THE RED HILL FIELD.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1277, 20 August 1886, Page 3

THE RED HILL FIELD.

The following is contributed to the * Lyttelton Times’ by a gentleman who has an extensive knowledge of the subject and it throws some reliable light on a matter which is now attracting considerable attention :

Red Hill is situate about eleven miles inland, as the crow flies, from A warn a or Big Bay, which lies about half way between Jackson Bay and Milford Sound, on the West Coast of this island. It is on the provincial boundary between Westland and Otago. In February, 188?!, and February, 1884, explorations of the district were made by Mr Mueller the Chief Surveyor of Westland, with the object of getting a good topographical map, and also of ascertaining whether it was possible to obtain a practicable line for the extension of the main road to Martin Bay settlement, and so a connection with Lake Wakatipu. As a result of these explorations, a fairly accarate topographical map has been prepared ; and, as far as a road communication was concerned, no difficulties presented them* selves ; on the contrary, Mr Mueller states that “a splendid inland line of road from the Cascade Plateau to the junction of the Pyke and Hollyford can be had,” while other roads “will be found easy of con struct!on.” Ofj the geological formation, Mr Mueller says?; A great part of the. Hope Range (situate to the north of Red Hill, and some twelve to fifteen “miles from Jackson Bay) is auriferous, and along the *"hole course of the George River the 1 color’ found on washing a dish of stuff. 1 be* ve that when once made accessible the Gorge country will prove a great field for hydraulic sluicing—the gett ng the necessary water supply there will not be diffi- • cnlt. Almost all along the coast line, from Barn Bay to Martin Bay, the beaches and coast terraces carry gold. Some of these beaches proved very rich in the early days of the Coast, and are still being worked. Coarse gold, in considerable qnantity, was found at the mouth of the Gorge River (which ha* its source in the Hope Range). A party of two men, both known to me, lifted 430z in less than a week from a patch 10ft square. The color of gold is also got in several of the tributaries at the head waters of the Pyke River.”