THE RUSH TO OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 241, 27 September 1862, Page 5

THE RUSH TO OTAGO.

With reference to tli* we quote the following telegrams from the Ay* of the 16th : — .

tk m Bkkchwoktu, 15th September. lbs Otngo new» lia-s not causal much excitement here as yet, and on y a few have encaged passages in the coach to Melbourne, en route (or the Dunstan diggings. Should the next steamer, however bring more conhrraatary news of the extent of the new fields opened up la New Zealand, it h not unlikely a considerablo exodus will take place from this neighbor-

r, . Ballaarat, 15th September Oreat exejteza-nt was caused thU foreaooD, when it became known the AWinga bad arrived, and the news by her was anxiously iooko.l for. An extra edition of the Slar having put the public in possession of the requued information, there was a general desire expressed to pack up and go. Many considered the af" foromble as they expected, butothem thought the news as a whole very encouraging. A* large ru«h from Baliarat is anticpated. thPlStli 1"— Qg {r°m & te!e2ram ia the *wM o<"

in. m r • Ba«-a a«a*. 17th Septerabrr. The Otago fever is evidently abating, and the effect of the news w now evidently much less than waa anticipated. The glowing account* in *ome telegrams rather unsettled the diggers at first; bat aa the real news became better known, the excitement subsided.

Tub Working op the Laxd Act.— In refcrrence to certain discreditable practice* which are alleged to have been committed at the selection of the recently proclaimed land, the Star baa the following;— With reference to the dummy selection AOA2* under [the Land Act. there seems to !>e Hot a little indignation here and there, venting itself mrietlv among the more uprijht and outspoken of the public The unblushing; way, in which the dodire has been workad may in some measure account for this Several of the dummies have avowed their motives with the most charming wtivete, and the opinion has ben more than onw expressed, by people not altogether ignornntof Irpal proceedin» B| ,thatif Mr Duffy pleases he may bag several specimens of the declarator fraudulent in this neighborhood. There is little debt that a dozen or two ot caw might be laid, in each one of which any ordinary jury would Hnd a verdict of " sold himself." It is not f)r us to pronounce with decision on the full legal aspect of the business, but it is patent to ev^ry body that moral pc jury and fraud have been perpetrated, and that it would not J>e difficult to brine that home. Whether or not there has been k-«U' fraud as well, we must leave to tho<e learned in the law, whom Mr Duffy ought to put on the nui vive." The Aye of the 17th snys—« Mr Duffy having offered a reward of £100 for the detection of persons found purchasing land through the instrumentality of agents in excess of the limitations of the Land Act, we shall be glad to furnish the hon. gentleman gratuitously with the name of the squatter alluded to fn the annexed comraunicatimj. Here is an admirable opportunity Jo prove his sinctrity, and the power he possesses under the Land Act, without the lavish expenditure of £100 :—• Aa oue convincing proof in support of your able exposure of the corrupt and lawless acts of the squatters, 1 beg to add my quota. The station of a well-known squatter beine °^ aJ°L free hct'Ma > h* has had all his overseers, shepherds, grooms, and carpenters, ice., taking out sections. He finds the money, on the underetandinc that they hand him the title deeds when theygeV them, and he gives them something for their trouble. If. they do not hand him the deeds, he has them bound down to pay 20 per cent, interest for the money for five years. Such is the way the land law is evaded.

A telegram from Ballaarat says:—For the last twenty-four hours, there has been prreat excitement about the manner in which the land selection has beei earned out, and as it becomes more apparent the best lands have fallen into the hands of speculators and the agents of squatters, while many bona fide selectors have been outwitted, th*re is some talk of calling a public meeting to devise the best means of exposing the swindle. It is said that in several instances speculators are afraid to undergo the scrutiny

LATER TELEGRAMS. T n t*m~ '''_ t. ADEiAiDB, 17th September. Intelligence has been received from the captain and from private parties that a block of native copper, weighing P6 lb., has been found in the New Cornwall Mine. : ■

a««v Wednewlay, 17th September. '-A«fJ3?- •»ut rt2h l a 9 bwn foan<l «* Tenterden, bat

deficiency of Foster is ejatsd to be under

The John 'WiHianM, m'ssionship, was accompanied 4*^ ta.~fyy b>"a £*eainer, with a largo party of the menda of the missionaries. ~.'■■ ,■

