THE KARAKA GOLDFIELDS.

West Coast Times, Issue 599, 26 August 1867, Page 3

THE KARAKA GOLDFIELDS.

We collate the whole of the particulars of the now Thames diggings from the latest Auckland papeis to hfod. - , The following is the letter of the correspondent of the "Southern Cross," and dated —

" Shortland Town, August 16. " The intelligence of the value and quantity of gold in the small parcels of the quartz taken from theKaranui reef has been received with intense satisfaction. We have been in doubt for some clays. Tools were brouglt to act upon the dust crushed out of the stone, but, in the absence of proper chemicals, no result could be received with confidence. From the appearance of the gold in the bulk of the reef, as seen on the surface, I am inclined to think that the gold has been washed into the creeks and level ground bearing towards the beach at a very recent period of time. lam also of opinion, since looking at a sample of quartz shown to me by Mr Hunt, one of the prospectors, that a heavier and hotter quality of gold may be found in the shaft now being sunk in the Karaka flat, under a false bottom that is met with at about twenty feet from the surface. This is borne out by a prospect taken from Deane's claim at thirty-one feet, wliich is coar-er and of a better color. During the last few days tlv» prospecting claim bas been visited by ncarlj r every miner on the ground, and the prospectors were not at all sparing in permitting the men to take away samples. Now that the values of the reef is ascertained, the good sense of the diggers will teach them that the claim is the property of the finders. The names of the prospectors are, William A. Hunt, George Clarkson, William Cobloy, and Johu E. White ; whose energy in prospecting the Karaka goldfield, may be classed as producing one of the richest reefs in the Southern hemisphere. " I would not lead you to suppose that the large body of rock know to be in the prospectors' claim is equally auriferous with' the Sample sent to Aucklaud. .Time will develope its value; for the present every claim pegged out will be worked, and, as I do not think the reel will have to be sunk for to any great depth, other claims will shortly be proved what they are worth. In order to give time to the prospectors to obtain tools and other quartz-mining appliances, protection has been granted for a fortnight. Indeed, with the weather we now have, this kind of mining could not be prosecuted as it ought to bo ; the land has to be cleared of heavy bush timber, which cannot be done until fine weather sets in, when I hope to see every claim (quartz or ahuvial) worked in that hopeful manner which gold-digging always produces. Mr Hunt, named among the prospectors, is a brother of Mr Albert Hunt, tho discoverer of the Greenstone diggings on the West Coast, mentioned in your issue of the 10th, in the publication of a lecture on the West Coast goldfields. Storekeepers are laying in stores, and miners are purchasing at Auckland prices. The frontages are being willingly paid for, and I have heard that the Commissioner, who is acting for all parties, native and European, will take care that tho interests of the latter will be protected, should substantial buildings be erected on the sites alloted to them. Butchers or dairymen, who intend bringing cattle here, should consult the Commissioner before doiDg so. The natives are not likely to allow their land to be depastured, without receiving aitequivaj lent. Most of the grass land in the district, opened for gold purposes, is run I over with a weed which is obnoxious. There can be no dilliculty in tho way of those who bring their own feed with them. I refer to this subject, having had a conversation on it with a cattle dealer, who was anxious to introduge spino milpU ooffi cm {lie t%gtag»<

" The native meeting takes place this day ; the issue of the runanga I will communicate by first opportunity. Te Moananui, Kitahi, and other influential chiefs are on the ground ; and, although Eiwai will be antagonistic, I have every reason to believe he will be brought to consider that it is to his interest to agree with the chiefs who are disposed to open their lands for gold digging. "I have not heard what the prospects are of the opening of the Upper Thames. We must be content with what we have, and await Mr Mackay 's endeavors to develop the Thames district. He loses no opportunity by which he can carry out the advancement of the province through its mineral resources. , you will find a sketch of the Karaka goldficlds, kindly presented tome by Mr E;vre, the Government surveyor. All that piece of land within the red line towards the beach is reserved; it is fancied by the miners in preference to the larger extent situated without the line. I have travelled up the streams from the red Hue towards the boundary, and observed several likely places. As prospecting will extend, I hope to hear that miners will set to work on the higher lands. " During the last week an addition of about sixty men has been made to our population,- numbering now close on- 300. Mr Stevenson, from the Riverhead, has been here for a few days, taking stock of the pre spects of the goldfield. He has been deputed by the gum-diggers to report the actual state of the field. His experiende of other is extensive, but the peculiar formations . here are a poser to all."

