[From thu Sydney "Telegkaph."]

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 156, 12 June 1886, Page 4

[From thu Sydney "Telegkaph."]

Ax element of life and colour quite as of old times has been given to ihe great ports of the eastern colonies the last week or two by the departux*es for the Kimberley. Whether the actual definite news received from the district with respect to gold obtained has hpftn pnfticient to warrant the r ush that it hae originated \va need not now inquire. It is enough that recent news, combined with what was known before of the existence of a large tract of more or less auriferous country on the Ord, has deeply stirred the adventurous portion of our mining community. The results we see in the number of large steamers which have sailed, or are advertised to saii,for King oouud and CambiidgeGulf, the crowds of fine, energetic follows with complete outfits, including in some cases three or four hordes apiece, by which they are filled, and the animated scenes of handshaking, with wishen ot faiewell and good luck,which have been visible oa our wharves. Even our streets show signs of the movement in the displays made in the shops of general tupply, which chow complete "outhts for the Kimberley" in their wiudows, with pick and axe and shovel, tent and simple cooking gear, tin wash-pan for prospecting — all as in the wonder days of the early 'Fifties, the only thing new being the suggestive canvas water- bag, with its hint of the perils of drought and thirst to be encountered in that little-known wilderness and on the edge of the great sandy desert by which the fertile region is closely flanked. And apart from the picturesque eloment all this supplies, and apart from its interest to the individuals who have risked their fortunes in the journey, the general life of these communities is deeply and pleasantly stirred by the chance presented to us of the opening of great goldfields possibly rivalling the richness of Forest Creek and Ballarat in t»he old days, and bringing back their romantic and adventurous conditions yet once more in the life of Australia; " Nothing' Like it for many Years. For anything similar •in extent and character to the present movement, we must go a long way back in the history of digging-life in Australia. Indeed, in one reaped At excels all others, and that is in the great distance to he traversed to reach the Bite. , The journey involves the circumnavigation of half the continent, and 1 then a long tramp of from 300 to 400 miles into the little-known interior. But, apart from thiß, we must, to find anything on a similar scale to the. present movement, go back to the great rush to Port Curtis in ,1858, or to those to Otago and Hokitika, about four years later. These two great rushes were very different in their results. While the Southern New Zealand goldfields afforded remunerative work for years to come to their diggers, who were ultimately pretty ■ well all absorbed as a permanent part of the population of the colony, those w ( ho went to Port Curtis, who at- one time, numbered JO. OOO, met with nothing but , disaster and misery, from which many of them had' to be rescued by; the intervention of some of the Governments. We 'hasten to; say that' we do not, at any rate in the present stage, apprehend anything like this result in regard to the; rush< to the Kimberley. , So far as 'we are able, to; gather, those proceeding there are picked | men, in many , cases t men *of means,: and in all cases men - wfto ! are' We'll acquainted: with the formidable conditions before them. Above all, jthey,!£riovv''tbat they-jha^ej nothing-yjjuit toWy onsfqjr<i J J 9 ui s.upply ot all requirements, 1 *andj theyigp.we.il provided foY any* event*' 1 ; 'It' is not in 'regard- to * theses p^qneer^ that 1 any* .danger is £o;be feared, evenif the issue ehoiild jpYo^a^isajippjU^^ ig^tfijucceie^e^ftyjQjjpe^titp^jßee a movejne&t on «nj|m|ng,nf t e,|y|je^rggo(. 4 8cale, and we may be cure that in that, eyent crowd* wq.uld taf«wept»way;by the great .current 'narasnms.iana'tne^daneerEtjvvWuioh mining, ? work m that vast wilderness must'entail. ?

„ It would be to little purpose to speculate { ev&r so-va^uely^ bn the possibilities which' Ithis rush calls <into existence. ,, We 4o f not{ v&et know, whethj^gold f will be;foun,d , in remunerative quantities. Everi were this to prbWMe Vase^tilUtKeicharaoter'bf tne" f diggings would" largelyjdepead.qn^the.queeition of the method of distribution of the gold , whether it w^re Ti f6utjd > in' ){ the l! ach but litaited'patches'of ' the^elds of North Queens, land, or in the more regular and extensive 'deposits ofttfetdiggitfg^in ¥iofcdrf«f. i AH this and - very .i-much^ more is at present quite unknown. But we think that there are 'a tew ' inferences^ W* a%6t^unimportant nature, which, may be drawn from] the existing facts with a reasonable degree, oJE, certainty X • Whatever becomelbfcth'ergblden, expectations' which "lax© now taking these hardy and stalwart prospectors to North}, West Australia, the rush pan hardly fail to lay the foundations of future greatness and, prosperity for the district of Kimberley., Practically, the present movement means the formation of a new colony." The-Kjno? berley district has been reported on. in the most favourable terms by those, who have traversed it, who speak highly of its great and varied capabilities. The ' West Australian Government thinks so much ,of its value that- it attaches special conditions to the taking up of land within its bounds. Unless' we could believe that very many competent and trusted persons, from Mr John Forrest and his brother, Mr Alexander Forrest, downwards, have combined to give an unduly favourable account of the Kimberley district, we must hold that everything required, to give it a start is the influx of men arid capital. This, we may take it, is now assured. The district is now for the first time made easily and generally accessible. Many will take advantage of the present opportunity who otherwise might not have visited the place for years. , Even should the golden dreams of our norfcli-western-bound Argonauts prove delusive bubbles, we may be assured that a permanent settlement would spring up out of their wreck. Taking the worst view, it is scarcely to be believed that the fields can be total failures ; but even in that most unfavourable case we must remember that the thriving and important town of Rockhampton grew out of the wreckage 'of the Port Curtis rush, which was failure unmitigated and most complete. So that even if the worst happens — and we do not' expect the worst to happen — we may fairly anticipate the eßtablishmentof permanent and probably of extensive settlement in the Kimberley district, and the formation of considerable and busy port towns on King Sound and Cambridge Gult as results of the movement now going on. But this would, mean, as, we said before, the foundation of a new colony, Derby, which would probably be the chief town of the new settlement, is some 1,500 miles distant from Perth, the capital, with which it would have hardly any means of communication by land or sea. It would be more closely connected by steam commucation with the eastern colonies, and would be dependent on them for supplies. If any large access of population took place in the north, one of their first demands would be selfgovernment on terms which could only be secured aa a separate colony. The population of the whole of West Australia is little over 30,000— t00 small to afford continuity of touch over that vast territory. The Perth Government has made strenuous efforts for the laat three or four years to stimulate the settlement of the Kimberley district. Now that result ma> be brought about in a way not anticipated, and possibly with results that were not. desired. Departure oi Weßt Coast Diggers. Wellington, June 8. The s.s. Hauroto left at noon fo^ {Sydney. A .large crowd assembled to see her off,' feeling very enthusiastic. She took a considerable number of passengers en route for Kimberley amongst whom were 20 | diggers from the We3t Coast The Union Co were compelled to cease issuiug tickets. The majority of those who left were ablebodied fellows, but a smaller proportion appeared to be physically unequal to the hardships which will have to be met.