MR. MARCHANT'S REPORT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 46, 24 February 1870, Page 2

MR. MARCHANT'S REPORT.

o [Received by the Superintendentfromthe Colonial i Secretary, February 23, 1870.] Mount Owen Group, February 1, 1870. Sie — In my report of the 19th Jauuary I informed you I had fixed upon the point on Mount Arthur, which forms the northern extremity of the Goldfields' boundary line. I have now the honor to further report that the survey-camp was moved to the Mount Owen of the settlers on the 20th and 21st ultimo. This mountain extends from the Wangapeka River southwards to the head of the River Owen, where the highest peaks (5500 feet) occur; some of these peaks have a rugged appearance, caused by the faces falling away almost perpendicularly, being covered with masses of rock. Considering it advisable for your information to ascertain the distance of Culliford's reef from a line between Mount Arthur and this the recognised Mount Owen, on the 22nd, 24th, and 25th I ranged the line two or three miles towards Mount Arthur, and from two points upon it obtained the distance to a pole erected upon Culliford's spur (the claim itself not being visi•■ble) y the distance from the pole to the reef was measured at the sarae time by Mr. Wakefield. I thus^ascertained that the reef lies two miles to the westward of the line. Being anxious to assure myself that this mountain really lay between two branches of the River Owen, as shown on Stanford's map, and it appearing .to me that some very rugged peaks (7000 feet above the sea level), lying to the westward, might form part of the Mount Owen group, and also wishing to examine a peaked range in what I believed to be the position of the purchasers' mountain, I determined to devote a few days to procure evidence upon these points before I telegraphed to you. Accompanied by Mr. Kny vett, I started on the 26th down the Owen to the Buller River, and thence to the Mangles junction, returning to this camp by 2 p.m. on the 28th. I am now in a position to state that Donald's track passes over the settlers' Mount ' Owen, and that the river forks and incloses it, as shown in Stanford's map. The Owen also has branches running down from the north-west, which embrace, as I supposed, the western peaks before mentioned; conclusively proving to my mind that they and the settlers' mountain constitute ithe Mount Owen group of Mr. Richmond's map.

The western peaks are visible from a point on the Buller, four miles above the Mangles junction. I have good reason to believe also that I saw them about one mile above the Mangles (see Mr. Haast's Report, page 12). Tlie peaked range proved to be west of the mouth of the Owen, at a distance of about sixty (60) chains; and it, or no other, is the mountain shown upon Mr. Burnett's map, and called Mount Owen. From the western side of the Mount Owen group a range runs southward towards the Buller, throwing offspurs towards the south-east; one of these forms a hill, with three praminent peaks, about 3600 feet high. The timber may be said to cover the mountain from the top to the bottom, though there are occasional bare patches. This is the purchasers' Mount Owen. It is a curious fact that, in the view I obtained from the Buller of the Mount Owen group, this peaked range formed the foreground.

If this be taken as the purchasers' Mount Owen, a line from it to Mount Arthur would probably fall west of the reef ; this is a mere guess on my part however. The question naturally arises, is the distance of Culliford's reef to be ascertained from lines drawn from Mount Arthur to the mountain west of the mouth of the River Owen, and to the highest point of the Mount Owen group, which would be a mile or two west of the settlers' Mount Owen; or, having already obtained the distance of the reef from a line between that mountain and Mount Arthur, is there nothing more to be done?

Unfortunately the 29th and 31st ultimo were wet days, or I should have made considerable progress with the survey to the above end, while waiting your further instructions.

I need hardly assure you that since the 12th, when I commenced work, to the 28th, when I telegraphed the result of my explorations to you, the men and myself have not been idle. In two (2) weeks and three (3) days, without deducting loss of time caused by unfavorable weather, shifting camp, procuring supplies, &c, we performed the journey to and ascent of Mount Arthur, also the ascent of the eastern part of the group, in addition to the work described herein.

I am afraid the miners have been misled as to the nature of my instructions. It seems I was expected to ascend the recognised Mount Owen, take a few angles, report to the Government, and the matter was settled.

In the face of the searching inquiry held in Nelson, I hope it will not be considered presumptuous on my part to offer a suggestion before closing my report; but with the advantage of a cursory examination of the country, I venture to draw 3-our attention to page 95 of Mr. Haast's Report; he there speaks, I believe, of the settlers' Mount Owen as being of a " porphyritic granite," and further on in the same page, he states, " Mount Owen itself consists of old clay slates of a bluish grey color." The settlers' Mount Owen really is of a granite formation; the western peaks of the group seem to me to be a sort ot limestone with slate at the foot of the range. What the formation of the mountain near the mouth of the Owen is, I am not aware, not having been upon it. Would it not be advisable to have the opinion of some competent authority as to the geological character of the disputed mountains ? I propose forwarding specimens of the rocks constituting the main part of the Mount Owen group. I have, &c, J. W. A. Marchant. The Hon. the Secretary for Crown Lands, Wellington.