THE REPORTED GOLDFIELD AT WANGANUI.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 92, 20 April 1868, Page 2

THE REPORTED GOLDFIELD AT WANGANUI.

We take the following from the Wauganui Evening Herald of Saturday last : — The excitement still continues, and parties are flocking" out of town. Some of those who went out to look for themselves have returned for picks, shovels, tin dishes, &c. We are beginning to have more faith in the existence of a payable gold-field from this fact, some of those who have returned and gone out again beiug men not likely to run after a shadow, and from their long experience of gold digging, ought to be good authorities. They, as is always the case with diggers who make a iirst discovery, are very loath to draw a rush, before they have had a good chance of reaping the first fruits. We would strongly recemmend diggers from other places not to rush here till something more definite is known. Siuce writing the above, we have been informed by Mr. Russell that about 150 men are now in search of the El Dorado at Waitotara, and " the exact spot where the first prospects have been obtained is not known, but will be pointed out either to-morrow or the next day to practical diggers capable of judging the ground. It is situated about a quarter of-a-mileTrom Captaiu Shuttleworth's house, and on his land. It is as well to wait until the result is made known. We may, however, inform our readers that an old practical digger last night showed Mr. Robinson some excellent prospects be alleged he had obtained about two miles from Capt. Shutfleworth's house, and so much does Mr. Robinson think of them, that he proceeds to-morrow to judge for himself. It is not unlikely that the place where this last discovery is stated to have been made may be a continuation of the ground where the first prospects were obtained. However, notwithstanding the look of probability there is now about the matter, we cannot too strongly urge the necessity of caution, aud at least waiting for an authentic report from Waitotara, for it should be borne in mind that the great test of the ground — the arrival of the precious metal — has yet to be made. We have been informed that the people at Waitotara were much incensed against Captain Shuttleworth for not at once pointing out the ground — he declining to do so until he was quite convinced of the metal found being gold. They have eaten everything he had in the house, and threatened to turn him out of his dwelling", and obstructed the servants in their work.