OTAGO.

Southland Times, Volume 3, Issue 102, 16 October 1863, Page 4

OTA GO.

DISCO VEIiY OF A RICH GOLDFIELD TWENTY-FIVE MILES FROM DUNEDIN. RETURN OF DS. HECTOR FROM THE WEST COAST. EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERIES. PROROGATION OF PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. ('FROM OUR OWN" CORRESPONDENT.) . I DUNEDIN. Monday, 12th October. ! The prorogation of the Provincial Council, the arrival of Dr. Hector from a surprisingly successful expedition to the West Coast, the discovery of a new goldfield, and the death and burial of Sergeant Garvey — these are the events which have formed the staple comment for the current topics of the week. On Wednesday last, the Provincial Council was prorogued by his Honor the Superintendent in person, until the 20th March. All the Ordinances passed during the Session were confirmed, with the exception of the Dunedin Building Ordinance, ana the Town Boards and Streets Ordinance, which were disallowed. It was a very, unpretending ceiemony, aad there was not the slightest attempt at display. ( )n Thursday afternoon, considerable excitement prevailed throughoutthecity, when it was learned thatDr Hector had arrived from the West Coast, where lie had made some surprising discoveries. I must tell you that a great, deal which was reported was m re conjecture and rumor, for the gallant and able explorer stated that his communications must, in the first instance, be made to the Government by whom he Lad been employed. This may take some day.s so we must wait patiently until we get all the information in official form. This much, however, may be relied on, as perfectly authentic. First, tbe Doctor discovered agoou" harbor on the West coast. That at the head of it he found a magnificent navigable river which, tracing to its source, he ascertained to issue fiom a lake of surprising beauty, the banks and slopes surrounding which were in many parts exceedingly rich and fertile. These important discoveries having been made, Dr Hector left his little schooner, in which, in the dead of mid-winter he had undertaken his most perilous expedition, and in eleven days reached Queens town, on the Lake "Whakatip, havingdiscovered an available pass. Although eleven days making the journey from -the West Coast to the Whakatip, only forty-six hours of this were consumed in actual tra-« veiling, the remainder of the time being occupied by detentions from bad weather and other unavoidable causes. We may now affirm beyond question, that we have in our possession tire knowledge of a direct and accessible route from the eastern sea board to the outer limits of the West Coast. Of course, after this, Southland must collapse ; but 'hat is nothing to us, and, upon the whole, we shall feel extremely glad about it. Dr Hector has also discovered some splendid grazing and agricultural country, but we must not anticipate too much, as we shall have everything in an authentic form in a lew days. I may tell you that we are going to give Dr Hector an ovation of no ordinary kind, and well he deserves one ; for his skill, perseverance, interpidity, c6urage, and love of adventure were never excelled by any cf our great Victorian explorers. The Maori story, respecting Dr Hector having broker his arm, turns out a fabrication. It was merely dislocated, and the Doctor is too brave a man to have allowed this to interfere wilh the prosecution of his discoveries. You shall receive more in my next. / .

Now for a new gold field. Information reached Dunedin on Saturday morning that a new gold field had been discovered on. Boyd's run, about three miles from Frazer's; The following are the names of the lucky discoverers :— William Nichol, John Hunter, James M 'Lai en, John Russell, George M\Kissor,and three others, "^hey baye 1 applied for, and succeeded in obtaining, ; a pfos^ pectors extended claim. The locality is on the western branch of the Taieri River, ex-

tending down, to the plains on a brae creek running north." * Nearly a holes have been sunk by theprospec the following 'results :— The- sinkb nine inches to three feet, and the fin one pennyweight to as high.' as lialf. to the" dish. The gully in. which, X\ were sunk extends three miiOin The gold is rough and -heavy, and at will assay equal to any of our oth The country is said to be not dis! Waitahuna ; and the area of the ne ous distiict is very large. This, also, will help to -the final winding up of land, at which we shall also execeetjj joice, for we are envious, people, au ( I forgiving community.^ *• "What right | to entice away our population last I I shall leave this letter, open v 1 last moment to give, you the very \ telligence. \ The funeral of Sergeant Garvey, count of whose - melancholy 'end warded you in my 4 ' last, took pi Saturday afternoon, 'with military There were about" two hundred folio companied tlie deceased. to his last place. We are to have the " Ghost " phon at the theatre this evening, fcr the fi in JDunedin. It is to .be- got up j accordance to the formula of Dc Pep; will certainly fill the house in every] the extent of uncomfortable over croi LATER INTELLIGENCE. The people, are/ leaving here in for the new gold fields. Tit an undoubted fact, and there question either of -the richness or c: the ground. By this 'time, over at! persons must have- migrated f rona D I have just seen a man who has left h and come down for the purchase of pro What is more, I saw his gold, and a n pile of it he possessed.' He and hi have be.n working" the West Tai last three months, although hot in tl spot as the new rush is situated. Tl dently kept thtir discovery dark, and three weeks in brie place, without seeing them. Waggons, drays, ti trucks, and every description, of vehi now be seen on the road leading to I ground, or loading at the stores prei the start. We are 'beginning to b with excitement, and there: is: the ol being acted over again; Cooks, waiters audemployeesgivingnoticetoleavethe tions, or leaving without " giving anj whatever. In short, we are-just no;? ing under a severe attack- of; gold fe the Titaniii, from any circumstances, tamed longer than she is annoucedfoi not fail to send you the latest particti