LATEST FROM WAIKATO.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 170, 25 April 1872, Page 3

LATEST FROM WAIKATO.

FURTHER PARTICULRS RESPECTING THE GOLD DISCOVERY. ENDEAVOURS TO SECURE LEASES OF THE GROUND. GREAT EXTENT OF THE FIELD. (from “d. s. cross” own correspondent.) Alexandra, Tuesday, 4 p.m. I have received your telegram asking me to make further inquiry into the facts relating to the new, or what may be called “Auckland Southern goldfield.” Several parties are trying to cry it down, but they have no interest in doing so. Theie are several people making efforts which are likely to complicate matters, by pressing the natives to lease or sell their lands in the neighbourhood where the gold lias been found. These efforts should be strenuously opposed, and the opposition of the natives to alienate these lands to European speculators backed up by all the strength and influence of the Government and press. I do not mention the names of the speculators in the field, but the Government should watch all such movements that may be made in Auckland. There is no doubt about the existence of a large and rich goldfield in the district I previously described. It is an alluvial field. Rewi lias in his possession a number of nice nuggets, .vhicli lie got out of the gravel bed in the Tuliua district. The whole of the district is of the clay-slate formation, which speaks very favourably for the importance of the new discovery. From inquiries made amongst the natives, I learn that gold lias been found at different times in that district for several years, but the native mind was too suspicious of the pakelia to make the fact known. As far back as 20 years ago gold was picked up in the bottom of some of the creeks falling into the Kawliia harbour. This fact was well known to many of the old settlers. The district where the gold is found, it will thus be seen, is not confined to the banks of the Taringaniutu river, but embraces a large area of ground all round Tuliua as a centre. Northward of the bead waters of the Taringamutu are very large grassy plains, embracing tens of thousands of acres. These plains bear every appearance of being dried-up lakes of former ages, everywhere having a gravelly or shingly bottom. These plains are believed to be also within the gold-bearing area, because they are to the soulli of Kawliia harbour, where gold lias been found, and north of Tuliua and the Taringamutu. There is every reason to believe they are gold-bearing, and, if so, it is hard to say whero the boundaries of this Southern goldfield may be. Perhaps it is a continuation of the Coromandel peninsula, across the central portion of the province. The Provincial Government has a large area of land closely adjoining this district, running down towards the mouth of the Mokau, which divides on the West Coast the provinces of Auckland and Taranaki. I have been told by the natives that the province owns some 30,000 acres in that district. As to another part of your inquiry, I may say that, if the goldfield is confined to the Taringamutu district, Mokau would be the nearest and most convenient port to the goldfield. It is distant from the

Taringamutu, about 50 miles. For fully one-half of the way the country is somewhat broken, but the natives say a road could be made much easier than many a track at the Thames and Coromandel. I told you before that was distant from here about 50 miles :. • ■ ;w (lies, and I now learn that following the native track round by Te Kuiti, is about 70 miles. From Tokano, in the Taupo district, one of the spots occupied by the *3.rmed Constabulary, the Taringamutu is distant about 40 miles. To Whanganui is the longest way of all, but it is said open valleys exist from the bead of the navigation on that river. If the boundaries of the goldfield extend northward, as I believe they will, an easy track to Kawliia Harbour may yet be found. I shall continue my inquiries, and report only what I believe can bear investigation. The field does not need puffing up ; it only requires to be opened up by the Government for European prospectors.