THE Wairarapa Mercury. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1868. GOLD PROSPECTING IN THE WAIRARAPA.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume II, Issue 57, 1 February 1868, Page 2

THE Wairarapa Mercury. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1868. GOLD PROSPECTING IN THE WAIRARAPA.

We commend to the particular notice of our readers the following - important letter from Mr. Grove, who has already exerted himself so much in endeavouring to find a Gold Field in Wellington, and who now intends to prospect this part of the Province. We announced his intention of coming in our last issue. (To the Editor of the Wairarapa Mercury.) Greytown, January 30, 18G8. Sir, —lu accordance with a promise made to Mr E. Grigg, a few weeks ago, I visited your district, My principal object was to collect information from the settlers concerning the discovery of gold which had been privately found from time to time in the Wairarapa district or neighborhood, I received valuable assistance from Mr Grigg, I beg to submit the nformation I obtained during my stay in Greytown. Two men named Lyons and Spry, (the former resides at the “ Rising Sun Hotel” at present,) prospected from the Upper Moron (Alfredtou), to Knight’s station and to the Horseshoe in the P,.ketohi langcs, thence struck straight across tle Okau between Guthries and Valentine S nith’s, and found occasional prospects of fine gold. They intend to start shortly for the Ruahine mountain or dividing range in the vicimiy of Otaki Or Manawatu. Mr Lyon considers his discoveries up to the present time of little importance. I heard from a number of settlers that gold had been found on Captain Smith’s station ; but I could not obtain any authentic or satisfactory information on the matter. The best info rmaii.m I received was from Mr John Hawke, a well-known and respectable settler amongst you, he submitted to me a small parcel of black sand very thickly mixed with fine gold which he had collected together by his hands in a creek, which runs into the Wliareama, close to Miller’s, Taucru river, about 30 miles from Greytown and To from Masterton. He took one dishful, ov what he considered such in his handkerchief and considers that he had at least J a dwt of gold, The stream of the creek is about 18 inches or two feet wade ; the indications. —soft slate rock, irregular quartz scams; in the creek, quartz, slate and sandstone, with a 'large quantity of heavy black sand. The gold is scaly, but not excessively fine ; still it is more difficult to save than Mr Hawke's experience had taught him, he having left Bendigo in 1853 and Otago in 18G2, in both instances previous to the discovery of such gold as has made the Dunstan and the West Coast so valuable.

Mr Hawke lias consented to skew me, or, I suppose, any other person the locality in about ten days or a fortnight, at which time he will be able to complete a contract he cannot at present neglect. The inhabitants of Featherston, Grey town and Masterton ought to use the above information at once and organise some method by which a practical test can be made. I will take the sample of black sand and gold to town with me to shew to His Honor the Snpcrindcnt, who would I have no doubt forward your interests in the above matter to the utmost of his power it earnestly and vigorously prosecuted by you.

I am &c., Your’avcry truly, D. GEOVE, Now that Mr. Grove has taken the initiative we hope to see the proper amount of interest taken by the settlors in the success of the enterprise. A strange apathy seems to exist among Wellington settlers who (hardly seem to appreciate the importance of a Gold Field in the Province, or if they do appreciate it, have their own opinion that there can hardly be gold in Wellington. Our own conviction is that wc have gold in large payable quantities in the Wairarapn, for in every case where likely places have been prospected the color has been found. This having been found and pointed out to the practical miner he follows up his lead until he traces whence is its source with as much certainty as the blood hound scents the track. It must be understood that the two men Lyons and Spry (both old diggers), who are reported by Mr. Grove as having found gold in the different localities mentioned did not go to these places for the purpose of prospecting. Their object was

to look at some land np the country which they intended to buy, and pros - pected solely such places as they thought looked likely and in all cases found the color. They did not follow up the indications at the time, as they had other business to attend to, and therefore what they did, so to speak, was a preliminary prospect. In order to give our readers an idea of what they did find we will let them know where the best prospects were. On most of the beaches tried was found the heavy black or iron sand with gold runing through it, and especially on the back wash of the Whareama at the mouth of the river. Good indications of gold were found on Guthrie’s run and also on the ranges leading to (he Pukatohi between the Moroa and Te Ori On. At Langdon’s station they were shown a fine specimen of virgin copper, but the locality where found was not divulged. The specimen of gold given by Mr. Hawke we have seen audit appears rich, much richer even than Mr. Groves describes. The reason why Mr. Groves does not give the foil value to it, is probably his extreme and conscientious desire not to lead to a false conclusion. It is this consistent desire on his part to depreciate rather than exaggerate the value of any find that induces us to place such implicit confidence in his report. The next suggestion of Mr. Grove is the most important in his letter. It is that “ The inhabitants of the Wairarapa ought to use the information at once and organise some method by which a practical test can be ma le.” The organization of the method is-simple and it is that subscriptions, say to the amount of £6O or £7O, should be raised in the Wairarapa and that about four practical miners should be kept at the work five or six weeks so as to give it a proper test. If this subscription is raised, Mr. Grove is prepared toadd a share out of his own pocket to keep the prospectors going and he will find the men, good practical men, at a moderate rate. He is also certain that if on the first survey he is able to report, favourably, as we have no doubt he will be, to the Superintendent, that the Government will advance an equal amount of money as subscribed by the settlers. It would be manifestly unfair to expect either the Government or Mr Grove to find the whole of the money to prosecute a search, which, if succesrfol, will benefit the Wairarapa more than any other part of the Province. We conclude by hoping that the matter will not readily be allowed to drop, but that some active steps will be immediately taken in the matter by some of our leading settlers.