0TAGO.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 401, 27 August 1861, Page 4

OTAGO.

GOLD-FIELDS.

(From the Olago Colonist.) The accounts received from Tuapeka during the week (August 10) represents Ihe efforts of all the properly appointed and industrious' diggers as beiog attended with unabated and increasing success. Several have returned to'town-with the produce of their exertions, and to obtain supplies, and from them we have the same unvarying aud satisfactory report. Ms. P. Linck say and his party of three have obtained nearly 100 ozs. per man in five weeks, leing upwaiV-s of 3 czs. per day, but this is perhaps the only instance of such contiuuous success. A Mi. Gilbert, who had formed oue of an unsuccessful party, and was about lo re-turn disappointed, was induced to try a ■small ravine running out of Muiiot's Gully, and, with the assistance of his Bi.n, a lad about 12 yea is of age, he obtained 1 lb. weight of gold the first day, and 5 Ib. in six days. These of course are exceptional chso-p, but the majority of those who are provided with proper tools are doing well, though a considerable dumber are working at day wages,

The roads to the diggings are in a very bad state—in fact, almost impassable. Provisions are in consequence getting very scarce and dear, flour fetching JBISO per ton. We have received the following letter from James Fulton, Esq., to whioh we beg to direot the especial attention of any who may have contemplated proceeding to the diggings by way of the West T.aieri, which has been alleged to he the best loute:—

'Deau Sir,—Pray caution diggers from going to the Tuapeka by the way of my station, as the road is perfectly impassable from snow. I may state that on Monday last about 30 men left my station, intending to make the diggings, but returned at night, having been as they stated up to their breasts in snow, and carrying two men with them, who, having been out for five days with nothing but a small wild pig which they had killed and eaten raw, had lost the use of tlie\r limbs. These men are I believe still lying at my statiou unable to work. I may also state one man (a carpenter frona'Canterbury) is missing, and that four others are supposed to be lost.—Yours &c, James Fulton.,

As the exciting intelligence is becoming more generally known in the neighboring provinces, arrivals are pouring in, and'the cry is ■ stili they come !' The Storm Bird arrived from Wellington ou Tuesday, with upwards of 90 intending diggers; the Lytteltou steampr from Canterbury on Weduesday with about 70, and severalsmall craft have added their quota to the number. The Wonga Wonga was to leave Wellington yesterday, and the Chrysolite recently arrived at Canterbury from London, having some cargo for Otago, is also expected to bring a large number of passengers. Weiinay safely anticipate that tho population onpthe gold fields by tho close of the month will exceed 3000.

(From the Lyttelton Times, August. 17.)

The following letter has been received from a Lyttelton digger at the Tuepeka gold-fields. A good deal of the success of the party is no doubt owing to the face that two of their number were old hands at the Australian diggings, and therefore knew how and where to set about their work. Other letters which we have seeu describe the hardships sustained from working in the waters during the winter's cold as being extreme: —

4 Lyttelton Rangers Camp, . ... ~ Tuapeka Diggings, Gabriels Gully, July 30,1861

' Dear Sir, —You will be glad to hear that we arrived here all right; had a good passage, and had a three days' tramp on a mountain road ; got here on Sunday evening; we were not able to commence work until Friday; we got one pound weight before Saturday evening, and expect to do better this week ; we bad 8£ ounces yesterday; there is plenty of gold, but it is very hard to get at, as there is a great deal of water; our party (five) are all Lyttelton men ; no one can get on here without plenty of money to start with; we paid £90 a ton. for our traps from Dunedin; everything is dear here ; meat, Is. per lb. * * * Yours, &o, Edw. Short.'

(From the Witness.)

The latest news from the diggings (August 10) is still of a satisfactory character so far as the yield of gold is concerned ; but the roads are iv a very bad state, and it is with difficulty that supplies can be carried up. Of course there are instances in which the parties are making little or nothing, but as a whole the diggers are said to be doing well. Some of the more fortunate instances show that the gold is abuudanfc, but it is quite a lottery ; for whilst in one claim the quantity obtained is great, in the adjoining claim nothiog is obtained. Oiie party of ten persons obtained 266 ounces, or upwards of 221bs. weight, worth nearly £1000, iv three weeks' working. Another party, of four persons, made in the same period £50 each. One party of four averaged 255. per man pur diem for three weeks; whilst anothsr of five obtained 66 ounces each in the same period. But the most successful find we have yet heard of is that of Mr. Millar's party of five, who got 71bs. 8 oz. in one day, on Tuesday last.

It is a very singular thing that the diggers still appear unwilling to send their gold in by the etoort, but prefer sending it by private hands. We understand that as much as 161bs. weight was during the week brought in by one person, and many have brought in from 1 to 51bs. This may be all very well with our present population, but if it be preserved in, we are certain that it will lead to serious robbery, if nothing worse. There is no charge for the : escort; the gold is brought in free, and it does ■ not render the sender more or less liable for the i export duty. It is, however, objected that the Government will nofc be responsible for accidents. Well; in this matter the digger who sends his gold by a friend is no better off. If that friend were robbed he would not be re.sponsible—he would not be bound to repay if— and the chances of one man bringing gold to !towq being robbed are ten to one as great as any accident occurring to the Government escort of 6 to 7 well«armed men; besides, if the ipractice be continued, we shall in future have numbers of persons ' stuck,up,', in. the anticipation (bat they have gold, and thus it will be•come exceedingly unsafe to travel the road. If, on the other hand, it were known that no one carried gold, the temptation to attempt a robbery would be removed. To retain large sums on the diggings is equally unsafe and unwise, "as it involves a loss of interest.

Defalcations.—The teller of the Union Bank, Mr. J. Brut too, has left-the province by the Otneo under very suspicious circumstances. Several instances of mouey paid in by customers of the Bank had been found not to have been placed to their credit,1 and considerable anxiety had been manifested by those having dealings with the Bank. The extent of the defalcations are not known, but they are presumed to be considerable.