VALUABLE STONE DISCOVERY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2881, 20 September 1916, Page 3

VALUABLE STONE DISCOVERY

«■ JASPER NEAR ISLAND BAY. On the ocean front, within 3.J miles of tho Island Bay tram, a rich discovery of stone is stated to have been made. There arc at least four reel's. Lho first, of black jasper and purpia stone, with yellow, green, pink, red. and blue curious markings exposed in en exceedingly variegated manner. This is a very rare stone, being unknown in reef form. The reef is 30ft. thick. Next to this is a 40ft. reef of. rod, green, and white-banded jasper a stono much prized in America for facings, pillars, and ornamental work. It is usually cut in very thin slabs, and it takes the polish of a • precious stone. Lying between this reef, uext is a small seam of flint and agaLe. Then comes a 100 ft. reef of red and green beautifully marked jasperoid stone. This stone has been very much admired by the Wellington architects, and beajitiful samples are said to bo coining forward. The next reef is 150ft.~ wide, and i 3 also a very valuable building stone, well known in tho Old World, and in tho past imported from Austria for flagging railway stations, as well as for foundations and facings in largo buildings. Argillito is used in railway stations for tlm reason that it is life-saving, in that people moving on it will not slip whether the stone is "Vet or dry. This is said to be tho onlj reef of argillito south of the Line, Messrs. Aubrey Oualter and Co. have formed a company to exploit those deposits, and will be glad to give information to any persons interested, "n another column the company is calling for offers of stono cutting, or sawing machinei'j