OFFICIAL REPORT.

Southland Times, Issue 581, 22 October 1866, Page 2

OFFICIAL REPORT.

The following has been handed to us for publication : — Police Department, Invercargillj Oct. 19th, 1866. Sib, — I have to report for your Honor's information, that on yesterday I visited the diggings at Bushy Point. They are situated midway between the Mataura and Seward Point, on the ocean beach. There are two routes from here to these diggings, viz., one which turns off at West's public-house, upon the Bluff Eoad ; and the other by Campbelltown and Seward Point. The former can only be used by persons travelling on foot j the latter is an excellent road the whole way, and Mr Eordham's ferry between Cainpbellfcown pier and Seward Point is efficiently conducted. There are only seventy miners at Bushy Point ; their operations in mining are exclusively confined to beach claims, which are more difficult to work than similar claims at Orepuki, in consequence of the depth of sinking, and scarcity of water. The sinking • goes as deep as twelve and fourteen feet ; and the washdirt has to be carted abott a quarter of a mile, at the cost of 30s per day, for the services of a horse and cart. The only ground between the Mataura and Seward Point that it is supposed will pay to work, is that in the immediate neighborhood of Bushy Point, and this is very limited, and not all likely to give employment to a larger population than what are there at present. It is very difficult to say what the individual earnings of the miners has been, or will be, inasmuch as that hitherto they been chiefly engaged collecting in heaps, or paddocking their wash-dirt ; and are now washing-up, which will be completed in about a month from this date. Not the least encouragement can be given to persons on other diggings to rush off to this — it would be positively wrong to do so — and as I am led to believe that in two or three months these diggings will be worked out, I presume it is unnecessary for me to furnish your Honor with further details upon this subject,. — I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, T. K. Weldon, Commissioner of Police. To His Honor the Superintendent, Invercargill.