Mount Peel Opals.

Manawatu Herald, 24 June 1897, Page 2

Mount Peel Opals.

The special reporter of the Ghriitchurch Truth has reported as follows after a visit fco the field : — "In ft previous article I gave details of thi observations of Mr J. Scaly, Mr D. Thomas and myself while on the spot from which the Mount Peel opals were recently taken, but want of space prevented me giving those unacquainted with the district any idea of the particular locality in which the .prospecting is now going on. Very keen interest is being taken in further developments, and, as many strangers may evince a de--sire to visit ihe,district, it will be of ; use to state for their information that the oountry on which the stones have been found is situated up the Rangitata Gorge, on the western : side of the river, distant about fortyfive miles from. Ashburton. There' is a good road from Ashburton to the Rangitata Bridge Hotel, and thence - through the village of Peel Forest to the Mount Peel homestead. From this stage to Stew Point is a distance of about fourteen miles over^ a very indifferently formed road, a route which would be all the better for the expenditure of a little of the substantial balance the Mount • Peel Road Board has lying to its credit in the Bank. Still, with the exception of a few awkward pinches^ there is nothing, worse than what one. might expect in travelling along* an unformed road over steepish downs well away up a river such as the Rangitata. On arriving at a point known aB Soup Gully .one can halt at the foot of the mountain, gaining the summit after an hour and a quarter or two hours' stiff climbing, 'the time occupied in making the asesnt depending very much on the physical condition of the climber. By going a little less than two miles further ..., ou, to Stew Point, one can go up* a rough pack track at the back of the mountain and reach the opal mining claims" much more easily. On arriving at the top, the claims can be visited with comparative ease. There is a rooky face to get round here and there, but these obstacles do not

present any serious difficulties. A person wants stamina and condition, and if he does not possess these he will get very badly blown, and the ehaades are ten to one against his ever getting beyond a poifit which the wags of Opaltown have christened Thomas's Bock. If the opal fields turn out a success there is no doubt that a good

*ig-4ag track will shortly be made Hrom the foot of the nlountaiii to the top. Indeed, this is already under consideration by the various syndicate?, and if all. were to contribute, it could be done at a very small oat lay indeed to each party concerned. There is no difficulty in the way of tolarably easy grades, and if the work were put in hand at once, the men at present employed on the field would be saved much unnecessary and wholly unproductive toil each day. Several men went out the morning we were leaving and commenced pegging off a track, and if the field ia worth thoroughly testing, the various syndicates would be consulting their intereeta by at once miking a track. In spite of the disappointment Mr Scaly, Mr Thomas, and myself met with, the field is undoubtedly worth thoroughly testing, and if what we aaw are indications of true opal, the discovery should turn out a very valuable a,nd paying one. A good deal ot money baa so far been spent in prospecting, but it hag certainly not been expended to the best advantage. I feel sure that had the men been instructed to start at first strip. ing and working from an open face, instead of sinking shallow holes, the results up to the present time would hate been far more satisfactory and convincing one Way or the other. During pur visit a Geraldine syndicate's men were doing some rock blasting, with a view to work down a face. The Zealandia men, and one or two other parties, also had commenced operations with the same object in view. There- is a nice stream a bit down the hill on a claim pegged off by Mr David Zander, and close to Mr E. McDonald's and Record Beign claims. There is -also good water a oonple or three chains down the valley from where Messrs C. Hammond and J. Largelly are camped, and working a Peel Forest syndicate's ground. Firewood is scarce, but there is an Abundant supply of good ligpite up Goal (Jreek, about a couple of miles from the foot of Mount

Opal. With a bit of dry kindling - wood to give it a start it makes a grand fire/ithrowing out a heat which waß warmly appreciated by us daring the three piercingly sharp frosty nights we were camped there/ The Government is being written to asking that an' expert ba sent to examine and report on the field, and the result of his. visit will Jbe most anxiously looked forward * c to, not only by those .who haVe already put "considerable sums of money in the venture, but by thd general public as well. . :

During the first afternoon I was in the district I went out with Mr Orton prospectirig 'for gold. We took with us simply a pick and a miner's tin dish, and were successful in getting gold in every dish. of stuff we washed/ The first place we tried waa in a terrace leading on to a rich grassy flat along the banks of the Rangitata river. It did not matter from which spot we took the stuff we eoald get a prospect. We then walked aoross the 'flat to the river bed' itself, and here specks. of gold were found in every dish we washed. It wat very fine, and waa not in anythiogapproaching a payable quantity, but Mr Or top, Mr Lyons, and seve- ' ral other* assured me that there, tfas* good payable gold ori" ft big, sandy Spit, a mire'fttfd a half further down W(t rfar»/ Ut .Orfon., who' is con\neoted with the Geraldine and Orari syndicate, told me be could get a payable ttrospeot anywhere on the Spit, ana that his syndicate were so satisfied" that they had made application* lor a lease of thirty aores, with a mile fronage to: the' river. Some fair propecta hay£ been obtained further down, and- good sbotty gold has been found in a small rocky gorge still further" down' the river. ; '" A* lam writing a oold sou-west rain has sjtfin. This Will, most probably, mean a heavy fall of snow on the Opal mountains, and, perhaps, some further delay in /carrying but prospecting, operations to 'such an extent as. to thoroughly satisfy the general public of the existence of a genuine and payable opal field in the Mount Peel district, but should the country keep clear of snow work will bfr continued without intermission, for those who have put money into the enterprise are 'determined to find good opals there if they are hid away anywhere, in the .mountain. As- be* fore stated, if the many rich indications to be seen are those of precious stones, they should lead to something very valuable.