CANTERBURY.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 52, 29 September 1864, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

The correspondent of the Lytielton Times writes in the following terms on the prospects of the Hohonu goldfields :— " That the Hohonu will ever be a rich golcliield should not be entertained. " For five miles after leaving the Canterbury track by Lake Brunner, parties in the Greenstone Creek will be found working with more or less profitable results. The natives have, however, managed to obtain the best ground that has yet. been found. The claim of Simon the Maori has yielded about four pounds weight of gold — some days washing as much as six ounces of gold to four men. The creek as a whole is as yet untried, but those parties who have fairly set in to work appear to realise sufficient to induce them to work out then* claims. Many old miners with whom we are personally acquainted told us that they were making wages or moi-e, signifying in mining parlance, about £6 or £7 a week. " By the next steamer I shall be enabled, however, to gain more accurate information . Prospecting parties are out in different directions, but what results have been obtained it is too early yet to know. Hunt, returning yesterday, told several that he had obtained in his late tour payable gold higher up the Teramakau," but any statements of this sort cannot be relied on. The country now stands a good chance of being thoroughly prospected, and the next month or two will determine itk future position as a" goldfield. Jfo country, has, however, yet been opened where the dilriculties in the way of prospecting are so great, as they are on this coast. The Hopeakoa and Wainihinihi have been tried during the last fortnight : without success." , • ; r .::-. : :;::■.: j. '/■•■ iHe concludes as follows :—" The glowing accounts received in Chi-istchurch,~as to the richness of/: the Hohonu, are decidedly incorrect* . to, u^e the mildest term possible ; but men having at present nothing to dp, can come here, with- the conviction that it is highly probable they, can pb- : 7 tain.-gopd- : rejoiuneration_if9r,.theirrlabor;" , .>,- . : ; ; i '' " Other parties are at present up the G-rey, prospecting ;the >Haura, .the Mawheraiti, and Ppuka^ rdroa, where "there is every chance of gold being found; while: another .party is fitting. qut> to pro*, sp'ect'tiie eaatera slope of the Hohonu mountain, trie Orakapukii; ' and the, other streams running into' the lake.,, .;....,• ; -.- ,■ . :-.-.-..- 1 -, r, -{rv/'-Z jOn'Monday,last, from? Mr., Bochfort'a i. suggest ttoa, Ik. runw^-.wite -held '^ atnd

white men on, Greenstone. . Creeky and. the size of Ithejclaims. determined at 72_feet square per. man.. | iThus, a parly of,four .men hold a block of ground ; 198 yards in length by 2-i yards iii width?' "~ >.