OKAUIA ANDESITE STONE.

Putaruru Press, Volume IV, Issue 120, 11 February 1926, Page 5

OKAUIA ANDESITE STONE.

GOOD ROADING MATERIAL. Similar to Tirohia Rock. Among' the sources of local supplies of roading- stone, it would seem that the possibilities of the andesite outcrops in the Okauia district might warrant thorough investigation. By courtesy of Captain H. H. Tizard, of the Opal Springs, a copy of an interesting note, as follows, has been made available for publication:J—- ---“ Office of Minister of Mines, 22nd February, 1918. Memorandum for: The Hon. the Minister of Railways, Wellington. Re Stone in Waiteariki Stream, Matamata: “Your memo, of 4th inst, re the above has been brought under Dr. Henderson’s notice, and he has minuted same as under:— The Waiteariki stream has in its bed many large boulders of andesite, similar to the rock quarried for road metal at Te Aroha and Tirohia. Boulders of a much softer rock also occur, but as it is nearly seven years since I visited the locality I do not remember if the hard or the soft boulders are the more numerous. I distinctly recollect the massive andesite outcrops in the Wairere, the next large stream north of Waiteariki. “(Signed) J. HENDERSON.” Some of these river boulders when broken into metal have certainly stoop up to a good enough test to warrant its use on a lafge scale. Some seven years ago, it is stated, Mr. E. C. Banks, then a member of the Matamata County Council, got this metal put on the main road to Jhe Springs, and during that time it has carried the whole of the traffic, without any maintenance except a little given very recently, a few weeks ago. Residents state that the stone is procurable in places where it could be easily be secured and handled, and where the assistance of gravitation could be utilised. In the past the Matamata County Council has not had the funds to enable it to do things in a big, effectual and economical way, but it is now committed to huge metalling schemes and a practical local supply would be a great boon for all time.—Matamata Record.