We take the following from the same journal of a few days earlier date : — " We feel constrained to protest against the practice of spreading false reports of the goldfteJd on thp Thames, which appears to originate with masters ,or persons interested in vessels 'on the berth ' for the diggings. A case in point occurs to-day, in reference to the letter of Captain Butt. That letter states exactly what the facts are — we have given our authority for the statement wliich appeared in our paper. Now, it may be all very well to make an honest penny in the .way of carrying passengers ; it is a totally different thing to spread reports, for the sole purpose of inducing persons to take passage in auy vessel which may happen to be laid on the line. CajStain Butt most properly disclaims any complicity with persons for such an object, and we are sure that all who know him will acquit him of such a thing.

" When on the subje'et of exaggerated reports of the doings at the Earakrt, we may mention another instance of this character which was reported to us yesterday, namely, the false and exciting statements regarding the finds" said to have been made at the Thames, which were circulated on the arrival of the 'Tauranga' steamer at her destination last down trip. Fortunately, the population there were not misled. "We mention these incidents to caution persons engaged in the carrying trade that they will not be permitted to do these things with impunity. Public opinion will be brought to bear upon them ; and we are certain that the "large majority, who are respectable and ityright men, will discountenance any such practices in future. We have been told, but we cannot vouch for the fact, that posters calculated to excite the diggers, and produt'e a" ri»sh, have been sent down to the West Coast. If 36; the persons who have done this are open to the severest censure, and it is a pity the law could not be made to overtake them. At all events, it is our duty to expose, as far as possible, the present system, which is misleading and injurious in." the oxtrcme. " And now, a few words regarding the Karaka goldfield as it has been called. We have been placfetl in possession of information of a reliable nature, which enables us to say at once that we do not believe the ground at present worked will turn out payable to any appreciable extent. Those on the ground will be grievously disappointed. They will obtain the color ; they may strike a reef or leader, rich in gold ; but there is no " poor man's diggings there. Let this fact, therefore, be known and considered. At the same time, we have been informed of localities in the Thames district — a wide one — which have been tested and found payable ; and which, in process of time, will be opened to the public. We do not wish to excite — for there is no use in exciting the public mmd — but at the same time we deem it right to state this fact, and if possible prevent disappointment by rushing a locality which is ;iot a payable one. The diggers have begun ( a month or six weeks too soon ; they have begun at the wrong place ; but when the proper time arrives, no doubt the necessary information will be forthcoming. Meanwhile, we would leave the acquisition of the gold-bearing district quietly to Dr Pollen and Mr Mackay, who are alive to the necessities of the case."

At a meeting of diggers held to receive the report of a Mr Watkinson who had gone down to the Karaka diggings. The room was crammed, and a Mr Wilkes occupied the chair. '• Mr S. Alexander made a few remarks setting forth the difficulties that lay in the way of diggers at the Thames. Mr Griffin then briefly introduced Mr Watkinson. Mr Watkinson said he had only arrived at the Karaka diggings that morning. He had met several friends, and had as!ced them how they word getting on. Some said they did not know, and some said "All right; no fear.'' He could not get much definite information as to what was doing. A great impediment to the working was the number of boulders. There were seven or eight parties sluicing, and eight or nine holes were being put down. The men were anxious to get down to the bottom as soon as possible, and American pumps were at work. He believed that by Wednesday the bottom would be reached. Mr Watkinson then spoke of some difficulty that had taken place amongst the Maoris as to the right to a piece of land. This was, he understood from Mr Mackay, a good prospect that more land' would soon be opened. Mr Watkinson showed to the meeting a piece of quartz with some gold in it, which he had picked up. His firm impression was that there was a good goldfield there. A gentleman had told him that some one had got 3 dwts to the dish. He would, however, advise no man to go down until some further information had been received. There was a strong impression at the diggings that the further they got up the river, the gold would get better. There' were 200 minei-s there, and a good many had gone into the bush. Mr Townloy, who had also been down at the Thames, said lie had seen no sign of ' a payable goldfield. The ground was very limited, and a great deal of it was tapucd. Mr Williamson had said that there was payable ground for sixty men ; "but his (Mr Townlcy's) idea was tlmt theyo was not payable ground foy sixty mow at pwwonh J'l would to quite tw» enough to ge aewa

