NEW ZEALAND'S IRON INDUSTRY. ONAKAKA, A MOUNTAIN OF IRON ORE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1479, 29 June 1912, Page 14

NEW ZEALAND'S IRON INDUSTRY. ONAKAKA, A MOUNTAIN OF IRON ORE.

ONE OF ©UM GREATEST ASSETS

an Area of wo acres.

VIIIBLE SUPPLY 250,000 TONS TO THE ACRE.

r DESCRIPTION OF THE FIELD. ! r'- : : r- !' ' ' AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRIAL VENTURE. ! THE ONAKAKA IRON COMPANY: WHAT IT INTENDS TO DO. "The exposure of ore.in the Onakaka area is of great extent,'and the quantity i of ore contained must be enormous! There is ample ore in sight to attract the most exacting of. iron ore seekers,'—Extract from Dr, Bell's geological report on Onakaka, ' "It seems remarkable that deposits of iron ore of. such immensity, of such high average quality, and of such accessibility should have remained so long , unworked. Exposed as they are on the surface, they possess every facility for cheap and easy winning, whilst their close proximity to the sea coast at once affords every opportunity for their exportation in the crude or as pig iron,"— \ / From Dr, Bell's report relating to the Onakaka iron deposits, I ENORMOUS WEALTH AT WELLINGTON'S BACK DOOR. "It is decidedly superior to the Northampton ore on account of its freedom !■ from phosphorus, while the limestone connected with it appears to be a very pure ; carbonate of lime, the impurities amounting at most to less than 2 per cent. A special examination was made for phosphorus with negative results."—From a rei port by the late Sir Frederick Abel, Professor of Chemistry, on iron ores in the Collingwood. district.

ingi hero very infusible, there molting with Tolaiivo case. Tho coincidence that bo indispensnblo a thing should also bo so abundant, that au iron-voiding man should bo sot on an iron-cored globe, certainly suggests design. Hut tho indispensable qualities of iron did not shape man's evolution, because its great usefulness did not arise until historic times, or ovon ns in the enso of magnetism, until modem times. These variations in the properties of iron are brought about in part by corresponding variations in mechanical and thermal treatment, which it is influenced profoundly, and in port by variations in the proportion of certain foreign elements, which it contains; ' for, unlike most of the other metals, it is never used in a pure state. Indeed, pure iron is n rare curiosity. Foremost among these elements is carbon, which iron inevitably,absorbs from the fuel used in extracting it from its ores. So strong is the effect of carbon that the use to ivhioh the metal is put, and indeed its division into its two great classes, the malleable ore, comprising steel and wrought-iron, with less than 2.20 per cent, of carbon, and tho unmalleable ore, castiron, with more than this quantity are based on carbon content."

The Onakaka iron ore is a rioh quality ore, suitable for converting into the finest iron and steel. Point is given especially to the carbon requirements in iron manufacture by the fact that at tho Mount Burnett Coal Mine,' just discovered a few miles north of Onakaka, the analysis shows carbon in a quantity and a quality not excelled by any other coalmine in Australasia. This coal, as disclosed by a test made by the Napier Gas Company, contains 75 per cent, of coke

regular lino of steamers:Tun'.jiy- tlie'Qoi'tlen llay Shipping Company,, boluwn Xelson and Collingwood, but tho,opening' iip of tho Onakaka iron and tho'Mount:l3ur-,' nettcoal deposits will'have tli<v .effect of establishing direct steamboat •communi-ca-tion between Wellington and Golden ..Bay;: An excellent road leads from. Nelson over; tho Moutere Hills, through Jlohieka' and Kiwaka, and oyer into 'l'akaka, and ColHnswood. , '«;i , lw ,, }o'Urr : noys, both by sea and < land, iare; mast in'-' teresting. By road the journey -leads one! through the beautiful orchard''and hop-'; growing districts of "Nelson, including* Stoke, tho Moutere Hills past the apple-.': growing entrance? to tho'rßronte, Tasman and Mildura farms, through'Motueka anil Kiwaka, Takaka, and Collingwood,:.! 1 the. whole districts abounding., in flourishing' fruit and dairy farms.'.-./Amongst?.?;the dairy factories in the Takaka-Collmgwood-district are tho Golden, Bay. Co-operative Dairy Company, with'an output of over. 130 tons of butter per'annum, fand--,:, tho Collingwood Co-operative, •: Bainham'/and Puramahoi cheese-makihg.'Mnceras,-/which? turn out amongst them oyeri'23o:. tons':per annum. The district 'also . supports sov-.. eral sawmills, and with its fine equable climate and efficient soil; it alsb vantages for orchard growing.

