THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 450, 9 January 1869, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND GOLDFIELDS.

(FHOM A COEBEBPONDENT.) Shoetland, Jan. 2. The township of Shortland is situated at the head of the estuary of the Thames, near to the entrance, properlyspeaking, the river, the landing-place being on the creek, which is only available for vessels of very light draughtThe steamers coming down from Auckland lie off at a distance of some two miles, and are tendered by small flat bottomed steamers, which the passengers up the creek, and land tbem in Shortland. Small boats also go off from Graham's Town, which is about a mile and a half further down the estuary, and nearly opposite the place at which the steamers come to anchor. Shortland and Giaham's Town are, or very soon will be, one township. In the meantime some feeling of rivalry exists between the two, Shortland being the seat of the Government offices, banks, and wholesale places of business, while Graham's Town, being situated immediately at the foot of the Monaitui, Watui, and Kininui Creeks, upon which most of the best claims are, does a considerable amount of retail business. On a Saturday, which is a half-holiday, a large number of diggers come into Shortland, when the streets, or rather the foot-paths, as there is nothing one can call streets, are crowded till you can hardly elbow your way among them. The hotels, or rather grogshops, are also crowded, so that one can hardiy find standing room in the bars. The drinking goes on unceasingly, varied by a fight now and again, which, generally speaking, is conducted in a most systematic manner, till Sunday morning, when the place quietens down, and by day-light the miners have generally found their way back to their claims.

The amount of gold exported has as yet been comparatively small, which is owing to several causes, the principal cause being want of machinery and proper means of transit from the claims back on the ranges, several of which are most undoubtedly very rich, and bave large quantities of quartz stacked for crushing. Still there are many claims which bave large quantities of stone, supposed to be auriferous, ready for crushing, whicb, I am afraid, when it comes to be put through the mill, will hardly pay expenses of crushing and transit—at least not at the present charges, £1 per ton being the lowest price, and from 30s to £2 the usual charge. Several claims here, such as the Manukau, Hunt's, Golden CI dm, All Nations, and Little Angel, are enormously rich, perhaps as rich as anything that has yet neen discovered in the way of gold bearing quartz. On all other hands there are dozens of claims, whic'a will never pay for the amount of labor that has been already expended. However, taking the goldfield altogether, T am inclined to think that it vrill be a decided success, and will soon produce a steady monthly export, although, as for its being a second Ballarat, as some people prophesy, I think it questionable. The population at present is about 15,000, and unless there is more payable ground opened in the Upper Thames soon, it is more than likely that there will be some distress. At present wages men are plentiful, and £2 per week are the highest wages even for experienced miners.