Courier (Brisbane, Qld. : 1861 - 1864), Saturday 2 August 1862, page 3


GLADSTONE.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Gladstone, July 28. THE CALLIOPE GOLD FIELDS.

Whilst I am still anxious to refrain from saying anything that would tend to raise un-due expectations, or bring parties here who would subsequently be disappointed, yet I am certainly desirous of seeing a few more on our diggings. The small number working there

at present cannot do much, of course, in the way of developing the auriferous qualities of the whole district. It would in this respect, if we were not situated so far away from the great centres of population. Considerable encouragement there awaits those who are

fond of gold-digging, notwithstanding all that Captain Mcchosk may affirm to the con-trary. Yesterday, in conversing with a digger who had just come in, he said : "We are getting on better now than we did, since we took to the long-Tom. Yesterday, we washed out two ounces, and I expect that my mates have washed out the same to-day. We are not doing so well, however, as some others. The party next to us washed out five ounces on Friday, and the day

following up to the time of my leaving (din-ner time) they had got two ounces and a-half more.” Now this is not so bad ; indeed, the men are doing better than they ever did. Some deep sinking has been tried since I last wrote, but hitherto without success. Just as

some men were bottoming a likely hole the earth fell in, and compelled them to desist.

The Eagle took away the other day between eighty and ninety ounces.

It is a source of regret and vexation that the Government should have put such a sudden stop on all road-work. I hear that a petition in reference thereto is being handed around for signature, but have not yet seen it. I was surprised, when riding out in the bush the other day, to come upon a large party of

men, who, I found, belonged to the road-sur-veyor’s staff, that they had done nothing for some time, being kept there waiting for their wages. The Messrs. Lilley have recently taken Boyne Island, situated in Rodd’s Bay, and are about to stock it with cattle, as a dairy station, I believe. It is distant, I suppose, about a dozen miles hence. Ultimately, I hear, it is their intention to engage in cotton growing. This is the island respecting which there has been a long-pending grievance,

but the present parties seem to possess the best claim to it. At present there are more houses in the course of erection in our township than I have witnessed before, but unless a good gold-field

should spring up, I fear that our town will be very confined in its limits for a long time to come.

A farmer has just applied for about three

hundred acres of land in the agricultural re-serve situated on the Calliope river. There

is some splendid land there, and very easy of access. We are still suffering from the want of

rain. It materially affects gold-digging ope-rations. The Eagle came in this morning from Sydney, having a good cargo.