West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28,1866.

West Coast Times, Issue 140, 28 February 1866, Page 2

West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1866.

The " Otngo Daily Times " publishes a series of articles on mining enterprise in New Zealand, — meaning by the word mining, not only the search for gold, but the reclamation and conversion into a marketable shape of the innumerable metallic ores which there is every reason to believe abound in the colony. Our contemporary insists upon two points: — First, that an almost unlimited field exists in New Zealand for the investment of capital in the development of its mineral resources ; and, secondly, that any adequate attempt to dcvclope them can only be made through the instrumentality of foreign capital. The subject is one of great interest on many grounds.; and its interest extends to this district. There are no data by which the actual mineral wealth of We&tland can be estimated ; but proof abundant exists of its forming part of a great geological system in which either pure metals like gold, or ores, exist in enormous quantity. Hitherto the mining enterprise of the district has been confined exclusively to gold getting. And it is probably likely to be so fora long time to come. Gold mining here is yet in its infancy, and a variety of circumstances indicate that wo are on the threshold of far more important discoveries than any yet inacte, and of far vaster results than have yet been realised. The discovery at last of a paying gold-field at Riverton, in the Province of Southland, promises to realise the predictions of those who have always maintained that the whole of the Western portion of the Middle Island would be found to be a great auriferous bed. Our own prospecting operations arc extending southwards, "and connecting with these new discoveries- in tho Southland Province. Simultaneously there are important discoveries of quartz reefs in the Lake district of Otago. The Duustan 00 rrespondent of the "Daily Times," reports that a highly promising reef has been unearthed on a flat near the Government Camp, and that the company holding the prospecting claim are engaged in making a stupendous dam, and erecting crushing machinery . The reef has been tested to a depth of seventy feet with the most satisfactory prospects. An adit driven in from the shaft proved the reef to be more than four feet in thickness, and the writer says, " In looking over a heap of quartz lying on the top of the shaft, I found a number of pieces of stone thickly impregnated with gold." This is one only of many discoveries of equal importance, and promising a new era in New Zealand goldmining. InjOtago, seven quartz companies havo already been established under the provisions of the Mining Companies' Act, recently passed, whioU we hftvft giyon in "fall. A »trowg

faith in quartz mining has been begotten, as the following extract from our contemporary will show : — Of tho seven quartz companies, tho shares of four arc at enormous premiums on the original cost to the shareholders. But nevertheless there is not much disposition to sell, and the prices are well maintained. Three of the companies aro in the same district as the mine wo havo alluded to, which sold for so high a figure last week. The shares^ upon which respectively six pounds ten shillings, ono shilling and fourpence, and one shilling have been paid, are v oted at thirty-six p o unds, pounds, and tliree pounds. Owing to the badness of tho roads, machinery has not yet been introduced, but it shortly will bo — meanwhile tho apparent richness of the reefs, in the absence of results, keeps up the value. There aro other claims in private hands, ahd fresh discoveries are being made as prospecting progresses. In brief, sanguine expectations arc entertained that the district is going to turn out very rich."

" Quartz reefing is all the rage just now," says the Lake correspondent of " The Times," in another communication to that journal, and the '« splendid prospects " obtained from the stone already got, aro cited as justifying the speculative excitement that prevails. Shares in the Scandinavian claim at Skipper's have changed hands at £1100 each. This and other claims are said to have been purchased by Dunedin capitalists. In other directions we are told that indications of cropping out aro to be seen at various points " and distinct leaders at intervals." In order to -work theso reefs, leases have been applied for by associated bodies of miners and others under tho provisions of tho Mining Companies Act, 1865. It muy be considered a somewhat inexplicable circumstance that these reef discoveries have beon so long deferred, and that now they arc simultaneous, for it is stated that they are being made " all over tho country," and comprise not only rich reefs, but reefs of considerable size, and through which the gold is evenly distributed. The " Times " alleges that there was a similar coincidence in Victoria:— "Alluvial mining flourished long before it was suspected that there was to bo found in the quartz reefs a prolific source of wealth. At first, quartz mining progressed slowly ; ono or two ventures met with success in the same way that the Otago Pioneer Quartz Company succeeded at Waipori. At last, quartz reefing was recognised as a fact ; and suddenly it was discovered that auriferous reefs wero plentiful. They woro found by scores ono after another. When men asked themselves why they wero not found before, the answer was simply they had not been properly looked for. So it has been in Otago ; gold bearing reefs havo not been found because they have hitherto been little searched after. Indeed, something like an impression gained ground that they were not likely to occur. That impression destroyed, tho result is a diligent search and a large number of discoveries." x