CLIMATE OF GOLDEN BAY. Another remarkable point about this district is its excellent.' climate,--claimed by those who are acquaintixliiwith'.'itttp' he one of tho finest climates, in''tho 'Southtanco can be seen the cm Hemisphere. TJia'- la-rge;-! extent .of, terrace land lying between' L the ; mountaln.s:

■THE FIELD: DESCRIBED, . .IT.hesb /cltMired'r areas. overlooked' k mi'mVber :of.sl<;ep-lookiKg; hi'ls r-nd vti!lej.q and ;'-i!ats.'- and. wcro pointed out.rio'- lis as thn Onakaka iron fields. Tho .locality sconied" lov.bo.awost : .facturo -mid shipment of an .important product; . .On -one " : sido;>. almost .'■within.: ;o -Bton-e's: throw as it were, the eeri .with a good h.irboiir; on iho other.side,-dose | by,- tho mountain? inilji onspf ions oi ■;rpii .ore/' '■. Lea'ying;:.fho. ■'main. ■. read our-path led -mi:'through \'a\ ■-wide and spacious valley, where we. passed .the sstoi-where'it.' is' ' will ' '"'be • 50,000 tens of. ,'pig-iron;..lvor's annum, and which will cost, it is estimated,' f-nme-' thing between' .€OO,OOO and.- <£70,099. It/isan interesting fact that, based-on .Onakaka's' -iTOnr oro 'supply,,'2so,ooo,oootons,? the 'works,,on■ a ,50,000. tons;e.nnual, out-' put only, would ho kept going for the next IGo(W.vyears., ; , ;l)he V.terr'aced i ground? of{ the proposed. pi ta:fslopej gently, to the; sea;level,' ; thus; :the^produc l t t -''dqwri' pi coal, .which .wall bo .brought from the new Mount Burnett Inmes. . Above the proposed furnace site rose the iron ere ranges,..pbout'; a i'miW' ,<l i h t a n ta s:i lie: xroSv-J--;.flies;'.'.ahd ; :her6'' ajraiicit'*'*!bnldy.|>oV«eeif / the veriest, tyro thai ihe. laws cf giavita;'tiori,.,.Voukl;:; supply- ■■.■f.uj.thor. ensy. means' ■of .transferring the crude materia] to tho mcUing'pot. , "v, THE RANGES. ' Th« Onakaka block followed the crest of • a ridge 'broken:--;by gulHos, and rising :

iiijr in a way the fact that not.yet. had lliey -hem- marked especially for si:ui|Miiciv ~' : '.' V.'VX'" '' TURNBULL'S WHARE. . Farther, up tlio traek'..)ieMiiipha.cu{Ungi yvhic!i-: ; lc(lv;lin;'tlio. : hiir:irii ; nn <: Wsys ..fllerd." thereMtefe ;fiirthec:,. indications':? 'pi'e£^OhVpiia,:sid6; : Vtf; ;i ; : observed'. boii h'ters of ilie r.tutr tons each in weigh!,.; wiiilo alcing -t!ie pathway we kicked over. ; Bomh' , fna'rticnlarlv;': : 'h'ard>;spccimens , ''whichi; ;profhp\vrin' ; ;of;pb6iit-:half-:(in';houi^liVouglit-us^iii:'fullyj ; ; ;6pp?fcot^V'amV^anotber^SSS^wcfer-landed- us at Tttrnbtill'.i whaie;'.whero ho- had; lived 'and; ptos pec tod : for- y o aralt-wasu- neat: 4oblc|ag :place';;.Pv;erlppking-. a terrace from' -where. cno had a. magnificent. viow oiGolden. Bay.; -Almost .in. front' of n?, biit, away in tho. distance,-we could the ribbonof- Faidwell Spit, .-ind the. dint.of tho. sun shining on-'the lightlioiise standi'ng.'at. the end. : Far!her. out sthotsnj'ok^romja*passing' steamer?curled ..up^lazilyj- was Onakaka' lultrl. - Away, oil -the right • D'Uryilk' Island loomed litf'-'hazily,.:-and.on'tho.:left-ever'.so much, like a' gigantic 'man's black; hat.-' On ' very clear day:- it is possible 'a also se»y Mount Jigmont over tho light-' houscv. Around tho : .wharo-.was what' had' ;.oiic.O':.beeu:'''a : ' neat- flower; garden—the touch: .■of&'woniaii's'.hand-jn'many a,hack-blocks-:! '<iia>)itaM<>Dfi.ir.hicli'^oiherjaso' would:,, have,: .preserved ;ifa priraitivo aepect .of' hush Uwrl)arism; ; =placE> ; was V'fresponsiblp f- for iho fact, that, on his :. siiio,':. Mr. •' I'urnhull. grew • tomatoes" all tho. year' round. It. was from ihis v.-hare that Mr. Turnbull. practically nsado his' investigations, which, it is claimed, havo doubled, the

(ENORMOUS WEALTH AT WELLINGTON'S BACK DOOR.

