The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume 1, Issue 135, 6 January 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 1868.

The prospects of a large population being settled on the Caledonian is every day becoming more apparent, and the necessity of having a good road up to those diggings forces itself upon the notice of everybody in-

terested, not only in tlio welfare of the Caledonian, but in that of Westport. The geological features of the Caledonian present characteristics partaking more of that of "Victoria than of New Zealand, and if there are any probabilities of a deep lead being traced it will be found in this locality. Already three leads have been discovered, and if we may credit our information the whole of them are superior to any yet discovered in the Buller district; but at the same time it is almost useless for the penniless miner to think about attempting this locality. The sinking is no child's play, and it is therefore no use disguising the fact, and thereby buoying' needy men up with false hopes. The gold is there in payable quantities there is not the slightest doubt, but that it will require both time and! money is also a matter of certainty. The leads to all appearances run both north aud south, the gold getting heavier and coarser as it runs northerly, while it gets finer as it trends southward. Should this prove to be the case as at present apparently borne out, it will do much to revive the old Victorian theory relative to leads being the beds of ancient rivers, and it will open new fields for geological speculations. The gold from the north is both scaly and watervvorn, and appears to run, not towards the sea-coast as at present situated, but in an inland direction, and to follow a line in the direction of Addison's and Charleston, where it is not at all improbable but that these rivers formed a deposit, as the auriferous cement is nothing more than a hardened sand or drift, containing gold of so fine a character that it must evidently have been borne from a distance. The geological formation of Charleston or Waite's present no appearance of any gold-forming rocks—on the contrary, the gold in these places, more especially at Charleston, are deposits, and deposits only; and these deposits are traced not so much in a direct line to the sea, but bearing apparently towards the Nile River, on the banks of which it apparently loses itself, Or rather it is broken by the gorge, upon the edge of which the Nile road is situated. Should this theory prove correct, it does not require a great prophet to fortell the future of "Westport, and also the probable course of the leads, as they must be continuous. The necessity for good road communication from Westport to the Caledonian as a centre is therefore so apparent, that its completion should not be delayed. Polly enough has been shown already in delaying the construction of suitable roads, and therefore, this one should be urged upon the Government with all despatch, for the present track is for all business purposes simply impracticable and impassable.