BRUCE BAY.

West Coast Times, Issue 68, 9 November 1865, Page 1 (Supplement)

BRUCE BAY.

We feel much pleasure in submitting to the public our latest intelligence from Bruce Bay, the date of which is October 20th. Our informant who came from thenco overland, gave us to understand that there were about two hundred and fifty miners located there, somo of whom were making very fair wages. The diggings aro situated on the sea beach, a strip of which about forty feet wide extending from high water mark downwards, is auriferous. Tho gold is found in a layer of black sand that rests on a falso bottom consisting of in some places clayey sand, in others a course nobbley drift ; in no instanco docs the depth of sinking exceed five feet. Some of tho claims are paying high wages, but in the majority of instances not more than a £1 a day per man is the result. This, however, for tho times, may bo considered good, were the riecesaries of life only a little moro come-at-able in that out of the way place. Under present circumstances however, short commons is the order of the day, there being no store of any description nearer than Okarita, and that ono not to be depended upon. About ten miles of the beach from Bruce Bay Northwards is in work, being occupied by the above number of miners, tho gold lying' in patches, some distance apart from each other, which accounts for so small a number of men taking up so large an area of ground. It is, however, almost certain that what is now considered duffer ground will eventually turn out more or less payable. No gold whatever has been discovered away from the beach, although a good deal of prospecting has been carried on lately. Not the slightest indication of tho lead of gold nuning'froin the north and intersecting tho Waime a , Kanieri, and Totara districts, has been discovered. This, to say tho least, is remarkable, and would lead to tho inference that either the above lead had really turned off into the sea beach or had slued in closer to the ranges, where tho enterpriso of the prospector has not yet prompted a search for it. If, however, it exists between the snow and tho salt water, wo feel sure it will be found during the onsuing summer months ; although the obstructions offered to prospecting are as great in that district as on any other part of the coast, scrub and marshes abounding.and tho difficulty in obtaining supplies being an almost insurmountable obstacle to tho thorough testing of tho Bruce Bay district. Wo aro certainly much surprised that a depot of stores has not been established there, and feel quite confident such a speculation would pay an enormous per centage to any one having sufficient enterprise to attempt to; for wo are inclined to think from information we received that five to six hundred mon must be scattered about on tho beach and in the bush from the Wiati to Bruco Bay. We have gleaned a few facts from tho samo source from which we obtained tho above, respecting tho routo along tho beach, and the numerous rivers which have to bo crossed. There is no doubt about its being a hard road to travel, and somo of tho rivers aro exceedingly dangerous, tho utmost care being necessary to choose tho propor time of tide, and not on any considerations attempt to cross when thoy aro flooded. On tho Wiati there is a ferry for tho convenience of travellers. Tho next rivor to it breaks into many branches oro it empties itsolf into tho sea, and undor ordinary circumstances is oasily forded. At tho Wanganui'thoro is a boat and store j but tho next riyor to it is exceedingly dangerous, not being

fordablo save at low water, and then only closo to the breakers at its mouth. The next river is both wide and deep, but by following it up for about a mile a bar is reached over which at low water pedestrians can safely cross. The Okarita river is next ; it is difficult to cross, but at low water may be forded when there is no fresh in. Between this and Bruce Bay a distance of fortyfive miles there are many rivers and creeks of the samo character as those wo have already described. In the immediate vicinity of the Okarita a great many parties are prospecting. This intelligence is not very favourable ; it however proves the existence of payable gold in tho far south, and there seems a probability that important discoveries will yet be made there.

A Modei, Candidate.— There were some comical points in tho lato English elections, and in Berkshire, wlien the eldest son of the Eurl of Craven sought the suffrages of tho eleotors, ho began his address on tho hus'ings thus — " Gentlemen, I am in favour of the Government that have governed this country for tho last six years, and lam of opinion — I am opinion — should be upheld." At this point the noblo orator looked into his hat, and a spectator ventured on tho apposite remark — " You've got moro in your 'at than you have in your'ed, governor." After another word or two, the invitations to bring tho paper out of tho hat were too loud to be resisted, and tho candidate compiled, with thejjoxplanatory words, " It's all very fine; if you think it easy, just come up and try." Hisjordship being asked, "Who's your hatter?" roplied with inimitable repartee, "Who's yours t" Amidst roars of laughter, his friends beside him tried to give him an idea or two, but he frankly said — "I don't care : I don't want to speak." Whon somebody in tho crowd suggested — " Givo us a song then, Governor I" After bungling on, he fell in with tho word " developed" on his manuscript, and fairly broke down, Baying — " Well gents, I'm no Bpeaker, but I intend to vote straight." Edmund Ruffin, the man who fired the first gun on Fort Sumier, and who last June committed suicide, preferring, as the memorandum ho left behind him said, "death to living under the United States Government," was a popular editor in the Southern States. For many years ho conducted tho Farmer's Register, which ranked as tho ablest agricultural papor in the country, and ho was a regular contributor to tho American Farmer, tho Southern Planter, and other journals of tho same class. He was also the author of numerous essays, lectures and scientific papers, which havo been published in volumes frorn^ time to time. Ruffin was 74 years old at tho timo of his self-murder, and was spoken of throughout America as " the father of secession in Virginnia." Long previous to tho revolt of the Southern Slates, howovor, Ruifin was noted iv another way — he had an extraordinary antipathy to the banks, and took every occasion to publish his disliko to tho system. He had some of the caustic opinions about them, as expressed by Jefferson, Randolf of Roanoko, and other Southern Conservatives of the old school, stereotyped on blocks, and printed on thousands of bank-notes, whioh he would put into circulation with thoir own characters figured in no complimentary terms upon their backs.