Just over the Straits and aoross to Golden Bay, a distance of about 100 miles from Wellington, lie the enormous Onakaka iron ore deposits, in what is one of! the riohest mineral districts in New Zealand. It was on this peninsula in the vicinity of Collingwood that gold was first; 1 discovered in payable, quantities in this country by .'John EllisiUvho also found M(6al seam. 'This was in 1357. The work of'prospecting in Collingwood and around this "district has proceeded at various intervals for a period of over 50 years. Gold Blueing is continued there to this day. Tho existence and work carried out by the Golden Bay Cement Company are a sufficient testimony to one of the richcst limestone fields in Australasia, while for years the district has been known to be wonderfully rich in iron ore. Iron, in fact, was first discovered by Europeans in the Collingwood district in the early " 'seventies 11 when Messrs. T. B. Louisson and D. Johnston manufactured paint from ore brought from near what is now known as Anakaka; but long before that time the Maoris had utilised the iron ore there for making paint, and in recent, years Messrs. TVashbourn Bros., of Collingwood, founded the New Zealond Hematite Company, and made paint from oro of a. very high quality.. The following report on the iron ores by Sir P. A. Abel, an eminent professor of chemistry, and-chemist to the War Department for thirty-four year 3, is- important to note. Sir '.Frederick declared that tho New Zealand ore was decidedly superior to the Northampton ore on account of its freedom: from phosphorus, while of the limestone connected with tho .ore deposit, he said that it appeared to be a very pure corbonato of lime, the impurities amounting at most to less than 2 per cent. He added: "A special examination was.mado for phosphorus with negative Tesnlts." 'As it is intended in the course of this article on the Collingwood. iron deposits, to deal only with' facts, it is just as •well to mako a further reference here to Sir Frederick Abel in order to show his worth as an expert. In addition to being chemist to the War Department, ho .was a high authority on explosives; ho especially improved the manufacture of guncotton; with Professor Dowar, he was part inventor of cordite, and invented tho' close-test apparatus for determining the flash-point of petroleum. He was the author of several books ou explosives. Sir Frederick died in f902, aged 75 years. His opinion on Collingwood iron oro serves to demonstrate in o. striking way tho quality of the product. , TURNBULL'S DISCOVERY. It : was known that iron ore existed in largo .'quantities in the Collingwood district, but owing tc the fact ■ that the mining country was rough aud under an almost impenetrable forest, no idea of the capacity of the fields was obtainable until quite recently when further important discoveries- were mado by Mr. Thomas A. Turnbull, now residing in Nelson. Mi. i Turnbull is a mining engineer o! great experience. Born in New Zealand, from a 'J'imaru family of pioneers, his firs' experience in.his profession was in Cornwall with coppsr. He also worked under the late Sir Julius von Itaast, was a foundation member of tho Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers, and a foundation member of the New Zealand Institute of Engineers. Mr. Turnbull has also a thorough knowledge of chemistry, and for three months on one occasion he carried out research work under Professor Black. He was metallurgist in I.akc George foT two years, and surface engineer there also. Ml '"Turnbull put down tilt first copperleaching plant south of the Lino in Lake George, and also a special plant dealing with the treatment of copper ore. Ho was placed in charge of Harper Hill Copper Mine, Oueensland, for an English company. Tho company would not act on his advice, and the venture did not pay. Ho then took tho work up himself on tribute, nnd made it pay handsomely. Mr. Turnbull has always liked a roving life. In 1903 he came back to New Zealand, and in 1900 started prospecting work at Onakaka for iron ore. A furthcT proof of his qualifications as a mining engineer i 9 the fact that at one time ho was asked by the London shareholders to furnish them with an independent report on the Waihi mino. This Jin did, nnd made a' forecast which was nftenwmls proved to be correct. Mr. Tufnbull, with his wife, lived for years on the Otiakaku "Ranges. It is not too much to suv that Mr. Turnbull is somewhat of an tnilutsiasl on iron ores, otliorwise it is hardly likely that he would have consented that he himself and wife should laid a lonely Sequestered life for years on the whare, at. a height of about 1000 fset, ifl aiv

interesting land-mark'. Further on a short distance lies Big Knob Mountain, where the ravages of the bush fire have disclosed the area to be practically one mountain of ironstone ore, covering an area, as Onakaka hills, where to-day Turnbull's disclosed by recent survey, of approximately 700 acres, and massed in faces as high as the battlements of old castles along the Khinc. Mr. Turnbull traversed the whole of Oiiakaka many times; he made exhaustive experiments on the ore found at every known point,, and after mature deliberations he. came to the.. conclusion that he had struck'the richest iron'field in Australasia. Computations made later proved Mr. Turnbull to be correct in his estimate —the visible supply of iron ore is 250,000 tons t.o the acre. WHAT IT MEANS, On tnaking a statement of this description one has to get an idea of what the discovery of aa iron field means' to tho particular country in which it is found and to the world generally. It may be said briefly that iron and coal rule tho world, especially when the two minerals are found in fairly close proximity together, as .in England and the Unitpd states, and as in Golden Bay, New Zealand, to-day. The three great iron producers of tho world are the United States, Germany, and Great Britain. in that order. Tests of the Onakaka, New Zealand, iron ores show that they are amongst the richest yet discovered in the British Empire. I In the course of an interesting article on "Iron and Steel," the Cambridge University's recent edition of the 'T3ncyclopaedia Britannica" remarks-: "Iron, the most abundant and the cheapest of tho heavy metals, the strongest and most magnetic of known substances, is perhaps the most indispensable of all savo the air we lireatho aud the water we drink. For one kind of meat we could substitute another; wool could be replaced by cotton, silk or fur; were our common silicate glass gone, we could probably perfect and cheapen some other of the transparent solids; but even if the earth could be mado to yield any substitute for the 40 or 50 or 100 million tons of iron which we use each year for rails, wire, machinery, and structural purposes of many kinds, we could not replace eitheT the steel of our cutting tools or the iron of our magnets, the basis of our commercial electricity. This usefulness iron owes in part, indeed to its abundance, through which it has led us in the last few thousands of years, to adapt, our ways to it; but still in chief part first- to the single qualities in which it excels, such as its strength, its magnetism, and the property which it alone lias of be.ng made at will extremely hard by sudrton cooling and soft and extremely phnblo by

