HOPES THAT FADED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1939, Page 15 (Supplement)

HOPES THAT FADED

hands for examination, and his analysis of them is expected to be given by next Saturday night. This, when it comes, will practically settle the whole question, for at present everything is made up of rumours and of facts that need further confirmation. There is nc doubt at all that gold has been found in the locality, and even now there can . be seen at our office the piece of stone picked up by Mr Johnstone in the Waiohine river bed, at Matarawa, and which, under the microscope clearly shows gold. Mr Johnstone is an old miner, and therefore knows gold when he sees it. This fact alone proves the existence of the precious metal towards the source of the river, for as one ol the prospectors tritely remarks: "If the child is found there must be a mother.’' It is said that these ranges have been fruitlessly scoured fourteen or fifteen , years ago. This may have been so but the search was a very superficial one and was not made by practical men. In any case, some of the country , about the gorges is even now hardly ■ known to the foot of man. Of course . the original prospectors are aware , where they' obtained their quartz, bu' the men at present out at the hills, ant j a number from the various townships , are putting in their holidays there, arc ] divided in opinion as to whether the , Tauherenikau spurs or the Waiohine i Valley is the scene of the discovery | so they are looking over both. Our re- j porter saw some pieces of stone ir | Greytown that have brought down > with the lot Mr Mac Kay has taken tc ; Wellington, but these did not show any | gold to the naked eye. Altogether there j is nothing at the present time to justi- t fy any steps being taken other than t those that have already been initiated ; Some of the holiday prospectors will j have returned to Greytown today, and ; they’ may’ have information of value but apart from that, the wisest anc r only course is to await Dr Hector’s i report, which should be available by ] the end of the week. In a discovery o.' this kind, so many are interested, tha’ t news has to be closely examined and charily’ accepted. We have arranged to * secure instant and reliable information of the progress made in the search anc- ( will publish it as it comes to hand. Wt n should mention that the distance t> “ the reef from Greytown is twenty " miles, sixteen of which can be ridden .-

PROSPECTING FOR GOLD. WAIOHINE & TAUHERENIKAU DISCOVERIES. In order that our readers might have the benefit of the fullest information available, we yesterday dispatched a special reporter to Greytown for the purpose of obtaining the latest news regarding the reef-prospecting on the Waiohine spurs. Of course, as is always the case when there is the possibility of a good gold field being discovered. the air was full of rumours, and particulars of a reliable character ■were hard to get, those who were qualified to speak on the subject being very reticent in most instances. However our representative succeeded in getting a pretty fair history of the proceedings as far as they had gone, which are much as follow: —It seems that about two years ago Mr H. Humphries and party found nine specimens in the hills somewhere near the Waiohine ■ Stream. Of these, seven were at the time sent to Dr Hector, whose report was then of such a nature as not to I encourage active steps being taken., The remaining two samples were, wo are informed, retained by Mr Humphries until just a few weeks since, when a gentleman to whom he then showed them, having had practical experience as a miner on the Marlborough diggings. expressed the conviction that the I find was of some value and obtained permission to send one of the two to Dr Hector for a further report. This was done and the test made of this small quantity gave, it is asserted, first a return of 320 z to the ton. then, after a further examination, 370 z to the ton. Our reporter himself saw in the possession of a Greytown gentleman a speck which he was assured was picked off with a pin from a piece of quartz prior to its being sent to Dr Hector. This to the naked eye is almost as large as a small grain of wheat, and under the miscroscope is magnified to the size of a horse bean and is apparently formed of beautiful gold. It has. we are told, been subjected to the acid test. The immediate result of Dr Hector’s report, as given above, was the arrival of Mr Mac Kay, of his department, at Greytown, and he, under the auspices of those who sent the specimen to Wellington, went up to the ranges last week, and personally secured another twenty pieces of quartz. These at the present, time are in Dr Hector’s

NEWS FROM GREYTOWN. Today's “Wairarapa Standard" (December 28, 1887) gives the following particulars regarding holiday prospec-

.ting parties' doings: "The hills all the way down to Featherston were dotted with tents. Sunday was a beautiful day, but during the night the weather changed and made it very unpleasant for those who were not provided with shelter. Of course, with some it was more of a holiday outing, and therefore their labours and opinion go for nothing; but there were others who explored hills and gullies and used pick and shovel in the hope of coming upon a reef. Whether success was attained by any party we have not heard, but we learn that stones can be found in various directions showing gold, and that "the colour" can be obtained anywhere by panning out. One person says he is confident that gold will yet be found in payable quantities, in the ranges. At present the country is rather rough to travel, but the indications are good. He showed us a few grains of what appeared to be reef gold, which he said he got b.y washing and he had some pieces of quartz in which small gold is embedded. His opinion is that spasmodic prospecting will not bring anything valuable Io light; that the present season of the year being most favourable, two of three parties made up of experienced’ men should go out and explore certain districts.” Nothing further transpired at Greylonw yesterday (December 28, 1887) in connection with the gold exploration, except that a number of the original prospectors were driven out to the hills in the morning. They then were to make the remainder of the journey on foot, the country being very rough as the reefs are approached. The "Standard," alluding to Dr Hector’s analysis of the quartz submitted to him, says

that when the small pieces of stone gave a return of 370 z to the ton, that gentleman, probably thinking that he was being hoaxed, or that the Wairarapa must be a highly auriferous country, came up to Greytown, bringing Mr Mac Kay, the assistant geologist, with him. What passed between themand the person who sent the stone to Wellington we do not know, but Dr Hector is satisfied, and left Mr Mac Kay behind to go out to the locality and the reef in particular and report upon both. This gentleman, accompanied by a few others, has been out and returned and Mf Mac Kay’s report is now anxiously looked for. Apart from his ' ordinary official bulletin, we can state that he was surprised and delighted with the auriferous appearance of the rough country on the ranges. He makes no secret of it that it abounds in valuable minerals and stones and he intends to revisit the district. He discovered minerals and good blocks of marble, also coal. He was shown the reef and is fully satisfied of its richness. He returned to Wellington on Saturday, taking with him a bag of specimens, and no doubt before a week is over we shall have his official report.