The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-12 00:00:00

TRIs AUSTRALIAN GOLD FIELDS.

(Freon the Maboirets Arm, Nay 16.)
The extraordinary and long-protracted drought of
the summer, and the great scarcity of water on all the gold
fields, have led to the discussion, se we mentioned in our
Let summary, of the probabilities of our future supply of the
precious metal. Unless method, combined action, and ma-
chinery be called in to aid the labour of the miner, the ceil-
ing must on the old fields become one holding out fewer
inducements than hes hitherto been the case.
Water hes been the crying ,want of the miner for the last
four months, and so severely bee the want made itself felt
that steps are being everywhere taken to prevent u far is
possible thOuturrence of the evil. On all Wes natural 10.
serveirs and collecting gullies are being leaked out and exa-
mined, with a view to the formation of water companies.
At the commencement of the current year the yield of the
gold wee at a very low ebb, and very few signs of any
°centred until the partial rains of the month of
March had provided the miner with the means of realiaMg
the produce of his labour. The following is a statement of
the quantities received by escort monthly during the tint
four months of this year and 1867, by which it will be seen
that the increase has bcen gradual:
1857. 1868.

oz. dwt. oz. dwt.
January
February
March
April 177,286 0 191,704 0
A new gold field has been opened up on the New
South Wales side of the Murray, at the Mo-
nks Creek. Several bodies of miners from Yao-
kandandah and other parts of Beechworth have sell
out for the new sport. The gold is reported to be
found a few feet from the surface, and to be eery pure.
The locality is described as at the head of the Massy, above
Jingellick, 90 miles from Albury. At the Woolshed, pre-
parations for sluicing during the winter one very extensive
wale are being awned on. The like preparations for the
winter are going on at Bendigo, Csatlemaine Maryborough,
and Donolly. Ballasrat, the most ciebrated of all the gold
fields for the richness of its yields, is, for the present, very
quiet. The slaking, generally, le deep, and the leads are
becoming more uncertain. The most western field—Plearent
Creek —has all the appearance of being about to be deserted
for the winter. This has arisen, in a great mesettre, from
the extent to which proepecting has been canied on In this
district. The means of the working miner have bean wasted,
and he has been compelled to seek other spots in which the
chances of sitcom are more nearly within his reach.
The following is a list of the gold shi it have railed
since the Ist April :
' hate
er 0100. 0,0
11Y1160.
1114.
April 11 /fart:6k ......... ....... 1.00000 a BOl7O
5.16
rmr
31
10 Itortl Cbiel ..... Liverpool ....... . • 93.731
10 halm. ....... WOW% ....
031/1•1911 . nat-K0n....—.. 4704
0110,0616
60001100 Llverp4 . 11.600
27
„ 26 YrUcen
May 6 Histlier 3611 Landon.. 7%792
„ 1.1 Wes Liverpool 25,94 T

A bill had been introduced into the Legislative Assembly,
by the Solicitor-General, for legalising associated compsults
of miners on the principle of limited liability. There is
much difficulty in framing a measure of that kind; "but the
author of this ore," says the Melbourne Herald, "has taken
great pains to draw up a sound end practical bill, and it is
very likely be will be =armsful in au rying it through the
legislature. If so, the measure will have am immensely be-
neficial effect on ths entire pursuit of .gold mining, inasmuch
as it will bring napirll end labour into mutually advantage•
nue no-operation In the developmedt of our ineihmatible
gold deposits."