slow cooling; second, to the special combination of useful properties in which it cxcels, such as its strength for its Teady welding and shaping, both hot and rold; and third, to tho great variety of ; ts properties. It is a veTy Pcoteus. It is extremely hard iu our files and razors, and extremely solt in our liorshoe nail 6, which in some countries the smith rejeets unless he can bend them on his forehead; with iron we cut and slmpo iron. It is extremely magnetic, and almost non-mag-netic; as brittle as "glass, and almost as pliable and ductile a3 copper; extremely springy, and springless and dead; wonderfully strong and very weak; conducting heat and electricity easily, and again offering great resistance to tneir passage; hero we) ding aadily, incapably of weld-

of tlio finest quality. The Mount Burnett Company has its headquarters in Hastings, at the offices of Messrs. David Whyte and Company, Ltd. ' ONAKAKA. Onakaka lies almost half-way between the flourishing little town of Takaka and Collingwood, and is, in fact, ten miles from the former and nine miles lrom tho latter village. The iron oro deposits aro situated in the "Wakamarama Kanges, about jnvo miles from the Bea-shore, where there is deep water for the largest ships afloat. SHIPPING FACILITIES. The developing of the Onakaka iron oro and the Mount Burnett coal deposits will have the effect of immediately establishing direct communication between Golden Bay and Wellington. There (in Golden Bay) the great ocean liners will be able to fill their bunkers with coal direct from the mine, and at no distant date we may possibly find established alongside the iron at Onakaka the great shipbuilding yards in the Pacific. Here nature has provided every facility for shipbuilding, including iron, coal, and deep water, in a perfectly sheltered harbour, together with excellent sites for shipbuilding purposes. It is in this bay that tho Australasian Squadron carries out its manoeuvres and target practice. Golden Bay is protected by land from all tho prevailing winds.

STRATEGIC POSITION OF GOLDEN BAY. As the Panama Canal is rearing completion, tho importance of Golden Bay us a naval baso cannot be too muck emphasised. It lies in a position which radiates with etiual convenience to all parts of tho British Empire outside of tlio -Atlantic Ocean. From Golden Bay, quick access can bo sccttrcd to all the following places:—South Africa, India, Australia, China, Japan, Canada, and all the western parts of North and South America. Its value to New ZealaLd as a naval base is even more pronounced. From it any part o? New Zealand umbo reached within ji few boijr.i' toil. At pi'&ent Golden Bay ii BUpplisd by a

and the sea affords ideal situations .for' the.' building up of large towns.- There terraces are so constructed as to. provide all'; along the route splendid '.for' drainage, while the mountains at tlieiback: have a never-ending supply- of ''delicious, drinking water, enough to meet- the>v requirements of whatever towns might, arise' thero. Here then is. an . ideal , residential! t quartor and health resort for'tens of thousands of inhabitants. It should bo emphasised, as showing tho.-greatpindus'i trial possibilities which exit. < in; connect tion with this district, that a fewiiiiiles north of Collingwood. there ; has\'just:-becn; ; discovered on Mount. Burnett ; :;conr : -'?.:m: ; large quantities, the quality of -which '• is equal if not superior to that of any other coal in Australasia. ■.■■■The mine. is.■■.now,' be:,, ing developed by a company-, of' North and South Island business. meu.S'and 'iit; will play an important part .in .tiie : proposed manufacture :--of i-;pig.,'iron';fat'>.Ona-; fcaka, a few miles south,'.'■■o. >>;'/. «*■.; THE DISTRICT. Reports which had-.,eome7ithrou'gK: ''-.recently concerning new ' iron Vand ";coal'! de-,: posits at Onakaka and... Mount Burnett, ;in? Golden Bay respectively, induced-a Dominion representative ;.'and" aiparty. a ;few, : days ago to visit the place.; We travelled by a fine well-met ailed road the.Whole way. The district pfesenta r: a. yery'>:varied; picture. Along Golden- Bay, j:in ;',thev : dis-.; long serpentine spit, which runs out .with' a sweep until it joveTlaps'/'"'.' Separation',

