The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1566.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 27, 5 April 1866, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1566.

The value of a new and extensive gold discovery is thoroughly understood upon the West Coast, besides affording profitable employment for those already upon the ground, It always attracts a large additional population to the vicinity of the new discovery. In the townships which are contiguous to the favored locality, trade, which perhaps was before in a languishing condition, suddenly revives; all descriptions of local industry and traffic partake of the beneficial impetus ; property frequently quadruples iu value, the newspapers fill with advertisements, and the steamboat proprietors reap golden harvests by conveying crowds of eager diggers for the new El Dorado. This is right enough if the gold-field discovery is bona fide, and consequently the increased population can be profitably employed, but unfortunately it sometimes occurs that these rushes are the result of false reports industriously circulated by interested persons, or gross exaggerations of very unimportant discoveries. Everyone knows the restless nature of the gold-mining population, how they are apt upon very slight rumours to rush off iu large numbers to the locality of any reported discovery. The late rush to Bruce Bay was an example of this ; very little is known here at present respecting this unfortunate affair, but from what we have heard we gather that the only foundation for it was — that a digger well known upon the coast by the name of " Hunt, the explorer," applied for a prospecting claim near Bruce Bay, in consequence of which, the most extravagant reports were industriously circulated at Okarita and other diggings, of great discoveries having been made in that locality ; which resulted in not less than 1,500 men going there, maDy of whom with the proverbial recklessness of diggers having scarcely sufficient means to pay their passage down. By telegraph we have heard that that rush has broken up after a riot, the outpouring of the rage of 3 the disappointed and perhaps victimized miners. We hope that the rush that has set in to the Little Grey will eud more fortunately ; doubtless there is a better foundation for it ; but the value of the discovery has as usual been grossly exaggerated. In the account given in the Grey Elver Argtis, it is stated that the prospector's claim is giving from 3 to 3| dwts. to the dish. We have seen a letter from Mr. Warden Kynnersley addressed to his Honor the Superintendent of Nelsou Province, in which it is stated that the yield

in that claim is but two grains to the dish. The Warden also complains that the place is already over-rushed, from the large numbers who have poured in from Hokitika and the Southern Ports. We have not the slightest doubt that an extensive gold-field exists in the locality indicated as the place of the new rush, but the way to ensure its healthy devlopement, is not by spreading false reports or gross exaggerations.