The reported Gold Discoveries at Ponangina.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1575, 7 December 1885, Page 4

The reported Gold Discoveries at Ponangina.

Mr James Park, of the Geological Department' has forwarded the following report to Dr Hector. — " I have the honor to report that, as instructed, I visited the locality of reported auriferous quartz reefs at Pohauguia on the 29th November. The precise locality is situated on a stream that rises on the western flanks of the Ruahiue Ranee, and falls into the Pohangina about 25 miles above the junction of that River with the Mmiiiwaiti at Ashtirst. At tlie time of my visit the position at Pohangina was far from satisfactory. A great amount of prospecting hail been done, but uot a trace of gold could be found, and the men on the ground stated that they wore detained thw, not by the prospects, but by .the perplexing results »f assays of stone said to come from tl»6 Pohangina. About ten gold mining leases have been applied ! for, and most of the parties ir I crested m these, together with a few outsiders, formed a. United Prospecting Company to test the real', which was covered by n large slip. Funds were supplied, and Anderson, the original prospector, with an experienced miner, was engaged to clear away the slip and bare the reef. This was effected on the 27th inst., two days before my visit. The reef is not quartz, but a whitish grey lhnestene of good quality, which effervesces freely m weak acetic acid. It does not form a continuous bed, but is simply interbedded with associated grey sandstones, jasperoid, a«id black crumbling slates and shales. Before proceeding to the Pohaugina I carefully examined the Gorge section. The rocks here are precisely the Bame ag at Pohangina, alrik ing N.— S., generally at hijjh angles. The whole scries has b< en sul j^c-ted to great disturbance, and most of i lie rocks are much shattered and broken, which has given rise to a great amount of sl'kenside among the black and red jasperoid slates. The grey eilieionn sandstones are often calcareous, and m the Gorge, alternate with black crumbling slates as their bedded strata. A similar section of the same rocks is seen m passing over the Rimutaka by the old coach road."