Point, thus with, ono of the fioost, expansive, • and siccessable harbours in all A;i?tra;a;-d:i. In parts of the bay are to bp -seen brf.,n; bcaches of ~rcv and white sartd; precipitous cliffs of blue aiui Wftitliprinf! <!ay»- : bays, inlets, and lnj{or.n«. ; -ivliic'li are tV<l by the various stream® .and rivers which raltlo down tlie mountain' :si(!es> to, tb'c ocean. • Iho uncleared foreM, pT v o i oi , 'ts' some beauty spots siicliVfi>V'cri v "lift Veeii »& the Mokan ami \\ aiiiranui River'i. j,.. Hie stretches of a!ois,r lh t 'hW; on our left could 1/e al.-o «.T : n zreai ;-rev- : looking faces, some; of which.'had' t-'yt'iepf' ly l.*en cleared by fire, aii'i. iv/iicl. £onv W« »' iraio«whal.'»wW^iiMiccti:46-ih«-ndgos on which tliey. stood*

at. one' end to!■ a'height ot .1100 fee'., and extending . by, rises to the.southern erui,where the height is 2.109 :feet'v; Half-way ■along..tlie'crest theMdgo>is~cu't!'oy : a. small.! tributary '.tq .lronsteni! Creek. -. .Well • up •ivo saw the'erwt, rising. in three.distinct :BreyH.poWng: , patclira , ;'*ofiiTOnJ ;:thre'o prises/.weiit; by expressive : oi' Big Knob (imo {cet), : Li!tk Knob (in;i feet), and-' Hog's Back {1725 feet), which tha hills fade ...away . down. She... valley So PuramahoiV : Jitliat : ■the '-..northern., boundary f of ; - the ■.'■property... is,; 'tho\Qnnlwka¥Stream," , >vrhich , ?atf:6no'.!poiht? ■ falls over a bluff alwut 150 'feet .high',, ■■'and'.'knpwri;. as the'■■Bridle,.^oily.Fal.lsV^Hetp'" 250 h.p., which with . damming can be' 4ncroascd' i Jt«^t» v lcasr''B(lO. > h;p.j. : "th<^oby» providing abundant ekcinc.il'- power-, to .meet' (lie. requirements of. tho Onnkiika •Irbiv ; ;.Company^/!.^-The^v!water : .irights;\.aro' also the- rights of fho company;!"; ; ASCENDING THE MOUNTAIN. ■ Ledi;b^;'!'Mr;f'S&^ fiScomplished bushman; wc~. commenced tho ..accent 'on the track first .blazed]'ty .Mr. 'I'urnbull .six..- years before. .Immediately on- o\ir left gurgled .'and rattled :;further;fKednet:.;our; first ; ; patches'ofhircinft stoii : o:-ore.,'They r lay-hGre;aiKl'thc:rG-'.:in .Xu^9''^ttldervi\i«mi'»iscißnt!t'bf , ';tlia:>'biji6'' 'ceinent" ■blocks 'at 'N.apiet:' : ':.B're'akw ; ater,*-bfl

;,iron v '.oro>yalues„ of ;New ' Sstflrte'dSoperations/'-in ISO 6, applied .for'a' prospecting-warrant over, tlio area, , lived in a tent, and .complied with' all;,the re-' ;quiroments" ? of : :tho statute. wliare. . Mya3.,.built\inv. July, "1907. •. Big ' Knob' was i then ".covered in. thick btislu „and ino iron could" ba seen to any extent,■.■■"ibuti-'i.Mr." : 'i'urnbull wan satisfied that iron was and the 'results., have provedVthat' ,lw.yvasjeom;ct;-in: his.prcdicnon;'<'.j ; g>i,: IRON ORE OUTCROPS. Tho. bridle'' tracts? v whieh . lead' from |.: ; TurnlSiill's;whare,' are flanked in all direc-. bjr.i iron-stone cliffs,-.veritable masses ■. ; rising:- : in "'sosiie instances; to ,heights .'of ;So.;'do,;;;.andi 50 feet,, and' usually" chains' in ■;leugt!i.> ,Tw-0'? big .'outcrops,:.' especially/notscoab'e, were 900' feet;in -length each, and stood out iiko the walls oi a - great battleship. _ Near ¥ by were bluffs o! 150 ffcetSwith.Siron^'outcrops''scattoredftMn! :!masse3i'fll!'bver :; their granite-looking face's;-. ■Jn.tersper'sed'j'ivoro patches l :of > limestone':: ;According:; to Professor ■!Marshall;-' of the ...OtagoiUniyersity,' also-.,reported..-on : ; OiKilaika;lbe i.rock - . aro | <-ond .limejtono' ::; in..iinriiediato," contact 'with-;' the .-'"ore." 1 . /.':-!Tho;; .reeks flrike Eearly duo'iioith and', south,', as ' that of . the Onn:kaka ridge, and tho dip is at a high, but j variable,. angle to the. south. . The grey-" I'wacko and quar'site have weathered into :a sanily ciay to a considerable depth', but j:;..the...,limestone ..forms...conspicuous / solid; i outcrops.'v': Tho ; ■actuol Ccpntact';;'between;!