It is stated that Gardiner has left for California; and that another person is robbing in his name. Four hundred cases cigars have been purchased by amercautile firm at 60s; as a speculation. • Ihe Upper House is debating the Council Amendment Bill. :;'. .."•■. • It is proposed to erect a new opera house ona grand that - J°lDt StOck coni Pany fe partial'y formed tor _ At Morpeth, the show of hand* was for Close. iJuehanan demanded apoll. Cum Fat and Ah Chonghave been convicted at S^remSed! 2 n°teSßtolea frora So^ Post- • 'Y^^ Afaroney, ased fifteen,' has been convicted of the manslaughter of her illegitimate child, ana sentenced to two years'imprisonment in Bathuret

■iJSf'iP***?* °ne ,of the Emigration lecturers sent from this colony, to lay before the British public; the f^^^r. 101"'1^^ Kthev, basSmtten a S! uT ? Government, in which he states he iinds a great aversionin the minds of many to the ITLte Newß°? tU Wales, and he saggests'the pronriHy of an alteration. He does not give a very glowng account of the mission in which he is en-

/J? S°S 3 °7r t n. B Rvm to .OrAOo.-Between the 6th and the Isth infant, both inclusive, the district of laglewood contributed 151 arsons to Le~ rush now goingo n to the gold fleirMof Qta'-o AnTnbv nf fen^f*"" ar° much .e^tsiTassed 8 just now ir^ Pi A -\ frT W,™** who have b«m deserted by their hatband?, who are gone elsewhere in quest of change or subsistence. This hasTX-en one of the difficiltiei, of the asvlnm manSient and it is time that women whose husbands bay™ left Uiemshould know that the committee of the wylum mil only relieve those who do their best to assist the gbir^i^ggc d p^^-^^ng

THE XOIvOMAI DIGGINGS.

EPORT OF THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.

For the information of new arrivals, we reprint the report of the Chief Commissioner of Police on the Nokomai diggings:—

Camp, Victoria Gully, junction of Nokomai and Moa Creeks.

Tuesday, 16th September, 1862

Sir, —I do n)yself the honour to inform you that I arrived at this place on Saturday evening last (13th), having travelled by the route at present most available, i.e., from the Molyncux ferry via Popotunoa, Captain Boyd's Hill Slaiion, on the Mataura, thence by M'Kt liar's and Rogers' stations, making the distance from Dunedin about 180 miles. Yesterday (Monday, 15th) I was busily engaged issuing miners' rights, and Fettling disputes until about mid-da)-, after which time I commenced an examination of the locale.

Moa Creek, or Victoria Gully—the scene of the gold-workings—rises in a large range of mountains, of which the Steeple (marked on the map) is the highest point, and empties itself into the Nokoniai. It is about three miles long, and varies from 200 to 600 "yards in width. There is abundance of scrub in the gully for culinary purposes, and at the head of the creek, timber adapted for making sluice-boxes, &'c. The diggings are at present confined to the bed of the creek, where, at a depth of about three feet, intern.ingled with graver and rotten slate or mica schist, the gold is found. '.!

As is usual in newly-discovered gold fields, I found the miners rushing about, digging first at one place and then at another, and in the most crude 'fashion./""

"The only exceptions to this rule that I observed were the original "prospectors,—a miner named Bayliss, who, previous to my arrival, had sold his gold to Mr. Pearson, the Chief Commissioner of Waste Lands, Southland; and Kelsey's party of six.- The prospectors, only two of whom I found on the ground, continue to do remarkably well. Kelsey's party had commenced operations in a businesslike manner. Their tail race was cut, water dammed up, and sluice boxes properly, adjusted. On my inquiries from one ot the party as to what they were doing, some answered, " Well, we're only just 'set in,' and not commenced as yet to wash up, but here's some stuff we picked out of the wash-dirt"—exhibiting between two and three ounces of rough nuggetty gold of excellent qualify. 1 called sgain to-day (Tuesday, 16th), and found that they had washed six ounces eleven pennyweights (6 ozs.^U dwts.) from about two loads ot washing stuff. As I was leaving this claim, I was hailed by Coupon's party ot two, to come and see their prospect, and found they bad washed about aii ounce to the first tindish, although they had been working in the most clumsy manner—making the half of a hollow tree do duty for a sluice-box, and losing almost as much gold as they were saving. They however promised to obtain a proper sluice box at once, from a sawyer at work in the bush at the head of the gully. There are numerous blind gullies running into the main creek, only one of which appears, up to this time, to have been prospected. In this one I found one man at work, and he exhibited the usual reticence of miners when strangers are present, contenting himself with saying, that he was making good wages. With the foregoing exceptions, all the miners—at present about 200—have but just commenced operations, and I am unable, therefore, to say anything of their prospects, but they all appear very sanguine. This afternoon (Tuesday, 16th), I rode up the Nokomai for several miles, and found the creek, which appears to.have been, at no very remote period, a stream of considerable magnitude, to present precisely the same indications and formation as Moa Creek. '

