SOUTH AFRICAN DIAMOND FIELDS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 273, 24 April 1873, Page 6

SOUTH AFRICAN DIAMOND FIELDS.

(From a correspondent of the '' Charleston HeraldS DE BEER'S RUSH.

Thinking you might care to print a few words about the diamond fields, I embrace the opportunity offered by a gentleman leaving for the Southern Island of New Zealand to send you a few lines regarding things generally. Within the last few months the prospects of the fields have very greatly improved, through the coming into existance of seveial new rushes. Still, the older and more permanent diggings — principally among which is Dv Toit'B Pan — fully hold their own. The community on all these rushes is of a mixed description; but by far the greater proportion are Europeans, and by far the greater portion of the Europeans are Englishmen. The population on the different rushes is about 70,000 altogether ; but Dv Toits Pan is greatly in advance of the other places, although De Beer's Rush is rapidly pulling up in wealth and population. We have any number of public houses, several places of amusement, and many places or worship. Buildings are going up in all directions. The " Diamond News" and the " Diggers Journal " are very fair specimens of journals for a digging community. They are both published at this rush. The Courts are kept fully employed, aud the lawyers are making money hand over fist. The diamond buyers, comparatively few in number, are also doing remarkably well, .their profits being on an average aboutr~3s per cent. ; but of course they a good deal of risk. Every diamond buyer has to enter into a bond for £1000 before he is allowed to trade, and he is compelled to buy only of registered diggers. A good deal of excitement has been lately caused among this class of the community, on account of one of their number ( i Mr. Charles Uttiug) having been summoned for an alleged contravention of the Act and fined. The i defendants took a number of exceptions, and the case will have to go to a Court of Appeal. In this instance the contravention of the Act consisted in buying diamonds of a well-known diggers, but whose license had just expired. The matter was warmly taken up by the .Press, and the diamond dealers talk of leaving in a body if they can't get better protection than this. Gambling is just beginning to assume a very serious aspect on the field. Several "hells" have been opened, and are nighly drawing crowds of people on to their ruin. Although Ib/} existence of the hells is known to the authorities, at present no steps have been taken to put a stop to them. In the way of amusements we have the G-lassblowers (the Woodruff's), a first-class circus, Signor Barnato (the magician), Mr. and Mrs. d'Arcy Reid (in their drawingroom entertainment), Harry Greene and Harry Lemon, and a number of other comedians, who form a first-class company. Then last week we had three days horse racing, in which the stakes averaged about LIOO for each event. There was quite a fashionable turn out, and we all spent a very jolly time of it. There are great complaints of the large number of oflicials on the

field. Many of the appointments are fine fat billets, and all have to be paid out of the hard earned moneys of the diggers. Two of the sons of the new Lieutenant- Governor have received very remunerative sinecures. The beauty of it is that these oflicials have nothing to do but play billiards from ten till four. We have lately had a little excitement in the shape of a breach of promise case, which lasted for two days. Both the plaintiff and the defendant were Dutch, and the jury, considering the intimate terms on which they had lived, and the fact that the defendant, a lucky digger, worth LI 1,000, had been struck by a richer and prettier girl,' returned a verdict of one shilling. So much for man's villany. It has long been thought that gold existed in large quantities not very far from the diamond fields. About a week ago a gentleman passed through here with a bag of very fine specimens, and ,wo days ago a prospecting party, well fitted with every requisite, and in charge of an experienced Australian miner, started for the new El Dorado. The diamond diggings are now looking better than ever, and there is every prospect of their spreading on all sides. Great hopes are entertained of the ultimate discovery of a payable goldfield.