most liotice.abi? tit . tlie. ,tim.e was' the for- [ the Prerrfuid y iio .lirnr-?tqno iv^tc;)r ■est on either s ; iio o< in Xi'nvi pai'ns |>' on ihe west'.!:?. observed,, lint on tii.s were in profusion. Ihe red fertWof '! : is lliat ,h f oro; H\ri i'Wiu r.. • ' . ' 1 into ; w.ithni: , Wi.tr b.ippiii.ed in yrad sjilnslips, ■'of' Ja: :di?t;;ilice, : of• 20, A Tcot,."-.t ise..V. 11-nrisi,tiis 1 ' opiour .ngflijis.t' t.lie .'p;een. of the birch, | fairly complete, A bar.H of.. !in:rston>J i'iniu, and lo.farn. Jiir.eli .nro(ion"iu'"ii on oro.'*"; 'lie rii'cc 35 chains south of Hridal the v.iri'.v.is levels, (here !,>;„•» multitude. ]- al!s \ crowd by; the Pf title straight lire,; wlncl, hfc- w, ,)a »y' «!»• «t„.< •?. I,phom el .the .Y,\«ui> J■ • V V- no.vgo-fil: the ; b.raii.c.lv .pr : . Limes^ne.:Cm>k;. ; Ki,; 11; - t ' o,n2 ln v ' 1 I r - v .- ,in . v •th , c , ' ; ji'.est; -o.f 'tho i-iV!jfo isV^o.rined.cohtirely 1 5 ,; ! i so'':natib:i coiir,; bf'bloeVis. ~i' ore, In one i-ink-hole ere ■udi'•\ ,non o- ; ' other trees .notion! . exiio'seilrix) a thickness of -0 feet.' v*. kmc Km,? pine, pnkale:i, tn-vhryo, veHov,- ' '''■ '' v .'-i nl^K ! "'P''< ",' ul ; lo !? va - ."t'other ■ A* MOUNTAIN OF IRON, tho jiiiti v.cf ■ ClMnbins >till fii thnr up, wo J eft. the, /itoki... Here wen l . ;iJ.-o sei'n the pigeon aad slruelrior Khob. Thc.fellainommfr ..tae cieca aimpat tamely, tuatd demonstrate i' covcrod: Mhiaf'■ tirojx*moußtaini lita:

exposed vast and Rinssivp oilt'croi>a,'jiWc; walked i»p_ a hill for 500 fed .'upon !'<)- Ihing: but iion.oie. .'lt-»,!ood up all over, iho. place, in bauldei's, stone.:, fliul on .'mass-s and it : ''pi'oyiil«d tlio. roiiglieft of .travelling. J'rule.-.sor • Marshall • Ueclares! jtbiit'oiv^thd-jvesterii^iiiiirgiiiStheraiis'lip; isMSO'.to 'SOO i'cet; tliickT .'Tho'jthickuess.l- lio' : >uys,-/cannot.; bo . measureil at- .any place. alung. ils. dip lor. tins coniprms to. the slope oi'. tiio: hill, but as this' siopo is -lormed entirely oi. massivo '[hlqck3''oi;;iiinph^fe , it. is v ivas;mable to infer 1 "thiit .tho ore extends.'as tar- as - ilie outprops of limestone, beneath which it may i.coiitinue.faldng'-tpo.:(iip of tho" rocks.:: Civi: am" : 'ofi;':tlie\.opinion,"/paid ; th<i- p T o.' l'e:,spr-in-his .report, "that on the northerr, bhinch of; Ironstone Creek the ;actual.put<iropjeovers i 3o l acres..'':i' ; nowover. ,i much:: larger,-; area' than this is .covered with blocks .of linicnite,' and tho' outcrop may'prove larger than this.. The thick--cesses far as known show ■ that, tlicro cannot, lie less than -250,000 tons, of' oro per-:acre, l .and there.'may-be much more'. •South- : 'of'"..the. intersecting'' stream - the ore body-iB"-'still,covercd"'' with ', forest. '■'■ It is .doubtless of great, extent in this portion ofMhp.'block,: for'iit. is'-continuous over ;an;'.area..Bo..chains;to»gsby,,'lo chains wide. Massivo. outcrops en tho'-west show in • pla'cesVsf clear •' faco, of % iron. stone 40 feet :thicki'4ahd'..tho;'hill'.. rises to a height of 10(!'; feet, abovo them. : . It.is evident that ...niillions:;. of-:tons of."oro' aro„ ..'exposed -in this'; portion' of tho block." .. •.

• In making his estimated Professor; Mar-, shall did jiotinclnd-j tlio limits' of (lie an\i. which is strewn with. ironstone : boulders,/for',this areaidie'deciares isprobablyrt twice y'as< extensivey?; In.-proceeding on.' our. rough'*'journey overi-Big-'Knob wo continued. to= notice Jhoiiroriore showing up'in all- directions,, through the burnt bush/ "■ .We ,wero knocking,.up against it 'everywhere,-.vlron everywhere! ■' It made v asiVo«(lcr"at the possibilities wliich might .bo', attained.through its development, and ;,to',asfc;why should it longer remain unpro"ductiyo.'r jt was the sight, of a life-time— 90; acres.''bi' ; . solid outcrops, 22,500,001) tons .ofvirou" ore;-but only enough to supply i the. world'for .three months/ Iron boulders. jutted out everywhere,' and iron ore faces.like.battlements. ' Pieccs lay about. :i'angiag"frora-5 to 50-ton-weight, and in parts'--there.-could be seen exposed faces 10 to.- GO .feet".deep. '~.i We-.-struck'. across on .fe/'a.-iitracls,-' where' men'-, were-'making a pathway,' ands where there.;was, close by on the same.bridle-track; another 1 big face .35 feet high. All'these faces were composed' of. solid iron ore.. . Truly, the burning.^'of ..the' forest had disclosed a strange and "unexpected jwealth...

