Page 3 Advertisements Column 1

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 984, 15 January 1883, Page 3

With respect to the possibility of the existence of precious stones in New Zealand, Mr C. Whitefoorcl, R.M., informs ns {Lyttelton Times) that when he visited Keefton about ten years ago in an official capacity some miners working in the cement or clay in a claim close to the Wealth of Nations found three stones which were submitted to Dr Hector for examination. One, about the siee of a small pea, was pronounced to be a sapphire, and is still in Mr Whitefoord’s possession. The two others were zircons, and about the same size. The same gentleman states that during his visit he obtained knowledge of the findng of a diamond. This stone was discovered at Bootma'’'s. and was forwarded by a reporter of the Oreyllivtr Argus to the Sydney assayers and lapidaries to be cut. They replied that it was a diamond but that a crack through the stone rendered it impossible to cut it. The above facts should leave litttlc doubt as to the existence of prcc : ous stones on (he West Coast. Probably mo‘e would have been found had the mineis taken an interest in searching for them, but as a rule they do not do so,