THE WAIRARAPA KEEPS.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 81, 8 October 1879, Page 2

THE WAIRARAPA KEEPS.

We notice that tardy attention is being given to theimportance of the*al}eged discovery-' of auriferous reefe m,- the '

VVdirurapa. In vepiy to a question, the Minister of Mines recently stated that as soon as the Wairovapa had been proclaim^ a goldfield, a Warden would be appointotl and offices erected. In connection with this subject, we may state that we have m Palmerston one of the original prospectors o£ the Wairavapa. Mr. Dykes, mine host of the Palraerston, was one of a party who prospected the district some foui'teen years a^o, the party being provided with the neceßaary ways and means by three enterprising citizens of Wellington. The prospectors found a gold-bearing reef twentyfour feet wide. Five hundred-weight of stove from this reef was forwarded, through the Bank^of New Zealand m Wellington, to Ballarat, for a test crushing. The result showed that the stone was fairly payableyielding at the rate of 2pz. of silver and 14dwt. Bgr. of' gold to the ton. . When the result of the crushing was known, the prospectors endeavored to form a company m Wellington ; but m this they were disappointed, and had to abandon their workings. The scene of their operation was near the lake, not far from Matthews' wool-shed. The reef here "was exposed to. view* asd fully 30 feet wide. A tunnel was put m9O feet by" the prospectors (who, we- may. mention, were all West Coasters) and a shaft 6x3 gunk 60 feet, with two chambers, one at 30 and the other at 60 feet deep. Thestone for the. trial crushing was not picked, but taken promiscuously from the heap taken out of the two chambers. About 600 tons of quartz had been got out when : the workings were abandoned. The prospestora met with gold m the creek running at the bottom of '-tbVhift where thereef was situate, and m other streams. It was all rough, reef gold, and had evidently not travelled any great distance. About an ounce of this was obtained by the pros--pectors during their stay m the Wairarapa.. Such are the particulars furnished by Mr. Dykes, who will be happy "to give further information to any parties de--siring it.