LITTLE KNOB AND.HOG'S BACK. ..The 'same prolifio deposits'' 0f...- iron ore were noticeable on 1/iUio. Knob and Hog's Back. Ono lace .waa fill chains long , and froni 40 to" GO feet high. . In . another place' an outcrop 3D feet high led for fully ..three-quarters of a mile.' 'J'he most striking picture of the day was ..an.'absolute;; precipice ranging from 800. to 1500 feet in iength, and <ifl feet in height. On a : 'cliff . along, Ironstone. Creek _ we', came upon a wall ef' iron 70 feet high; while another .'"wall under Little 'Knob .'partly covered iiri.bush was 60 feet high!-'and 8 chains long.' "''Five.' "other" faces, of iron were' magnificent illustrations of/ the de'po'sits.K'iW'wliole of tho crest 'of Ijittlo 'Knob--is-composed of- iron, ■ and m tho •highest;, part solid. thicknesses are. found of. 17 chains each. -. All this iron.is in situ in' tho : i&ohd. mass; -' J ■::K>^s:' ; Baek;- ; , at" : 'the v ßOuth';j:end, ..rises stifl hijlier, in somewhat: rougher 'cauu- ' try,. but. ■ tlie fo.c?s and cliffs arid''boulders : all", oyer:- the' mountain- are merely a- ropetition'of what,one sees on Big Knoß. : .DR. BELL'S OPINION. ■ft: No, one: has: yet - visited Onakaka who j has cot been tremendously .impressed by .tho;-immensity of tho iron oro deposits, rand in. further, confirmation of what alreadythas'been said on the subject by Professor' Marshall, one-may add the testimony by. Dr. J. Macintosh Bell, the wellknown geologist, lately in tho. service of tho New Zealand Government. "The exposures .of oro in the. Onakaka," Dr. ;Bell says, "are of great extent, and tho i quantity of ore must be enormous, though ! it" is 'impossible by any means adequately' toi-.estimato'the wholo amount, owing to the? dense-. nature . of vegetation which completely clothes tho ridges where. Hie ore occurs."' 1 This was five years ago, and since then larger areas have been cleared of the forest, showing'further extensive iron ore deposits, and now that a complete survey--: has been made it has disclosed ari, area of iron ore 700 acres in ."As already remarked,"-continues Dr.,.-. Bell, "tile • ore-deposit,- is completely cut'through 1 by..- the' Onakaka Stream, which, incises flic carbonate rocks in for • ovcr«a.'milc:.g& Iron oro'--appears' (in .'solid ■ mass) at' the .-hesd :waters--.of the two. branches of Iron'stone/ and/Zappc-ars, irrcgularly.-at 'intervals'; on'' the": Ironstone |Creek - r and UheKOnakaka, 'from':' appoint vnear the. Bridal -Voil Fall, southward ■ for over .a mile- a'r.tl a- half."- -On the' southeastern side, were "some'!fine 'faces 20 feet and more in.Jlie'fjht, .descending;;to.'-Iron-.stone." Creek:;",. On.-,'the ■ western slopes.. of. Ironstone Creek valley, northward from itheV junction.':'of?»tho. two r branch^' iron 25 faces.,, were

n-;i : fi-iiiM. Hit) ■ r i;r<; k-jj.c a-it ithVi.Viiniiii i t'-ofeji he?; 0 mi k« i; n ■■ On iiSiTiuiin'.' .IM'".V''MI ; Hey t jva : _ n c Ii fi : ' t oj Ci-o6 k' ■ from tiuMr jVudinni'-'ore vvas mo! with in . til feet in li'ish'v Imf s-v icvosvil with 'ycgcttxtion" n's "tr*" 1 bo iifliflicult'-fof^ : definition. : .^ouldors.'Vilipo>arodH'alon£' :• (h"» ridw hi. a . point noi-'wr: mirth <>f the fine face of . -:>i>s. 'JOMoot iu hoigh*., was also ex;posed; - .;(T!rls;,'ffl{'e : was'-photosrhphosl' by • in- his- Bulletin!) Tiio o.'istpri; ?Io;:<>s of the ridge;?hn added, one l '; of the .branches-of.. Ironstone Crook, and present ipraci:icallyi4;: continuous face of. ore from | 1 '.hp stniEiit o; :■ tho riUiol to tho i.cra?k-bed..

