THE GOLD IN THE MOLYNEUX.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 238, 24 September 1862, Page 5

THE GOLD IN THE MOLYNEUX.

' We have been permitted to publish [for general information, the following letter from Captain Thompson, Harbor Master, to Mr. Pyke, Commissioner of Gold Fields:— (Copy.) Port Chalmers, 22nd September, ISG2. Vincent Pyke, Esq., Commissioner, Gold Field?. Sin, —Agreeably to ycur request, I beg to furnish you v-ith a report relative to the auriferous nature of the banks of the river Cluthii, from the lowi-r -ferry to seven miles beyond the mouth of the Beaumont, that is to say us far us my imrerfee: knowledge of the geological features of the country extends. On my examination of the river, as to the practicability of establishing steam communication on the same, I saw nothing indicating the presence of gold, until about twelve miles above the mouth of the Tuapcka, where a slate and quartz reef appears dotted all over the stream, causing dangerous rapids. The bed of the river fifteen miles upwards is of the same formation, and on many parts of the river side, which is hilly to the water's edge, the same slate arid quartz appears • also in several small gullies I found the quartz bearing a very rusty appearance, and containing- a jircat deal of what I supposed to be mica, it covering so much of the surface of the newly broken parts, and forming so very thin a I layer. On the up dde of any bar in the bed of the j river there is a deposit of very fine gold, but with difficulty separated from the steel sand with which it is mixed, which appears to me to be the gold washed out of the broken quartz that now forms numerous banks of quartz shingle further down the stream. Within three miles of the month of the- Beaumont I met Avith a party often men washing out on the bars of. the river, all evidently satisfied -with the result of their labor. The sample which I already forwarded you I received from one of them, who informed me that he had washed out one ounce, during my stay of two a:id a half hours. I also ■met a party of four men who had, I have reason to believe, been located there for some time. They did not seem desirous to afford me any information, but prefeiredmanceuvringa lit tie,as k about tp leave after a short and unsuccessful effort to make any discovery. As we may shortly expect the river to rise, parties working the bars would do well to remove as much of the washdirt as possible above the summer level of the river, to prevent their operations bting brought to a stand-still during .gimimer, unless the banks of the river above high wilier mark are of the same auriferous character. There is a flat of about one square ntiki opposite the'mouth of the Beaumont, and at the foot of the Blue Mountains, which the party from whom I procured the sample of gold iutend giving a trial as soon as shut out from the river. The quartz reef trends in that direction, and it has no dcubt, at a recent date, been the bed of the river. No easy communication Can be had with the locality referred to by way of the river, having to pass through three mites of rapids, which" ar« dangerous for boating, but the locality "^ within fourteen miles of Gabriel's Gully. Trusting that the foregoing particulars may convey to you a slight knowledge of the auriferous nature of the locality referred to, I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, (Signed) W.M. Thompson*.