GOLD IN UPPER WANGANUI DISTRICT.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 915, 18 January 1872, Page 2

GOLD IN UPPER WANGANUI DISTRICT.

Colonel McDonald has just returned from a visit to the Upper Wahganui Eiver, and the prospect of a gold-field has come under his notice. The "Wanganui Herald" publishes the following extracts from the Colonel's diary:—

I rode from Taumarunui to Matahania, about seven miles further up the river, and from the latter place to an old settlement named Pungapunga. Topine, who had aecompained me from Maraekowhai, left me here, while he canoed up the Ongarua, a branch of the Wanganui Eiver, returning the following day. The country about here is open and available. Topine left an influential young fellow with me named Ngatae, to show me about this part of the country. He procured horses, and we rode further up the river to the mouth of two or three creeks that empty themselves into the main stream; these creeks take their rise from a largß range named Tauerwa. Here I picked up some pieces of quartz in which gold has since been found by Mr Bobinson, of Wanganui. These creeks are full of quartz. On arriving at Taumarunui with Topine some of the Natives had a slight objection to my going prospecting in the ranges until they had communicated with the King, but Topine said, " I was the means of bringing you up here, Ngataai will show you over my land." However, as I could see, he said this only because he had brought me up, I told him I would not go any further than I had been, lest it might cause disputes among themselves, at which he appeared pleased, and replied, " After you return to Wanganui, Tukimata will go to Te Kuiti and take some pieces of quartz (they had shawn me) with him, and arrange with Mana about having this part of the country prospected, because though he (the King) has decreed that there is to be no prospectfor gold, or land for selling, leasing, or road making, yet he has been and is now receiving, rents for land leased to the pakeha. He has been the first to break through his own laws, and has a party of Piniana (Fenians) residing with him, who are going with his permission to prospect for gold at the Punia, a place near to the Kuiti. I explained to the natives the benefit they would derive if gold was found in payable quantities on their land, and assured them, on their putting the question, that the Government would never authorise anyone to dig without their permission, and that in any case if they allowed diggers to prospect, they need not be afraid .of their land being taken from them, and I illustrated the Thames as a sample. They seemed pleased with this, and expressed a Jhope thatjgold might be found at their land.

After leaving "Wanganui to go up the river, and when I had reached Te Whakahorohoro, Topine despatched a canoe from Marae Kowhai with Ngatae and some men to fetch me up to his kainga. He then told me that he had Rent the canoe to Wanganui to bring me up to show me the country, having kaown me before, when I accompanied Mete Kingi to Hikurangi, the house at Taumarunui, as I had at that time told him I thought gold existed in that part of the country. They made me promise to visit them again, Topine following me to the canoe and saying, " The next time I send for you, I hope to be able to show you all over tho country. In the meantime, Ngatae and others will prospect about and take down when they go any stones or specimens they may find." Three natives then manned the canoe and brought me down the river to Wanganui. There are two very fine seams of coal in the country 1 rode over.