmiiicition with Port D irwin, w»i«-.h- is only 170 miles from our aoldfields, eon-Si'qn-'ntly ( y r»nv-vine th<^ o<.-ntr« of .op-.TMriows 'run D ri>y to the Gulf, will, as ;: w!"'t; : -r ii «■;": ri'\ 'Miv i.to ur.t rad-,-, 90 "liiafiy >uilc-s cl'S'T to the t-rrilory of our neighbourhood-..- With r«-fere»ce to tb>> influx of Chinese at Kiruberlcy, this, I consid.-r. should be nipped m the bud forthwith, for the fi«>d is undoubtedly. a rich one, and Hkplv, therefore, to nttract a large immiiHr of th<it very tindr'sirahlo clas?« of digs rs. In corselnsion, permit me to say that nt Derby I saw what I 'never di<i tipon any cnJdfit'ld that I have previously visited m Au^tralnsiu, and *hnt w a * '.vi.ry \nun who 'jaui"from ths field had a goo>3 prospei-t. Apologising for en Touching so much on your valuable space.— Yours truly, Joseph Koffers.