Abundance of timber fringes the valley through which it (the Xokomai) runs, and should it prove-auriferous, it is capable of carrying a population of many thousands. I also found two other creeks, one about a mDc, the other two miles, higher up than Moa Creek, both rising in the Steeple range, and falling into the Nokomai. Thej' present the same appearances as the scene of the present gold workings, and I have every reason to believe, after careful examination, that gold will be found along the whole length of the Nokomai, to its sonre, and thence up the Nevis stream to the Kawarau. In this view,' I am supported by the opinions of the miners whom I consulted.

With reference to the route to the diggings, I fearthat it will'be impossible to iorward the supplies without crossing theMataura, either at the Long Ford, or McNab's crossing place. I made careful enquiries en route from the various runbolders, and all agree that the Umbrella ranges form an impassable obstacle in that direction. I would, however, beg leave to suggest, that an active engineer be sent without delay to examine and report upon the possibility of finding a road to what promises to he a permanent and extensive gold field. At present the best route from Dunedin for drays and American waggons, is via the Molyneux Ferry to the Waiwera Accommodation House, then turning off on what is called Captain Mackenzie's road to McNab's crossing-place on the-Mataura, a distance of about 50 miles. This road is good all the way to Cameron's station (two miles from the diggings)/ and may be made in about 175 miles from Dunedin. , .'■ '■'', .■■■■■■■■..■ > ...

I had intended to have crossed the ranges to the Clutha gold field, but found the snow too deep on the tops of the ranges, and still deeper in the /gorges and drifts of the mountains. ~lt is, however, disappearing last, and I have no doubt that in about a month's time the route will; be perfectly available for the transmission of gold to Dunedin via the Clutha, and I do not anticipate there being any very large, quantity of gold on hand, beforethat time.'"

The running of an escort by the route at present used cannot, I apprehend, be fora moment thought of, as, independent of the very great expense of such" a service, the road is in many places unsafe for the conveyance oi treasure. ? On the, other hand bo difiiculty presents itself. The route would be across the leadmg.ranges,;fi-om this field to theClutha field, thencepdown by Campbell Thomson's, and Valpy's stations,.._across^, the TaierJL Ham to Saddle Hill, there meeting and delivering over the: treasure :to the main escort ' iThis plan'is, of course, based; upon the supposition that the road in question is being vigorously roce«3edwith. > , ° °i

Aslwrite this' report the miners are arrivmgHQnahe field in great numbers, and I apprehend that befo^^ week closed a'thousandjmen will, be pn> the ground: .There is abundanceot ; room for;;therarand; many more, but nr^risions^except.imuttw, wbichmayl be' obtained atisper-lb.) are very scarce^ flour in . particular, andsAt eannot%am are any drays on road^either fiomlaveri cargill-or^D.unedirit* ;;, !; .,cl :^. r~~~-*:'-':~! ";;-.• Jn concluding this report, I "trustaEyour. Honor, wiJlipelccelfelthatlms regards the pros-' pe^^fflthe gold field I visited, I have confined mysjeMsStrictlyiitoi auatatement of .the acts that came under my observation. 'This

considered more prudent to do than to draw favorable inferences which, if correct, will soon become well known. I may, however, state that if the same fortune experi* enced by the minere whom I saw at work,

attends the remainder, the field will prove rich, permanent, and extensive. I have" the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, 1 . . • St. John Brakiqait, Commissioner of, Police, and (pro. tern.) -Commissioner"of GolJ Fields.