The Southern Press

The Gold Fever In Australia.—We copy the following most important statement from the Sydney Morning Herald of Tuesday, May 20 :

The discovery of the fact by Mr. Hargraves, that the country, from the mountain ranges to an indefinite extent in the interior, is one immense gold field, has produced a tremendous excitement in the town of Bathurst and the surrounding districts. For several days after our last publication, the business of the town was utterly paralyzed. A complete mental madness appears to have seized almost every member of the community, and, as a natural consequence, there has been a universal rush to the diggings. On Wednesday morning last, Mr. Hargraves, accompanied by Mr. Stutchbury, the government geologist, went to the diggings, and with his own hands washed a pan of earth in his presence. from which twenty-one grains of fine gold were produced. He afterwards washed several baskets of earth, and produced gold therefrom. Mr. Stutchbury, hereupon, expressed his satisfaction. and immediately furnished him with credentials, which have since been forwarded to government.