THE WAIHO GOLDFIELDS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 248, 31 October 1872, Page 8

THE WAIHO GOLDFIELDS.

(From the " Timara Herald," Oct. 16.) For years past the upper valleys of the Waiho river have been known by the above title, but known so rather in irony than because any decent find of the precious metal gave them a right to be so designated. That gold exists up the Waiho, and through the many tributary creeks which run into the main stream, ia beyond question, as every summer season has witnessed its discovery by parties of men fossicking in that locality. But though gold was found in numerous- places, jet it has never been in sufficient quantities to be payable to the digger. News to our hand now. though, seems to in-

dicate that there is every probability of this Waiho country turning out eventually a veritable gold diggings.

For nearly two years past, two men (one a thoroughly practical digger of some seventeen or /twenty years experience) have been steadily at work on a certain creek which falls into the Waiho. These men at first, we believe, simply "spotted" the country, in hopes of dropping on something worth taking, but during the last few months have adopted a systematised plan, and selecting a likely-looking place, have bottomed to rock, and are now steadily following the rock up in hopes of striking the reef, the mother of that gold which is found in more or less quantity throughout the workings. The labofof these two men has not been sliglit. In the first place, the creek had to be turned and channel new dug, an J then in the bed of the original creek, a huge trench has been dug out of some 6ft in width, and 14ft in depth, and extending in length from three to four chains. From the first bottoming 1 of the rock all through these four chains, gold has been picked up of a rough honey-combed kind, and mixed as it is with quartz, shows conclusively that it has not .travelled far from a quartz reef. The men, we hear, are sanguine that the reef is not far from the head of their drive, and express themselves. satisfied with the work heretofore done, and look forward w'th assured hope that when the reef is i truck it will be found " thickly peppered." We hope that their Anticipations will turn out correct, for if so, we may be assured that soon after discovery, there will be a regular gold mining industry established, where now the sheep and the wandering shepherd only have their. Jbeing.

As the Californian earthquake approached, a young lady improved the opportunity to faint away in her lover's arms, it being the first time either had dared to establish such a propinquity. She did not recover for twenty minutes or more, and the gentleman took a vast oath on the morrow that he would " give twenty-five • dollars a shock for earthquakes." •

An elderly lady, who was being examined as a witness in a law case, insisted that her husband had a legal settlement in the town, becanse " He was born and married there, and they buried him there," and if that imt settling him there she's anxious to know what is. .

A man in New England advertises for a woman who " fears the .Lord and weighs 2001 b.;" and the editor of the paper in whioh the advertisement appears says : — " The experience of most men is that a woman who weighs 2001 b rarely fears ; the Lor 4or any one else, 5 '