I Ming. tl.o Hidden Treasure Track, hi- ■■ Iweeirthe. two branches/'? of Ironstone ■, ..Creeksiron?ore -was. exposed>'almost"con-' ;tinuoushy iiu : places'showing- faces of .. 18 feet and more. ill . height.. . • - QUALITY OF THE ORE. " Tho New -. Zealand Government. Assays No. GMdeal with three samples of the o*ro which discloses an average of 50,9 per cent, of iron. It is very pleasing to New SSea. ' liitaders'lo nolo that this is a better rar'contngo than that Gf the famous Swedish IJog ore, which contains 17.32 per cent, of iron. Professor- Marshall averaged from his t analyses i9.G per cent, of iron, equivalent to a percentage of 82.6 of. limonito in the ore. Professor Marshall stales that his samples show that the oro throughout was of high-grade and of very uniform value; oven on the extreme eastern margin the ore was of a good' quality,, though of a lower grade. WORLD'S CONSUMPTION OF IRON. The question will no doubt bo asked. "What is'tho demand for iron ore?" It may be mentioned that the annual consumption of iron ore is one hundred'mil-' lion tons per annum, »and that countries liko Great Britain, Germany. France,' Russia, Finland, and Austria-Hungary oro consuming more than their outputs, with the result that they aTO forced to buy from outside their own maiuifacturing areas. Tho above mentioned facts; taken with the proved statement concerning the quantity and quality of Onakaka ore, togothcr with the further fact that pig iron can be produced at Onakaka at a very to-w cost, make it clear that Onakaka pig Iron can comneto in the world's markets, arid will find there an ample field to all the surplus output. ' The material is there. It has oilly /to ho quarried out of the face of the hill. Why, then, not develop it? Wo have oil. FROM A BUSINESS POINT. ' It is claimed that from a business point the economic value of the Onakaka proj position cannot be too strongly emphasis* .cd, and it is said to stand pre-eminent for its low cost in the way of pig-iron production. This is due, according to tho . promoters, to eevcral factors of import-' ance. ■ . (1) The ore body b compact and can b# cheaply won. (2) It win bo quarried out without sinking, a most important factor, as the . huge cost of sinking and pumping 1 of water is thus avoided. (3) Gravitation will take the oro to the sen, shore, about two miles distant. ' (i) The shipping facilities are admir-/ able—3o feet of water within 25/ chains of the sea shore, and the bay itself is well protected by land. (5) Limestone for fluxing purposes ia available adjacent to tho ore body. (6) Coal fuel and of splendid quality is - obtainable within ft few miles of the ; property. (7) All tho necessary elements, are oh- ■; ■ tainable at a very low cost, enabling V; , the proposition to bo developed to - compete successfully with tho im- p. : '■ ported article, to ship to any part, of- the world, -and to slow., a handsomo margin of profit. . .\" Some further points in connootion witfeyv. Professor .-Maa'sha-trs report are.worth rtJ.% cording, so' that the whole project may he .properly understood. The professor .states that the ore can bo won and trA-ns-ported to-the furnace'for Is. 3d. per-ton, without including tho cost of wear ,;.and -si tear. .. Siuco tile ore is exposed On" tho • west side, srvs tho professor, it. enn bo won by ordinary quarrying methods. It : . breaks easily, and quarries out with re- - : markabla ease, and if tho oro is worked :'s, on benches a minimum of expenso will Vsbo incurred. Tho occurrence of the. oro '■■■ at the west of the hill is also remarked upon bv the expert, who says that by- .. this fact, the ■ bxpmi!9 of transport will--, bo greatly reduced, as. if transported by aerial tram lino, gravitation will supply tho inotivo power to the surface site.

WATER SUPPLY. . With reference to water, the nso of ten heads of water from tlio Oaakaka stream has been granted. A full of 675 feet can be obtained \\-ithin a distance of 15 chains. This would generate 500 horse power, which would further diminish the cost of transport. The rainfall is hiph, 8G inches being recorded nt the sea level. Tills fall is eTenly distributed throughout the rear, bo the streams maintain their supply. The country affords facilities for the construction ct dams to store vrdtcr. In 1910 New Zealand paid JC3._353.5G7 for the purchase of iron and steel in finishtxl and unfinished forms, from outside countries, and in tho past fiftem years'over <£35,000,000 in tho same way. 15y establishing blast furnaces at Mokoka for tho production of pig iron and converters for inijot steel, it is estimated that an enormous amount of this trado can bo saved to the. New Zealand iron industry. By purchasing Qnokaka, iron and steel merchants and iron-founders should bo ablo successfully to connicto With tho imported articlc. In fact, New Zealand, it is osserted, will become an exporter of iron, an experience hitherto unknown in tho history of tho Dominion. A company is in course of formation, all tho preliminary flotation arrangements' being completed, and the prospectus will bo issued immediately. Tho

j Vityv'c'Ji'f'.tlio 'promoters. if to raako- this ii'-Newl' Zealand Company to develop tho • proper! y as. a pis iron proposition. Stvera! •' woll-kiiown Hawke's Day tel. Hers'hayo; already interested themselves iii 'Shu pi-opniitioii, and leading biisinr s men., in; otlwr centres W intimated then*; willingness to BKiiU tho project, It is claimed'. by (lie nromoiors that, as u field ior investment (his proposition stands second to 110110 in {tio Dominion. The. owners have entrusted Mr. David Wiiyto, of Hastings, llmvko's Btty, with tho llotalior. of tho company, and tho prospectus,will bo issued in n few days' time. This will he a Xcw Zeakrni coi.ipnny, so that tho Dominion will benefit to tho fuilest extent by the deyeloptnait of,,tho. industry.