THE INANGAHUA REEFS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1049, 6 December 1871, Page 2

THE INANGAHUA REEFS.

The following description of the quartz reefs in the Inaugahua District is contributed "to the Westport Times by Mr O'Couor, who recently paid them a visit : — - "■ ' -In. order to give -a'system'atie f£ttffi&c description of them, I mu«t premise-that there are now five distinct Teefoj running nearly north and south, .parallel ta. one and intersecting ' the leading spur, „ Taking thsnv in order as they occur-^ ... if ; The First Line of reef is known as Kelly's, Qo. this the first claim north is Kelly's. This party have taken put about 500 tons of white quartz, in which gold is visible. The reef is 3ft thick, and has been proved at the surface, at 70ft and 200 ft below it. The next claim •is : Njbi. 1 and 2 Amalgamated, known as Rhddy Ryan's. They have brought a.considerable amount of stone to grass, which appears the same as Kelly's. They have an excellent machine site at Murray Creek. The only difficulty will be in getting the machinery the last few miles, from Kirby's store. But when on the ground it will be close to a seam of coal of a very superior quality. Next claim, No. 4, known as the All Nations. Stone; of blue tinge; gold visible 1 ; reef, 2ft Bin at surface. They are engaged putting in a tunnel; r 200 ft below the surface. Nos. 5 and:6, amalgamated (Victorian reef), have put in a drive 100 ft. The reef ia about 2ft 6in wide, and the stond'is of ar dark color, • •with gold visible. An excellent sample, thickly impregnated, was ' pwked^biit By your " cbrrespondeni, which he obliged himself by retaining: at request of the manager. A half share in this claim was sold to Mr Evans, of Holdtika, for Ll6O. Dougherty and ;party have the next claim. The reef here is clearly defined, and is sft thick. A quarter share has changed hands for LlOO. The quartz seems redish at surface, but has a blue tinge lower down. The next claim have got loose stone, with gold visible, and are putting in cuts in the side of the range to find the reef. The men in the : next claim are also prospecting for the reef. Several other claims are taken up, which follow the line close to the" Iriangahua River. The Second Line of reef, which 7 has been taken up lately, is known as Uinamon's. It is about four hundred yards west of Kelly's. The prospectors are putting in .a tunnel. Three claims have been taken up on each side. " The Third Line is ShielsV In ithe prospector's claim thereof shows sft 6in. About 30 tons of stone have been taken out, and gold is visible in almost every stone on the heap. This " is undoubtedly a very rich claim. The reef has been traced at various levels to a depth of 300 ft, the width seems uniform throughout. At the surface the stone is white or red, but at lower levels it has the blae tinge. This company have done a great deal of work. Their boiler; is. now on tjne ground, and men are busily engaged squaring bed logs and preparing theisite. The task of bringing machinery to such a spot was enough to deter any ordinary men ; it is simply a gigantic undertaking. The company have had to make, clear, and level a track nearly two miles in length? attd 20ft wide 'ud the "steep "iide of the range to an eieyatioh not far short of 2000 ft; It took six' nien five months to make the track, and 80 men four days to get the boiler up. One of the (tamper boxes is half way on a broad- wheeled truck, and the men are now fixing capstans at every bend in the track,, in order to facilitate the carriage of the remainder of the machinery, which has all been brought up the Buller River, in good style, by Mr Pell. It is probable that their batteries, three of five' stampers each, will be at work about March: There is a seam of very good coal close to the site. No. 1 . north, Hunt's claim, same appearance as prbspectow-^-goid visible in the reef. This claim will be in a position to profit by the early, erection of the prospectors' machinery, which they are now assisting to erect, payment to be given by the use of the machine to crush. their stone. N^ai 2 and;' 3 have sunk a shaft, but have not struck the reef as yet. Several other claims have been taken up along the line. Nos. 1 and 2 south, have put in a tunnel 50ft deeper than the prospectors. Reef same as prospectors, and proved at three different levels to the surface. The Fourth Line ia known as German Jack's. At the prospector's claim the reef is about 2ft thick, and in a line with Adam Smith's, which is further south on the other side of Murray Creek. There is on this claim a most extraordinary blow or outcrop containing about 2000 tons of auriferous quartz, 10 tons of which have been put through the cement crushing machine with the yield of 2^oz per ton, which, however, could not be" considered as a fair average, as a great deal of the, gold was lostj the tables being much too narrow. The company are now putting in a tunnel at a deep level ; they are also preparing for machinery, which they intend, to work by water-power, the water will be derived from the right-hand branch of the IhaugabAia, No. 1 south shows auriferous quartz at surface, and r £he shareholders are putting in a tunnel to find the reef. Nb. s*at6 doing the same. Nos. 1 and 2 liorth^ towards German Jack's, have amalgamated. Auriferous quartz at surface. This party are'alsol engaged proving the reef at a deep level. They have an excellent site for a^waterwheel at Murray Creek, The Fifth Line is Anderson's. The prospectors and Nos. 1 and 2 have amalgamated, and sunk a shaft J 46ft through' the reef, which is from 3ft to 4ft thick, getting wider as it goes down j. thes^one is white and blue and looks rich. This company are bringing in a race from the Inangahua to work their machinery ; they are also putting in a tunnel through No. I and 2 south, which will have'^tb be ' carried about 500 ft before it reaches their claim ; they have ndw completed about 300tt No. 2 and 3 south are driving a tunnel which will both be hard ; and lb'tog.' There are several other claims taken up which I have not mentioned, but I have given the principal claims on Ihe reef, and I have only to add that in all the claims that 1 visited the we'rl 1 • most clearly defined, arid hot nt cne single instance did I fail to see gold in the stone in each claim, while in some it. would be difficult to find a piece of quartz of any size that was hot moire or less impregnated with gold, visible to ; the. naked; L eye. The dip of' the- reefs generally is about one iv four, and the facilities for working are in many oases most: remarkable. Indeed, I, have no hesitation in

stating that the reefs of the Inangahua will, before six months, have made for themselves a name that will bring a large population to the locality. Already there is a considerable demand for shares, which are rising in price daily, owing to the unwillingness with which holders part with them, unless necessity compel them to do so. Money at Reefton is much more plentiful than it was a short time ago. All that is wanted is a good road to connect the place with the seaboard. Provisions are still very dear ; potatoes being 25s per cwt ; flour, 455; horse feed, Is per lb, and other necessaries in proportion. Great praise is due to those persevering men who, notwithstanding all hardships and difficulties which have beset them, have bravely led the way as the pioneers of a district which will, 1 have no doubt, prove a vast benefit to the country. They will be well rewarded if they still hold on — in fact, many of them now have a fair prospect of becoming millionaires.