GOLD-SEEKERS STOPPED BY NATIVES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2105, 26 September 1885, Page 2

GOLD-SEEKERS STOPPED BY NATIVES.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION)

Auckland, September 25. It will be remembered that a Gold Prospecting Association was recently formed at Alexandra, qui] Thpiflaa D.i\nn and Climes Barker, experienced Thames miners, pre omployed to go into the King Country in search of the precio.us mineral. Tliey left tlueQ wooka agq, and returned to Alexandra unsuccessful, the natives having turned them baok, saying that written permission granted by the Government was of no use. The Wanganui party, which consists of four persons, was similarly treated, and is now at Kihikihi. The natives have not absolutely refused permission to prospjjqt, but have stopped the progress of the prospectors until they have had a meeting amongst themselves. One of the Thames party has arrived in town, He says they proceeded nearly as far as Te Kuiti from Alexandra, a distance of about twenty iiiiles, which occupied'about a (jay pi 9. half, After camping there, the party pje interviewed by sotiie natives,' vyho insisted upon the return of the pak'ehag until a meeting was held. A return to Whatiwhatihoo was agreed upon and carried into effect. . No force was used, and tliey were very kindly treated by natives, Dunn, tyho lias tod 14 years'' experience on the Thamoa, and lias been brought up on agoldfield, is satisfied that the country through which they travelled is both an alluvial field and good ieefing OQuntry, He believes tjiore iB alliiviaj O 'olcl in the bec| of tno Waipa, though he did not see any. The and othep apall favored the idea, He saw quaptz, but did not observe gold in any of the stone; he iB, however, convinced that gold will be got in that distriot, The party were making towards Rangitoto when they were stopped. The Natives told Dunn tliey had got alluvial gold at the mountain in quantities which, they said, gave a nice show in the dish. Half-oasts, they saifj, jiad gone there, but up Europeans were allowed there yet. The mountain, which was 80 utiles distant, was quite visible frem where they were stopped, Dunn hopes to obtain permission from the Natives to continue prospecting. Very little was done on the recent trip, for the reason that they had not reached the oountry when they were stopped,