THE MACE TOWN REEFS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1561, 19 February 1879, Page 3

THE MACE TOWN REEFS.

The correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times " wriles: — Eleven months have gone by since my visit in 1878, five of which have been characterised by snow storms and frosts of such severity as to be altogether unprecedented in this locality, and putting almost a complete stop to all mining ; yet the changes wrought in the reefs in the comparatively short space of six months are as surprising as they are pleasing to record. Whatever hesitation I may have felt last year to join the ranks of over-sanguine sharesellers, in sounding the praises of the reefs, owing to_ the limited amount of work done at that time, and the unhealthy speculation rampant thon, I have no* not the slightest doubt or fear of the future of these reefs, and it is not too much to say that they are destined to mark a now ora in the mining affairs of this island. There are eight or nine companies which, by the evidence furnished by the work done in them, assure the success of the field beyond a doubt. Although in themeelves sufficient to uttruct outside attention, and to vouch for the importance and permanence of the field, it is not upon these alone that its future depends. A favorite hypothesis, that throe distinct lines of reefs running longitudinally along tho outcrop of metalliferous rocks at Maeetown finds much local support. My observations, which are confirmed by further recent tliaooverieß, how*

ever, lead me to tho conclusion that their number is much greater, and that the wh le belt abounds in veins of sufficient* BUgnitude to entitle them to the designation of lodes, which, itrhen the field is properly manned, and prospecting is carried on on the basis of systematic organisation, directed by scientific knowledge, will be found to rank amongst the most valuable and permanent which havo teen discovered during the present century. It must bo borne in mind that tho field has not yet been "rushed," that little moro than mere surface scratching has been done in the way of prospecting by miners of the neighborhood, taken with sudden fits of chronic reefing mania, which were as transient as gold fevers generally are, and needed only ore or two failures to satisfy the patients for the time. Of courso I do not hers refer, when speaking of surface scratching, to the work done by the several companies who have their mine 3 in first-class workii".,' order. I only wish to point out that there is a fair field for prospecting, and that nearly all the reefs discovered up to the presont time cropped up through the surface, and required not to be looked for. lam therefore justified in saying that many more reefs, quite as good as those alreidy discovered remain to bo found, and only require diligent prospecting to be brought to light.