THE BIG BAY GOLDFIELD PRONOUNCED A FRAUD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1519, 30 November 1886, Page 3

THE BIG BAY GOLDFIELD PRONOUNCED A FRAUD.

" Meisrs Hardie, Chandler, and Doddi (says the North Otago Times), three of the Christchurch party who went to Big Bay, per Hinemoa, and, were seven week* at Big Bay district, arrived on Monday in Oamarn, having comi all the distance on foot, via Lindis Pan. In prospecting the diitriot they first tried the beach, which is composed of large boulders, and where the proipeot obtained wai limply the color, the beach having been worked yean ago. From Big Bay they went to Jerry river, and the Acton branches of the Gorge River north of Big Bay, where they tried the beds of the rivers and also the terraces. In the river beds 1 they only found the color, and the terraces were riddled with holes, which bad all the appearance of having been dug twenty years ago. The wash dirt on the terraces was gravel varying from lin to Ifin, which would average a grain to the dish. On the flat it varied from 3in to 6in of quarts gravel and mullock lying on a pipe-day bottom, and gave from nothing to ha f a grain to the dish. The main bottom was composed of rotten reef, which did not even yield the color. They tried both terraces and flat, and found the sinking on the flat to be 22ft on the average. The part of the district described is known as the Beach track. They afterwards went up the Red Hill track as far as Grassy Fiat, prospecting all the way np. From Grassy Flat they took the survey track that strikes the Jerry and Acton riven, trying the country all along the route without getting a color until they reached the Jerry river, where they struck the terraces already described. Leaving the Jerry river they struck across country, making for Big Bay again. On the way they tried what appeared to be likely looking country, bottoming ten holes, averaging Ift 6in to 10ft, the bottom being sandstone, but failed to find the color. They found quartz reefs, not one of which were gold bearing. Their experiences at Big Bay have been most disheartening ; they have had a most trying time of it in travelling here, and they are now practically penniless. Ohandler and Dodds are young unmarried men. Ohandler has already a job la view, and neither he nor Dodds make a poor mouth about the future. Neither, for that matter, does Hardie; but his case is particularly trying, for before leaving Christchurch he mortgaged a bit of property he hae there. He is now penniless, and, though anxious to get home to his wife and children at Christchurch, he has not the means to pay his way thither. Chandler and his mates states that had the Government distributed the parties in different localities between Big Bay and Jackson’s Bay the results might have been different, as from the difficulties of travelling, through having to ford the rivers and want of tracks, the whole party were confined to a very small area. They are also of opinion that if the Government would out a track from the Bed Hills to the head of the Ord River gold would be fonnd. Thus, though their own experiences have been bitterly disappointing, they point to means whereby subsequent parties like theirs may be saved from disappointment.” Mr Baker, one of the Invercargill prospectors who went to Big Bay, has returned. He informed the Southland News that Bachanan and Sons were working six weeks, and washed away about a quarter of an acre of comparatively shallow ground, out of which they only made on the average 7s Bid per week per man. Mr Baker’s party opened their claim from the beach, whence they brought np a tail race to the face, worked constantly, and did not average idwt per day by cradling. He added that Baton and party are going to divert the stream of the Gorge river, in which they hope to get good results. There are about 90 miners still on the grounds, ana Mr Baker thinks that good gold will be got when the track from Lake iJowden to the Oliphant is open. The country, his party considered, was too steep and rough for work from Big Bay.