MINING ON THE WEST COAST.

Mt Benger Mail, Volume 17, Issue 854, 5 September 1896, Page 3

MINING ON THE WEST COAST.

[Frqm the Stab's PabliAmentAby Reporter.] 1 : ''' '•«> l lf »*' IK

u W ELLINGTON, Auotot 27. ■" Mr H. A. Gordon, late inspecting engineer, and Mr A. M'Kay, the Government' mining geologist, have presented a lengthy report to Parliament on the irtiniOg reserves within the northern districts of WeStlatfd and the Boiler and -Grey VaHeys, Nelson. In the coarse of their report these gentlemen point out that they Visited and examined each reserve With a view not only of determining the extent of the present gold workings and the num* ber of persons engaged in connection" with mining on these reserves, but also to ascertain the probable extent of future workings. "It may be said generally,'* they go on to say, " that the whole of thtf ground on the West Coast from ColHngwood to Jackson Bay is auriferous, and, mining being the paramount industry la this part of the colony, the alienation of any laria frtmi the Crown has a tendency to Curtail the expansion of mining and of the consequent' development of mineral Wealth. We may also remark that if the Whole of the 750,000 acres prescribed in the Midland Railway Company's contract Were taken as inuring reserves, this Will hot be sufficient to cover the area required'for Mining and mineral purposes. As water races htf the past had to be constructed over many miles of country, large areas of land in the future will be required to construct extensive water raoes and reservoirs, as it is' only by having a large supply of water en' goldfields that anriferous ground cut be worked economically. At the present-tine forty-three reserves have been made in the' Nelson provincial district, comprising an aggregate area of 8,380,520 acres, and six-' teen reserves in the Westlind district, comprising an aggregate area of 83,973 acres, making the total area of reserves 3,464,493 aores. But these reserves do not* represent anything like the area required for mining."