The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1866.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 12, 17 March 1866, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1866.

The Report of Mr. Warden Kynnersley now before us, is a document "worthy of attentive study. If any person ever entertained any doubts of the great extent and permanent character of our South-west Gold-fields, a cai'eful perusal of this report would most assuredly remove them. The position that gentleman holds under the Provincial Government gives him unequalled facilities for making a just estimate of their value and importance, therefore we may place implicit confidence in his statements respecting them. It appears, that on account of the naturally inaccessible nature of the country, the bulk of the miners are congregated in places to which roads of some description have been constructed, or where rivers afford a channel for the conveyance of provisions. Thus we find that around Cobden and on the beaches north of the Grey, there are 2,000 miners at work, while among the creeks, gullies, and terraces around the Ahaura, there are 3,300 ; the bulk of these are doing remarkably well ; but the most important fact gathered from the report is, that the gold is not confined to the beach line or to a run along the courses of the creeks or gullies, but seems to be scattered more or Jess all over the district, proving that when a greater exteut of country is made accessible by means of good roads, the population will be largely increased, and the yield of gold will be increased in proportion. The Warden thus speaks of a new rush to a point nearly on the top of the coast range, behind point Elizabeth — "I visited the place and found 200 to 300 men on the ground, and was surprised toihid terraces of a great depth of alluvial drift even on the very top of the range ; there is a little very fine gold all through the drift, the only difficulty to contend with in working is the scarcity of water, No doubt, with improved methods of working, these terraces will afford remunerative employment to a large population." Again, speaking of another terrace he says — "I granted a prospecting claim for a terrace about 20 miles to the northward, there a few huudred men went out to it, but most of them returned, reporting that there is a large extent of likely-iooking ground, but none of it good enough to remunerate men for carrying provisions on their backs around difficult rochs." The country has been penetrated a considerable distance inland up the Grey and elsewhere, in that portion of the province, and always with the same results, gold tas been found in fair quantities, but the great difficulty in obtaining provisions on the ground prevents them being worked at present to advantage. As a considerable revenue is anticipated from our gold-fields this year, we trust that no time will be lost in carrying out the recommendation of Mr. Warden Kynuersley, by making bridle-roads over the bluffs north of the Grey, so that that valuable portion of country may be opened up to the enterprise of our miners as soon as possible. Pack horses are undoubtedly but a poor mode of conveyance for stores, but, nevertheless, they must do until cart-roads can be provided. We learn, by the Superintendent's speech, that Mr. Dent reports, " that lie believes the river Pororari to be safe for the entrance of

small steamers ;" if so this would afford an easy mode of access to a large extent of auriferous country. Surely it would be worth while to charter a suitable vessel to survey the entrance of this river so as to make known its capacity for navigation.