THE SOUTHERN TRIP OF THE WAIPARA

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 415, 28 November 1868, Page 2

THE SOUTHERN TRIP OF THE WAIPARA

Captain Turnbull, Harbor Master at Hokitika, has furnished the West Coast Times with a report of the Waipara's trip to the southern diggings. The news is not important, as nothing fresh has been discovered, or, if so, the miners there located, from Bruce to Big Bays, have not been reported it. There was, however, a party of six men landed by the Waipara, with three month's provisions, who intend to give the country a thorough prospecting. The Martha and Lavinia, which had been ashore, were lying at the bank in Okarita diseharging cargo. At Big Bay she steamed over to the north side to attract attention from the party there. Returned again to the south side, the miners coming round by land. Supplied them with stores and files of newspapers, and left again at 4 p.m. The miners still report that they are able to find gold suPdcient to pay small wages. They, however, complain much of the great quantity of water which is in the ground, and which has retarded their meaus of properly prospecting the locality. As yet, none of them had tried the terraces to the eastward of the swamp, which runs parallel with the beach, the late rainy weather making it impassable. At Jackons's Bay Howard and his mate came on board at nine o'clock, and bought some provisions. Since the last visit of the "Waipara a birth, and also a death, have taken place —the infant daughter ef Mr and Mrs Howard; otherwise they were all well. They were, however, extremely reticent about the quantity of gold they were getting, and nothing but conjecture can be arrived at. It is, however, thought that the party are doing better than they will admit. At the Haast, saw Donald Bell and Indian Jack on the beach ; signalled to them as well as we could, that their stores were landed at Jackson's Bay ; again steamed ahead north to Bruce Bay, Okarita and Hokitika.