GOLD REWARD FUND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 766, 4 December 1852, Page 3

GOLD REWARD FUND.

A public Meeting was held at the Hall of the Mechanics' Institute on Thursday evening, December 2, 1852, W. B. Rhodes^ Esq., J.P., in the chair. The- Secretary informed the' meeting that he had written to.-Nelson and Wanganui requesting the « co-operation' o*f, the settlers in those districts. The Secretary then read the following Report of the Committee : — > , REPORT. In attention to the wishes of -the settlers, expressed at a general meeting, held' at the Atbeuaeuna, on the 1 2th November, 1852, and under the authority at thaUi me .delegated to, them, your Committee' have taken into consideration the two

important questions having reference to a Gold discovery iv this part of the Province of New Munster, and now beg to submit the result of their deliberations for the confirmation of the present meeting. First, — With regard to the amount of the Reward to be paid to the discoverer, your Committee deem it essential that sufficient inducement should be held out to enterprising persons to explors the interior of the country \ and therefore your Committee recommend, that a oum of not less than five hundred pounds should be offered for the discovery of a Gold Field of such a c yield that the working of it would be a profitable employment. Secondly, — On the second point your Committee strongly recommend, for the reasons hereinafter given, that the limits of the country within which the discovery mast be made to establish a claim to the reward should extend from the 39th degree 2min. to the 42nd degree of South latitude, and lie between the 172 nd and 177 th degrees of East longitude. The objects to be attained by the discovery of an available Gpld Field are, in your Committee's opinion, the attraction which it offers to a large influx of population, the consequent establishment of a legitimate source of industry and a valuable export, the colonization of the interior of the country, and the increase of commercial intercourse with other countries. These, and other important results, render it therefore necessary that the fullest scope should be given, and thai in defining the boundaries of the tract of country within which the discovery is to be made, care should be taken to include such districts as from from their geological formation, are likely to be productive of gold, and not to confine them to such narrow limits as would probably only entail upon explorers a large amount of labor and expense without iv the end effecting the object desired. Your Committee would at the same time beg to observe in support of their recommendation that in whatever part of the district set forth the discovery may be made, the settlements in this portion ot New Zealand would be mutually benefit ted. There is perhaps one other point which it may be the duty of your Committee to touch upon namely, the definition of an "available Gold Field ; " which your Committee suggest should be clearly understood to mean bu auriferous deposit which could be profitably worked, in such a locality as would allow of its being thrown open to all who desire to proceed to it for the purpose of searching for Gold under such 'egulations as might be framed by the Government. For example, the discovery being made on private property, or on land belonging to Natives, should not entitle the discoverer to the Reward unless such lands are unreservedly placed in the hands of Government for management. Should, however, the discovery be made on land leased by the- Crown within the boundaries recommended, the Reward should, on satisfactory evidence being adduced of the existence of a Gold Field as hereinbefore defined, be paid to the discoverer •, as it is understood that the Crown reserves the right under such circumstances of re-enter-ing on possession of leased lands for the search and working of minerals. J. H." WALLACE, Hon. Sec. Wellington, November 25, 1852. The report of the Committee was read and adopted, and after a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting separated.

Terrible State ov Affairs on board op an Emigrant Ship at the Port Phillip Heads. — Intelligence was brought to Williamstown, on Wednesday evening last, by Captain Wylie, of the brig Champion, from Adelaide, that a large ship, named the -Triconderoga, ninety days out from Liverpool, with upwards of 900 Government emigrants on board had anchored at the Heads. A great amount of sickness had occurred among the passengers, more than a hundred deaths having taken place, and almost a similar number of cases (typhus fever) being still on board. Nor was this all. The doctor's health was so precarious that he was not expected to survive, and the whole of the medicines, medical comforts, &c, had been consumed. The authorities in Williamstown, immediately furnished the government schooner Empire with the necessary sppplies 'of live stock, beef, mutton, milk, vegetables, porter, wine, spirits, and a medifiine chest, and Dr. Taylor, of the Ottilia, a gentleman of much practial experience, went down mher to the Triconderoga yesterday, to take charge, accompanied by Captain Ferguson the Harbour Master. The Ly sander, ship, has also been taken up by Government as a Quarantine Hulk, and proceeds to her destination at the Heads, having on board stores sufficient for all hands for three months, when further arrangements will be made, which we trust will amelioiate the fearful state of things on board. The foregoing are the only particulars known to our reporter at present, but, at all events, this case clearly exhibits the cruelty and ill-judged policy of crowding such a number of people dn board a single ship, no matter her size, for a lengthened voyage. — Argus, November 5-