CALEDONIAN.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 323, 13 August 1868, Page 2

CALEDONIAN.

(FROM OUR OWN" COTmESPOKDEJTT.) Much interest appears te be evinced by the residents on the Caledonian in the progress of Giles' Terrace, and as the passage across, via German Terrace is in a very bad state, a track is very much wanted. The concert alluded to, in my last, is not coming off. Mr. J. C. M'Laren altogether repudiates it. On German Terrace, mining matters are unaltered since my last. Langrish and party have come on some pretty heavy blocks of cement in their tunnel, and their progress will not be so quick as heretofore. The share which Mr. David Barrie purchased last week was in Strewer and party's claim, not Stewart and party. Arrangements are being made on German Terrace, for a concert in aid of the hospital. At Giles' Terraee, yesterday, very few appeared to be working; in consequence of some case, which was being tried at Westport, two out of everv claim proceeded to town, and were ready to give their opinions on the frontage system. This frontage system is likely to be the cause of some litigation, and though the pros- j pectors called the errace after Dr. J

Giles, in compliment to that gentle man, it is more than probable that the Dr. will have a good many disputes to arrange, for some rime to come, from his terrace; a peg being one inch too far will create a dispute. From recent discoveries, the smallest portion of ground is carefully watched. On" the east face of the terrace Mc Kenzie and party have begun a tunnel which is to be l-MM) feet in length, and will very probably take them -1< months to construct, from the nature of the ground.

At Deariman's Terrace Simon and oarty have not as yet come on the nm of gold, but are in hourly expectation of doing so, they are the prospectors of this terrace, and strange to say, have not been the first to como on gold, as Thompson and partv who are working opposite there, struck a branch run of gold on Saturday, but proceeded with their tunnel, intending to strike the main lead of gold. M'Farlane and party who are working further down cannot drive more than 20 feet a week in their tunnel, they are now ten feet in a rock, and are not aware where the other side of it is yet; however they are unceasing in their exertions, and work night and day except Sunday. Towards the Fair downs and beyond it the country is now rushed, and a population of about 200 are on thejgrouud. Gold has been struck in the fourth claim in this direction, and the wash dirt found to be rich ; the gold is fine, and of the same class as that struck by Nichols and party. The lead appears to be go ing in a northern direction, but diggers of considerable experience state that they! think it can be traced both north an I south. O.'e fact is, that the men who have prospected this ground have had to hump their tucker over a broken country impregnated with projecting boulders and tangled bush. I saw one man taking a spell previous to ascending Deadman's Terrace, and he complained sadly of what prospectors had to contend with in consequence of tracks not being made to districts where gold was in fact known to exist. A line of track along this country from the Caledonian would cost very little, and if made evejt to the "Waimangaroa G-orge would, I think, be the means of opening up an extensive goldfield from the Caledonian to the "Waimangaroa Uiver, where coarse gold has been obtained, The same difficulty always present s itself along this line of country. " I will have to hump my tucker" which a digger, as a rule, has a decided objection to, and in case he takes a month's provisions, when those fre consumed he may not find himself in a position to replenish his swag, and necessarily abandons the object of his search, not from want of energy perseverance, or knowledge of mining, but simply because he is unable to secure the necessaries of life in some cases through the want of means, and in others he becomes enfeebled in constitution from hard work, bringing his provisions such a distance, and over an intricate country. Too much credit cannot be given to men who surmount the difficulties I have enumerated, and bring their labors and privations to a remunerative conclusion by striking a lead of gold, as in cases which we are already familiar with.