AUCKLAND. (From the New Zealander, January 29.)

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 796, 23 March 1853, Page 3

AUCKLAND. (From the New Zealander, January 29.)

Auckland Gold Field. — We had an opportunity of seeing last night a number of specimens of gold and auriferous quartz, which Mr. Hansard had just received from j diggers at Waiau, and which in richness and general attractiveness of appearance may compete with any that have hitherto been brought from Coromandel. The several lots weigh altogether 17 or 18 ozs., and contain some very beautiful pieces. The realization of the promise of the Gold Field however, to any considerable extent, may be retarded or hastened by the Regulations under which prospectors and diggers are placed. We have already explicitly declared our conviction that it would be most desirable to relax Jhe existing plan as respects License fees, so "as to encourage a greater number of workers to engage in the development of the resources of the auriferous district. Whatever may be the details of any new arrangement, we think its principle should be to permit search for the Gold without charge, or at least at a very low charge ; and then, when the gold is actually found in such quantities as to make its pursuit profitable, by all means let a Fee be imposed here as in other countries. Such being our view, we have learned with pleasure that the Gold Reward Committee at a meeting this week resolved to make an application to the Lieotenant-Governor on the subject, and that their Deputation, on waiting on His Excel lency, learned that their wishes had been so far anticipated as that the question of modifying the present Regulations, so as to facilitate a fuller exploration of the Field, was already engaging the attention of th«r jgj^outija. We trust, therefore, we may soon be in a position to announce, what is now bo very generally desired, at least a temporary modification of Regulations, avowedly Provision^, which were issued at the first, when, from the reports of diggers themselves, a more immediately and j generally remunerative return was calculated upon than has been realized hitherto.