THE NORTHERN TERRITORY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 378, 1 August 1874, Page 4

THE NORTHERN TERRITORY.

The following letter, from Mr. G. M. Newman, formerly manager of the Blackhill Company, Ballaratjiapublisliedby the " Courier": -"Yam Creek, Northern Territory, 2nd June, 1874. Edward Morey, Esq. — Dear Sir, — This country has undergone many changes during its infant history, and ia now undergoing a severe purging which necessarily caused the present mining pdiiic— which, after all, is but a shadow of what we have both, experienced — elsewhere Some eighteen months ago all Adelaide and were excited to fever heat, in consequence of the fdlse and extra vg tant reports from Ihis quarter, which led them to believe that the gold was hanging in nno^ets on the palm-trues. But soon afler the arrival of a band of practical men, it was found that the precious meUl d.d exist, in payable (but not fabulous) quantities, and required patience, energy, and skill lo extract it from the moLhcr ear! h. These blighlpd expectations have resulted in the present temporary panic. This territory has many things to contend against, in the way of labor, food,^and capital. You may believe me when I say it is not my desire to cause a rush of people to these shores; but I am fully conviuced this country will ultimately become the rccept'icle for the surplus labor of all the Australian colonies for many years to come and most prove an excellent field for the legitimate investment of oapil-al, providing investors are content lo bide their time, and op.^n up the mines in a systematic and practical manner. Developing, in all countries, is slow and costly work ; and when we consider the few months of available wo.ilher we have had since our landing on the^e shores, and the many disadvantages we have had to contend against — in the way of making roads and bridges, carting machinery over frightful bogs, erecting camps and machinery, prospecting and developing mines which, a limited number of men (many of them totally untitfced for the work)— and looking at the progress made, I am <>f opinion the Adelaide folks have not much to complain about. For my own information I have' tolled up over 3,0000z3. of gold to biifshipped perGothenburgh, and obtained during the past three months, since the departure of the Taiurua. And during the last few days I have crushed 133 tons of stone from the Britannia Reef, which yielded 2450z t5t 5 of gold ; and a picked simplo of quartz has been crushed from ihe Union Reef, 10 tons yielding 7710zs of gold. Both of these crushings have been obtained from quartz taken from reefs two feet and nine feet wide, showing every sign of premanency. Considering that the two crushing? above-mentioned have been from reefs over fifty miles apart the intervening country embracing only a portion as what is considered the established goldSeld, and populated by less than 400 E'n-oooans, these facts alone speak volumnsfor the future of this vast and unknown territory. — Yours truly, G. M. Newhax.