The discovery of gold in the neighborhood of AVest Wanganui—as yet only reported to us by way of Nelson —is a discovery of considerable importance in connection with the development of the entire district north of the Buller. It communicates a fresh interest to what, in contradistinction to the Grey district, and in accordance with their geographical situation, would be more properly called the Nelson North-West Goldfields. Contiguous as Wanganui Inlet is, by over-
land route, to the earliest goldfield in the colony, Collingwood, and contiguous as it also is to the Karamea district, where rich deposits were some ypars ago discovered, it is easy to conceive how that Inlet, with gold found in its own neighborhood, might become the port to a valuable tract of country, and form, perhaps, the situation for a settlement equal to any on the coast. Though probably less protected from the sea than even the only partially protected river harbors to the south, it presents a noble expanse of water inside its bar, and, in the proximity of its coal deposits to a place of shipment, it presents natural advantages which AVestport or Greymouth cannot even pretend to faintly imitate. What remains to be proved at present—and we cannot long be without intelligence on the subject—is whether it is the position from which the new diggings can be best supplied. The statement is that the river near which the gold has been got is not of sufficient dimensions to admit of the entrance of sailing craft ; and with the somewhat bold and rocky coast which is the particular feature of this northern promontory of the Province, it may be difficult, without interior tracks, to pack provisions either from the Inlet, or from the nearest available river to the southward. It is under such circumstances, and with a view to the early and satisfactory settlement of interesting questions, that the waut of some officer as Commissioner, or as a peripatetic Warden, becomes specially apparent; and even the encouragement by the Government of a special or periodical trip to such places hy one or other of the coasting steamers is an idea not undeserving of attention. Here is an auriferous country quite as interesting as any part of the coast south of TTokitika, so regularly visited by the W.iipara, yet we know that from the Karamea and from other parts of it men have been compelled to depart, not because of the absence of gold, but on account of the constant presence of the fear of starvation. In the interests of the district we shall hope that the stimulus to prospecting which the Government might thus for a season have given, will now be given by the alleged discovery proving a substantial fact and a legitimate source of attraction to many more than the present prospectors. More thoroughly prospected than it now is, and with population more numerously distributed over its area, there can be little doubt that there would soon be a verification of the scientific and practical opinion that a richer district than that extending from the Euiler to Cape Farewell does not exist throughout the whole extreme length and rather limited breadth of available country on the West Coast.
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Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 534, 24 July 1869, Page 2
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536Untitled Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 534, 24 July 1869, Page 2
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