NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITIES

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1687, 1 March 1913, Page 3

NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITIES

■ MINERALS AND SCENERY.

(By Victor Phillips.) Of all the many interesting things that are to be found in our Dominion, I think our minerals and our scenery aro the most interesting and valuable. : It was with great pleasure that I read Dr. Newman's articles in The Dominion of February 22 and 25, and I most heartily endorse his remarks that the Wellington province is neglected. -Dr.'Newman has stated only somo of tho possible sources of wealth in the province. I will supply a few notes on those he has left out. ■ Wo all know that gold is one of the most necessary articles of trade, and yet that article is to be'found very close to Wellington City; in fact, colour can bo obtained by means of the old tindish within about two hours' walk of the General Post Office, Wellington. Copper has been found in tho province in one of its most valuable forms,, viz., "chalcopyrito," a copper pyrites which contains copper 3-ii, iron 30$, sulphur 35. This is also found near the city. Of manganese ores and compounds, dialogite occurs at Paraparaumu, In iron ores, we have hematite, which is found between Costlepoint and Capo Palliser. Galena is reported to liavo been found a few miles from Wellington, but I am unable to say whether any tests have bec-n made. Yivianite, a hydrous phosphate of iron, has also been found. Small pieces of rock crystal havo been obtained from some part of the Akatarawa Survey District. There is little need for mo to go over tho facts that limestone is obtained at Ma'iiriceville and coal at Martinborougli. Gold, or indications of it, has been found in at. least two or three places in tho ■ Wairarapa; There aro springs ,of water containing quantities' of 'iron in solution, and there are springs containing acids that will turn oopper- green. There aro many minerals waiting to be found and worked.

i Now let me turn, to a very short sketch of one or two of bur scenic wonders. Wanganui Eiver has been applauded by all who have seen it, and no doubt as a river trip it is very fine, but it cannot compare., with the trip that can bq made into tho mountains near Wellington. Reader, climb to somo point where you can icok to the noith-edst up the Hutt Valley, to whexo in one corner a cluster of mountains stand, piercing, tho azure with their ancient peaks. They., are known as Quorii, Alpha and Hector. Quoin, -not "being so tall ,as '.the' others, cannot be so easily'seen, but "it is there waiting for the tourist to climb its bushcovered sides from ICaitoke.

There'is a track some 30 miles long that passes across the top of these peaks. It is the Kciitoke-Otaln track—a track that is much shorter for the tourist starting from Wellington, than the Grey-town-Otaki track, which crosses the lofty summit of Hector. From the top of these mountains i beautiful views can l>o "obtained of Wellington and ; its surroundings; mile upon mile of' country can be seen, tho South Island, the AVairarapa plains, and thousands of small unknown peaks. Beautiful mountain plants carpet the ground, full-grown, birch trees can be found only three feet in height, and moss-covered trees are very plentiful.

The Tauherinikaa Valley is also entered from Kaitokc—a beautiful but lonely valley at the back of Feathcrston. Hero the nativo bush has "riot as yet been destroyed, and can be seen in its wild state. Mount Holdsworth, near Masterton, is also worth the long trip. The Manawatu Gorge can also bo added, I think, to our scenic wonders.

The Forty-mils Bush, famous somo 30 years ago, has gone the way of all busn, and where it stood is now almost wholly a mass of charred logs and stumps, grassed paddocks, end imported weeds. Let others come forward and explain the mineral finds that they have made, end the scenery they have admired for the good of tho tourist and tire general 'public.