THE ANATORI GOLD REEFS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1395, 20 January 1873, Page 2

THE ANATORI GOLD REEFS.

[NELSON COLONIST.] Finu Specimens of Gold. Nothing has been said for months past regarding the progress of the mining efforts being, made for the development of these rich reefs, mainly beoause nothing is being done by the iProviudal Govern* ment to forward that development. The reefs are on Maori land, and although, as we are informed, the Native Commis. sioner has signified his readiness to have the land proclaimed a gold field, in fact has urtjed this course on the Government, the Superintendent has not seen his way to do so. Yet at present there are on the ground eighty men, who have to mate a law for themselves, by which a certain quantity of ground is allowed to each miner. But, as the country is a " reefing" country, requiring a large outlay for machinery, &c, and as this is a wholly uncertain tenure, it is impossible to work the reefs, lich though they are, inasmuch as without lease under the gold field laws, it is out of the question to expect that people will risk their, capital ona-property which, however promising, ' gives nq security of tenure. We have before us some splendid specie mens of gold-bearing quartz,(which4nA be seeu at our office), taken flfoin tft&lfce

now opened at Anatori, and of nuggets found in a small creek which cuts the reef, into which miners on the ground have made a drive some Seventy ieet in extent, and from which the larger pieces of quartz are taken. The stone reminds us of that which we Baw in the Golden Crown and Caledonian claims at the Thames in Auckland. It is similar in color, and displays gold throughout the stone in various directions. Altogether the samples rare such as if : shown in Auckland or Melbourne, VoflM breate a furore among sharebrukers, and produce any amount of capital that may be required. At present, the men at work have to coneht themselves with breaking the stone with hammers and was"iiiiig out the debris, prodi'cing thereby about lioz of gold to the load of stone, a most excellent result and one which promises a handsome return to a properly managed system of machine-crushing and gold-saving. The nuggets referred to, and which were brought over by the steamer from Collingwood, weigh eight or nine ounces troy. One of them is a piece of quartz, of about 6oz, two-thirds of which appear to fee pure gold, well waterworn. The others dhow, scarcely any quartz, and four of them, weighing about two ounces exhibit no quartz, with one exception, one fourth of which may be quartz, two of the purest displaying little or no water wear, a proof of not having travelled far, and indicative of the character of the main -reef from which the stone is taken. Th6%pecimens are among the richest we have'seenin the shape of quartz gold for years, and- apeak highly of the character of the district. Anatori is distant about 30 miles from Collingwood, reachable over a rough track made by the passing of miuerß. It ia difficult to reach Without better road accommodation; from the Bainples before ; us, indications as they are of a rich country gold is got for many miles around, it is well wortiti a liberal expenditure to provide the means of working a district well known to Be rich in the precious metal. It seemaas if riches Were within our grasp without due means beiAK nsedi to secure them. While the grquud remains unproclaimed capital will uot find its way to work it. We need say no moire, those who desire to test the force of our suggestions had better come and' examine the rich samples in our office. .