REPORTED DISCOVERY OF A NEW GOLDFIELD AT THE LITTLE GREY.

West Coast Times, Issue 166, 31 March 1866, Page 2

REPORTED DISCOVERY OF A NEW GOLDFIELD AT THE LITTLE GREY.

From an " Extra " of the " Grey Jliver Atfgus," published on Thursday evening* we extract the following accdiint of some new gold cotltttr'y, di^ dpvere'd ii> tl}e vicinity of the ,Little Grey. We ,flin'cdrel#;hc#S that. tb,<j anticipations indulged in respecting it may bo realized :—: — • For several days past there have been rumours to the effect that a very important discovery had been mado up the Little Grey (Mawhera — iti), and that a number of miners had set in with very excellent prospects. We have taken pains to ascertain such particulars ( <m are at present available, and we hays gathered from various Botitces w;h'at we bellevo to be reliable information* The shoit report we gave the other day is substantially true, and there in every reason to believe that one of the richest goldtields ever opened on the West Coast has been discovered. The ''locale" of the new discovei yis the Little Grey River, gold having been found on both the Bu'.ler and the Grey sides of the Saddle, as well ns on the top of the Saddle itself. Payable gold has also been found in the beds of the tributaiy creeks of the Little Grey, and in lbw terraces arid old riVer fiatS. All the Maoris who formerly worked on the Grey are there, and already some " pile claims " have been opened. At present only the beds of the twq creeks are bving worked, although payable gold has been discovered iv many other places, as before stated. There is very little stripping, and the depth of wash-dirt varies from two to ten feet, and a very large proportion «>f the cliiiiiis are yielding from two dwts upwafds to the dish. The terraces have not yet been commenced upon, but where prospected have been found payablo ; in one instauce •m of our informants saw two dwts to the shovelful. All provisions are 1 tacked from about six miles from the 1 diggings. There is no available track from the Buller, nor can canoes go up the Little Grey to the diggings now opened. About 600 men were there three days ago. The country is for the most part open, with manuka scrub, and marshly plains. The diggings can only be reached by the Little, Grey. The prospectors' claim is giving front three to three and a half dwts to the dish, and the ground has been proved to be payable tor 15 miles on the Bullet side of the saddle, and six miles on the Grey side. The Maoris declare it to be the richest and most extensive; gold , field ever discovered on the West C«.a*t. t The above is the substance of the information we have receive d, and we havj reawn for believing it to be truthfll. In o der, however, that we may be in a pj it on to give an authoritative anl pc f dly reliable account, we intend at (no to despatch a special reporter to the ground.