WALPORI.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 141, 29 April 1862, Page 5

WALPORI.

(FROM OUK OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Waipori, April 26th, 1862.

The track from this to Tuapeka,exceeds in its mountainous character any other in the neighborhood of the goldfields. An endless amount of climbing; fatigu ing descents, thatappear to he interminable, have to be accomplished before the Waipori can be reached.— The country through which the river flows after its junction with the Lammerlaw Creek is comparatively level, and as gently sloping ranges and broad strathg come in view, you involuntarily, exciaim " what a monstrous pity it is to see such land lying comparatively waste—unused, save by some strny horse or rambling bullock." For miles the country is of this description, the soil apparently rich and fertile, 'clothed with luxuriant grass, and only waiting to be "tickled by a stick to laugh in an abundant harvest.'* The ranges that hem in this tract of country, frown in gloomy grandeur on what might, and no doubt ■will, be the seat of many a happy home. "When one recollects the untiring efforts of many a farmer in Great Britain to wring from a sterile soil a bare subsißtance, and then sees before him thousands of acres from which rich crops might be raised ; one is filled with regret that men soould wear out their existence so unprofitably.. Of the extent of the diggings in the district, I am, from the hurried nature of my visit, scarcely in a position to pronounce; upon.■ They are, moreover, so scattered, that it -would require" a -week instead of a couple ofdays, to visit the principal workings, and be in n position to arrive at anything like a correct conclusion. ...... A considerable amount ofwork has been done at the junction of the Xammerlaw, -with the Waipori, but in a very unsystematic nnd desultory manner. At one point you find a party, shovel in hnnd, walking into the river, and bringing out a quantity of drift on the blade, and even by this rude process making wages; at another the edge of the creek is being- stripped, but there is. very little: of systematic work going on. I was, however, glad to hear ironi Mr Commissioner , Worthington, that, lately no less than twelve applications had been made tor extended claims, in order to work the bed of the river, or sluice some of the ninny ranges that abut unon it. For this purpose races arer being put, and one party of about twenty miners, are engaged in cutting a new channel for the.rivur in order to work the old bed. .To me, it seems sl.innge that the flat through which, the Waipuri runs after its junction with, the: Lammerlawj should nothave.been tried. The course of the, river is really only a rut, and it is manifestly apparent that

it has frequently changed its diieetiori. As, therefore, the drift from which the troldis obiiiinpd must have been in situ Ion"? prior to the forin;ition <>f the present chiniiH'l; why should not tin- whole fl:it be more, or less niii'it'eiou*. I have no doubt, that, if it is sufficiently prospected it will be found to be so, iiud that iai-tce finds will be made. As it, is, whole tracts <;i' country present iu;r the same auriferous indications have never bjsn touched by pick-or shovel, and theve is 'nothing in tho character of the ground now worked to indicate that in it nloue can gold be found.. It requires, liov/avor, a large rush 01 men who will be content to make wages, even if they have to uuderg? some privations, before the auriferous character of the thousands of acres now untouched, can be priperly developed. While here, I saw several specimens of auriferous quartz taken from a gully in the neighbourhood of the Uainj?V The Sold was large and rough, arid well set into the quartz. 1 believe specimens of this kind are frequently obtained, and no doubt they will sooner or later lead to the discovery of an auriferous quartz reef. Much of the gold from Waipori, g-oes to DuneJin by private hands. I know of one party of. four that last week took down 253 oz. preferring, Heaven knows why, to risk taking it themselves rather than send it safely by the Escort, for which they are charged—nothing. I believe the amount referred to was obtained in* about three months, —not quite so bad, Mexsieurx les Rediicteurs of the A rgits, for a country that has been worked out.

There is a rumour prevalent here, that a new goldfield has boen discovered on the Alamiherikia. about sixty miles distant from Wainori, in a northerly direction. Considerable faith is placed in the information, and several parties have already left for it. More reliable information will be obtained during the wevk. ,