VICTORIA GOLD FIELDS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 680, 7 February 1852, Page 3

VICTORIA GOLD FIELDS.

[From the Maitland Mercury, January 3.] The yiel I of the gold field at Mount Alexander was immense. The week’s escort, two carts, brought down on the 11th no less than 23,750 ounces of gold ; and the Ballarat escort had brought down the previous day 2906 ounces (682 for Geelong), making a total of 26,656 ounces —above a ton and a quarter. ’The value of the gold brought down by escort in one week was therefore £79,968, at A 3 per ounce, besides the quantity brought down by private hands. The number of dig-’ gers at Ballarat appears to be reduced to less than 1000; at Mount Alexander they were rapidly increasing, and were supposed to number above 20,000 persons. The Mount Alexander gold field was being much extended, fresh auriferous localities being discovered every week: we observe that a failure of water is anticipated soon on several of the creeks. The news of the intention of Government to raise the license fee to £3 per month, and to include in the demand every man at the diggings, had aroused a strong opposition feeling, and a public meeting of 3000 diggers had been held, at which, however; no definite steps were taken, the only resolutions passed being one requesting the Chief Commissioner to call a general meeting of the diggers, on an early evening, to take the new regulations into consideration, and another appointing a committee to make the arrangements, &c. In the towns the anticipation was that the population at the diggings would resist the imposition. The first ship that had lelt Victoria for England since the gold fields were discovered, the Hero, had just left Geelong for London ; she took 26,664 ounces. Two ships were announced as about tc leave Melbourne for London. The price of gold had fallen to £3 Is. 6d. to £3 2s. in Melbourne ; and the banks, it was said, intended to restrict their advances to £2 ss. per ounce. Exchange had fallen, being now 7 per cent, discount, on private bills against produce, at thirty days after sight. Mount Alexander. —Forest Creek, Dec. 5, 1851.—There is nothing stirring here worth notice, with the exception of another rich deposit having been found opposite the original Golden Point. Seven pounds and a quarter was taken out on Saturday last, by one party, and the ground was all taken up in a few hours. 1 still hear cf great success among individuals, and the greater number continue to do well ; water is failing fast, through the excessive heat and dry weather, and another fortnight will finish the diggings here unless it rains. The diggings six miles off are nearly dry, and the Loudon is now reduced to a small stream in places. Many hundreds talk of returning, though thousands are still arriving. If the road throughout is thronged the same as between the diggings and Kynetoo, I should judge that there could not be less than 4000 persons on the road. They'are coming too late in the season, and hundreds will repent starting. I consider it little better than madness for any one to give up employment for the diggings for four or live months to come, for it is impossible to clean gold without water, and there is every reason to believe, that within three weeks at furthest, there will not be sufficient water for the cattle to drink. Argus.

Extension of the Mount Alexander Gold Field. —The gold is found to extend north a distance of thirty miles from the Commissioner’sheadquarters at Mount Alexander, on Forest Creek to Bullock Creek, whence Captain Dana has been despatched. Captain Baxter takes charge of the Friar’s Creek diggings, known as the New Diggings, four miles east of Mr. Commissioner Powleit’s bead quarters on Forest Creek. Barker’s Creek

is being worked successfully ; and the three creeks, Forest, Barker’s, and Friar’s, run into tne river Loudon, on ’.’.’lnch also gold is found to abound, and on which river the diggers will have to fall back in the course of a few weeks, or when the supply of waler fails short. Gold working has been commenced at Wambat Hill, near the station of Captain Langdon ; and on Mr, Coghill’s run at Spring Hill. Indeed it is difficult to say where the gold is not deposited, for on every creek where water is found in the neighbourhood of Mount Alexander, miners are at work. —Melbourne Herald, Deer. 12.

Ballarat Gold Fields, Dec. Btii, 1851. —Since my last communication quantities have left for Mount Alexander ; in fact, no other place, to use a colonial phrase, seems to go down. A great number of the stores have removed there, and it is. tumonred that the police establishment is -likely to be broken up. I should hope this is not the case, as there are still 500 people here, and in that number of course some questionable characters, who, upon the departure of the police, would no dou ’>t sally forth, to t'he great' annoyance and danger of the respectable part of the community. Most of the gold buyers have left, the consequence of which is a reduction in the price ; those that remain are offering from 555. to 575. per ounce. Thequantity by the escort I do not expect will exceed 1000 ounces for the last week ; but this is no criterion of the quantity procured, as those that are not of necessity obliged will not sell at the reduced price. Many are doing well here now, and amongst others I may name some that are known to you. — Argus.