THE RIVERTON GOLDFIELDS.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 228, 14 March 1866, Page 3

THE RIVERTON GOLDFIELDS.

OFFICIAL REPOET. The following Official Eeport has been kindly placed at our disposal by His Honor the Superintendent, for publication : — Sic, — I have the honor to report for your Honor's information that on the 7th instant 1 proceeded to the Pahi, arrived there the same day, and remained four days on, and in the neighbourhood of the diggings.^ i found about sixty miners at work in two gullies which lead into the Taunoa Creek the first, or Thomson's Grully, was discovered about three weeks ago by the prospector whose name it bears, the second, or Fryatfc's Gruliy, was discovered in tiie beginning of last nunth by the person after whom it is called. Nearly all the miners who were at work in the former gully left for the latter ; however, the few that remained on Tnomson's G-ully were doing tolerably well, particularly , the prospectors who have a claim of 120 yards frontage to tlie gully, with from hVe to sis feet of wash dirt, which is calculated to give about six month's employment co the party (five men) who are working it, and pay at least from ten to twelve pounds sterling per week: per man. Up to the time of my leaving the Pahi, very few of the miners had set into work ; they were making the preliminary arrangements, such as procuring cradles, &j. ; therefore beyond the yield that the prospect claim was giving, aud testing the richness of the wash in many other claims I had nociiing further to guide me as to the richness of these diggings ; at the same time it was quite apparant to me that the prospect claim was a decided success, aad the wash in the others yielded from one to three grains of gold to the tin dish.. The place where the gold is being found is very hilly and thickly timbered, so much so, that a packhorse can only get within a miie and a quarter of where the men are working. The vvashdirt varies in thickness, from one foot to five and six feet; it is of a sandy clayish nature, intermixed with quartz and granite boulders — aud varies in (joior from a bluish grey to a light yellow. I must say that the prospectors gave me a great deal of information as to the probauie richness of the country all along the coast from the Longwood Jhianges to the W^uaU; indeed one of them said that for two and twenty miles around the; present diggings he got fair samples of gold in every creek and gully he tried. Notwithstanding the good accounts received irom the Pahi, and the likelihood oi it being a permauent goidlield 5 yet I am fully convinced that should a large rush set in just now, great disapointinent would be the result, as the country is not half prospected, and those who go there with the view of taking up a claim on their arrival will be woefully disappointed claims ; are only to be had at present by going frem creek to creek and gully to gully prospecting. The present route to the diggings from Eiverton is as follows . — By boat from the jetty up to Patterson's on the PourapouraKdno 3 and f miles — then through the bush to Colae .Bay 5 and % miles ; along the beach to the Maori Village 6 miles j then through a bush to Wakatipu .Beach 1 and i miles ; along Wakatipu Beach to within about five hundred yards of the Maori Jieserves 6 and a f miles ; then through another bush to Mr. JDurbridge's run 2 miles ; from thence to Mr. JDuroridge's Home citation, 5 and % mdes ; then again through " bush to Mr. Hirst's Station on to Taunoa creek 6 miles ; making in all 8 and 30£ miles ; the part of it through the bush, and Mr. Dururidge's rums very bad; certainly the worst road 1 have ever travelled over." I have further to report for your Honor's information that i met the Jbtoad inspector, (Mr. Dawson) at the Pahi, on the 10th instant, who informed me that he was about to explore tnat part of the couuiry, to open up a better, and more direct route than that which 1 have mentioned. 1 have the honor to be Xour most obedient servant, T. H. WEJLDON, Commissioner Police.