The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-16 00:00:00

" PUBLIC NOTICE.

" The largely increasing immigration to this province
from the adjacent colonies, notwithstanding the appearance
both in Australia and Dunedin, of such accounts of the
goldfield as should have induced intending immigrants to
act with greater caution, and to await the fuller develop-
ment both of the character and extent of the Otago gold-
field, makes it imperative on the part of the Government, as
they are anxious to prevent the inevitable consequences of
so injudicious a movement, to come forward with an autho-
ritative declaration.

" The Government cannot doubt the existence of a valuable
goldfield of considerable extent, capable of affording remu-
nerative wages to a large population, but they desire that it
should be known that, owing to a scarcity of wood for fuel
and for slabbing purpo es in many localities, considerable
difficulties and expenses will have to be encountered in the
prosecution of the miner's occupation. It should at the
same time be remembered that the greater portion of the
gold hitherto extracted has come from one or two gullies,
which may shortly be exhausted, and though the amount
brought by escort continues to increase, it must be c,cnsi-
dered that the mining population, almost trebled within
the last week or two, is spread over a much larger area than
formerly, and that the diggings are mostly of a shallow
alluvial character, very few nuggets exceeding an ounce in
weight having been found, and but little gold imbedded in
quartz.

" In presenting these considerations to the public, which
the Government have abstained from publishing in a strictly
official form until in the possession of information of a more
decisive and reliable character, they consider it a duty to
protest against those exaggerated statements which are re-
presented to have been in circulation in Australia, and
which are likely to be productive of so much suffering. The
Government have every confidence in the auriferous capa-
bility of the province. They feel assured that for many
years it will afford a highly remunerative yield to capital
and labour. They will warmly welcome their fellow-coun-
trymen to these shores, there being abundance of available
land in the market, and the country being well adapted,
both as regards climate and soil, for agricultural and pas-
toral pursuits, presenting many attractions to a settled
mining population, and offering a reasonable prospect of
employment to labourers on public works; but they can-
not, even tacitly, sanction a movement which, arising
from delusion, may terminate in suffering.
" J. RICHARDSON, Superintendent of the
Province of Otago.

"Superintendent's Office, Dunedin, Sept. 28, 1861."
Now, what are the facts as to the supply of gold ?
In my last I gave the progressive increase exhitited
by the three fortnightly escorts from August 21 to
September 18. I am now enabled to give the
quantity taken to Dunedin by every escort up to
October 4,—namely :—July 12, 600 oz. ; August 1,
2,000 oz. ; August 21, 5,056 oz. ; September 3, 7,759
oz. ; September 18, 11,281 oz. ; October 4, 12,482
oz. ;—total, 39,078 oz. Now, supposing the increase
is not progressive, the result of the last two fort-
nightly supplies is that Otago is producing gold to
the extent of about £1250,000 sterling per annum.

The shipments were,—by the Lord Ashley,
August 3, 1,269 oz. ; Omeo, August 10, 780 oz.;
Oscars, August 31, 5,827 oz. ; Omeo, September
11, 6,900 oz.; Aldinga, September 19, 2,400 oz.;
Oscars, September 21, 3,000 oz.; Wonga-wonga,
September 25, 3,000 oz. ; Aldinga, October 5, 2,400
oz. ; Kernollee, October 10, 7,000 oz. Total,
32,576 oz.

Now the papers state that the branch of the Bank
of New South Wales has in charge 10,500 oz., and
the Union Bank has 1,000. After the last escort 10
days' production in the hands of the diggers must
be added, which, with the amount shipped and in
the banks, would make about 52,500 oz. for the
first three months, and that, too, progressively in-
creasing.

The New Zealand papers show that within 15
weeks 13,255 persons landed at Dunedin, and about
1,500 departed. So that they gained nearly 12,000,
of which number in September alone, as our official
returns show, they obtained 8,199 from us.