when more ground was* open. Not one hole had been bottomed, and the stuff they were working appeared to be slip" from the ranges. Some men whom he knew had gone up the creek, and had found quartz reefs ; but the further they went up the creek, the scarcer the gold became. They got colour from the surface down perhaps a distance of five or six feet, but the greater part was reef gold, and men who know would like to see " wash" goldi A friend of his who knew Maori had been informed by the natives that they had done a great deal of work at the creek, and had moyed many large boulders, and all the gold for a month's work was Idwt. The reason he (Mr Townley) had come up was, because he did not like to see men going down without information of what the place was like. Unless more ground were opened, there was not much chance of doing well at the diggings now. He had seen the gold that had been shovro in town from Mr Mackay, and he did not think that it was from the Thames at all, because all he had seen there was so light that it could be blown away. A good deal of disapproval of this statement was shown by the meeting. After some remarks from Dr. Merrett, votes of thanks were passed to Mr Watkinson, Mr Townley, and the Chairman ; and the meeting separated.'' Captain Butt, of the steamer Enterprise No. 2, writes to the editor of the " Southern Cross- :" —

"Sir— l was) both surprised and annoyed on reading your article on the gbldfields of the 6th instant. You state that I am in possession of the finest specimen of anyone in the place, and you go so far as to turn the same specimen into a quantity of nuggets. " The facts of tho case ai'e simply tliese: I received as a present a small specimen of gold from a miner, and I showed the same to three or four persons here, but positively refused to send it to town, as I did not consider it sufficient to warrant the belief in a payable 1 gol&fleld ; neither could I vouch for the said specimen having been obtained here, although I believed it was. Whatever may have been the object of persons making the report to you I know not, and I should be very sorry to be in any way connected in creating, a rush to this place, which, at present isi f oially uncalled for. " I can also assttre 1 you that the reports of the number of people having left Auck-. land are quite erroneous. Instead of the number given, by the ' Enterprise,' it is sixty by the first trip, and sixty by the second. Others have arrived by sailing vessels ; but we have not at present, out of the whole, over thirty practical miners, and the gold-diggings here differing somewhat from the Australian goldfields, even some of them are at pfesent not even exactly prospecting to advantage. " The whole of the ground is not yet arranged for 5 Undone creek in particular, which the practical diggers- wish to work is in dispute with the natives'. Mr Mackay is doing all that radii can do tol adjust the prospectors and settle MaoriXdifferences ; but anyone knowing the native character knows well enough that it takes time. Publishing reports such as 1 have just read will create a rush, and defeat the very object we have so long tried to obtain. At all events, I trust for the future you will not use my name on suoh a subject, and without my written authority."

The tide of emigration has once more commenced in the iron and coal districts of South WaleS,- tteel hundreds have already left, and many more are preparing to follow. As was the case in 1865 and 1866, 85 to 90 per cent, of the emigrants are hound for the United States, and.the remainder are distributed over the various British colonies.

Among the deaths worthy of note within the la3t few days is that of the Eov. Dr Price, a Nonconformist writer of some celebrity. He was formerly minister of a Baptist chapel in the City, and for some yeais edited the j' Eclectic Review.' when that poriodical occupied a higher position in the literary world than it has for some time past. He died at Upper Norwood, in his 66th year.