CALEDONIAN.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 325, 15 August 1868, Page 2

CALEDONIAN.

(FROM OUR OWS CORRESPOKOENT.) Much interest appears to be evinced by the residents on the Caledonian in the progress of Giles' Terrace, and as the passage across, via Gorman 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; iu 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 prospectors called the errace after Dr. 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 time 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 1400 feet in length, and will very probably take them 4 months to construct, from the nature of the ground.

At Deaoman's Terrace Simon and party have not as yet come on the run of gold, but are in hourly .expectation of doing so, they are the prospectors of tuis terrace, and strange to say, have not been the first to come on gold, as Thompson and party 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 the*ground. G-old 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 going in a northern direction, but diggers of considerable experience state that they think it can be traced both north and south. One 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 even to the Waimangaroa Grorge would, I think, be the means of opening up an extensive goldfield from the Caledonian to the Waimangaroa River, where coarse gold has been obtained, The same difficulty always presents 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 pro v sons, when those are 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 ho is unable to secure the necessaries of life ill 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.

We [" Grey River Argus "J have received the following letter from a miner on the Auckland Gold Fields which fully bears out the remarks we made in our last concerning the prospects of those who proceed there : — > " Auckland, July 1, 186 S. Dear Sir Will you allow me a little space in your valuable paper to give a small bit of information to my fellow-diggers respecting the Thames Gold Field. I have spent some time there, and have gained a knowledge of the field ; and from its appearance, I should say it is most likely to be rich in the product of gold. Many claims are on gold, but the great want is machinery. The ground is taken up for miles, and for the present there is not much chance of getting a claim. I hope and believe there will be ground opeued before long ; but at present it would be madness to go into the bush to prospect, the weather is so veiw wet, and the bush is as bad as it is on tho West Coast. Wages are very low, from 30s to £2 per week, living is cheap but is rising every day as the population increases. I would advise my fellow miners not to start for this place at present, unless they have some capital to stand by or to speculate with. There are any quantity of shares for sale, and great swindling going on in buying and selling. Hunt's claim is getting plenty of gold, but I have seen the amount of gold taken from it reported over and over again in the papers for a week ; so when those papers reach other parts of the country, they quite startle the people. This is their policy for attracting a population here in order to consume the storekeepers' stock of provisions, and to keep wages down. There are hundreds of diggers hanging about doing nothing; the rate of wages is just sufficient for a man to keep himself. So I conclude by asking my fellow miners to reflect on their position before they make a start for this gold field. lam, &c, Joseph Forsyth, a digger."

We understand that the Charlestonians intend to have a really good race meeting in the coming spring, and promises of funds have already been made. One or two meetings on the subject have also been held, and in about a week it is very probable that all necessary arrangements will be completed, and the programme arranged. Why should we not get up a meeting in Westport? It must be borne in mind that races are not only a holiday in which nearly all nations can enjoy themselves, but one in which those of home extraction especially take delight. But there are other mde material grounds in the fact that, if pro erly conducted, they can be made fully self-supporting, and the money spent in the locality through their being held, far more than compensates any subscriptions that may be collected. The tradesmen reap a harvest, the publicans more especially, and as a matter of simple self-interest, it is surprising that they have not taken steps to hold races before this. If a meeting is arranged to be held in Westport, say a week or ten days after Charleston, the horses that competed there would come up here, and owners at a distance, that would not send them for one meeting would send them for the two, the interval being sufficient and the distance between the places short. Handicaps would adjust any difference in superiority, and the horses again could fight their battles, by these means, on equal terms. The handicappers, too, would have previous running to form their opinions on, and there would be no excuse for an unjust weight on any horse. We do hope that the subject will be taken up, and that Westport may show itself equal to its rising fortunes. Plenty of suitable ground near the town can be got, and with good management, first-class races may be inaugurated.

We observe that Mr Long has leased a portion of ground at the Westport side of Poverty Terrace for horticultural purposes, which ho is at present clearing. The soil appears to be superior to that in the immediate vicinity of Westport, and will no doubt in the ensuing spring amply repay its cultivator the trouble and expense that he is now bestowing upon it. We are sure after late discoveries t) have a greatly augmented population, and we hope that others will follow Mr Long's example in taking up garden land. There, is a ready market for any quantity of vegetables that can be raised, and few more profitable undertakings than market gardening could be entered into near this town.