These discoveries of extensive quartz reefs in Otago, are a promise of similar discoveries here. That these have not been mado already in Westlancl is perfectly intelligible. Tlio whole country is a mass of thick forest and scrub, and the croppings out of reefs are not perceptible to the eye. The geological formation of the country is hidden by this impenetrable overgrowth. But, as elsewhere alluvial digging has boon in course of time followed by other phases of mining, so, in Westland, it will undoubtedly be found that tho auriferous dust wo are now reclaiming from the sand, and the wash-dirt cf the river banks, will be tracked to the recto, tho disintegration of which has caused its wide diffusion over the low lands of the coast. And is not the hope to bo indulged, that, with these development, other mineral wealth will bo discovered in the district? New Zealand hooiiim to have been formed under geological conditions that render it oxtremcly rich in- the .motallic ores. As tho .subject is ono to which wo whall return in our next, wo will content ourselves for the present with quoting another passage from tho "Daily Times. " Says that journal " all over the Colony there are strong in* ducements to invest in mining undertakings,- beyond the capital available for tho purpose. In Auckland there are, undoubtedly, splendid coal, fields; and probably, judging from Coromandel, rich quartz reefs. In Taranaki, in Hawkes Bay, and in Marlborough, petroleum is known to exist. Nelson has its coal fields, its stores of plumbago, and together with Westland, offers iuduooincnts, both for quartz mining tuidfov sluicing on jilwgo soalo, In

Otngo we have already referred to quartz reefing, but there tire other temptations to tho investment of mining capital. There aro hero and in Auckland copppv ores to be found in vast quantities, but only a large sum of money will decide whether they can be profitably worked. Within the last day or two, we believe wo may say cinnabar has been found — tho ore from which quicksilver is obtained, and than which scarcely a more valuable mineral can be produced. There are indications which warrant the belief j that silver-lead ore is to be fo\md in profitable quantity, and even tin is said to havo been discovered ; but of .this wo , have no authentic proof. There is yet one more mineral product common to all parts of New Zealand, and which is likely to make tho colony more famous than even its Maori wars — we allude to the titaniferous iron sand whioh exists in such immense quantities. A hundred tons of this substaneo wore lately sent home, and extensive experiments were tried upon it. The results aro pronounced by sober business m to be ' extraordinary.' It is admitted to be ' tho purest iron oro that has yet been discovered.' 'It is stitcd,' says the Mechanic's Magazine, • that taking tho sand as it lies on the beach, and smelting it, the produce is 75 per cent of iron of tho finest quality ; or if the sand be submitted to tho oemontation process, tho result is a tough first quality steel, which, in its properties, bids fair to surpass any other description of that metal at present known.' We arc afraid to mention tho price per ton which, it is said, has been given for some of this steel. It is well known that tho admixture of titanium improves both steel and iron, and the New Zealand sand contains, it seems, just the right proportion. ■ In Norway, an ore is found containing a much larger quantity of titanium, but comparatively it shows a less yield in value by L.126 per hundred tons than the Taranaki sand, besides that it is highly dangerous to work, and difficult to smelt. Tho New Zealand sand possesses the onormous advantage of being reducible to iron by one easy process, whilst other ores require several protracted intermediate processes."

Tho members of tho Church of England in Hokitika will regret to learn that tho ministrations of tho Roy. Lorenzo Moore, who has boon officiating for some timo past in tho Court Houso, will torminato on Sunday noxt. Ho will thon return to Christchuroh and resumo the charge of his own congregation. Wo bolievo Mr Mooro is tlio last of tho ulorgymon whom tlio Bißhop is üblo to " lend '• to AVestland. Arrangements aro still progressing to provido a regular minister of tho Church of England for a district with a population of many thousands. Porhaps in tho history of no Church understanding its missionary charactor, was thoro ovor a corresponding instanco of noglcct in providing a placo of worship and a regularly settled clergyman. Tho Wosloyans and tlio Roman Catholics aro tho only two religious denominations that havo had tho public spirit to build edifices for Christian worship, iiv tho ."Wostland division of a Provinco which had as is woll known an ospooial Church of England parontago, and whose notablo places aro distinguished by tho names of Church of England worthies. Tho Lyttelton Times states that tho population of Westland is nearly equal to that of tho Eastern side of tho Province Yet not ovon tho humblest apartmont lias boon yot built horo, or routed by tho Olniroh of England, for tho worship of God. Tho uso of a Court of Justico is occasionally accoptod whon a solf-dony-ing clorgynmn visits us, and that is all. And tho wonlthy churchman is conlont to bo rung to worship by a Wosloyan boll and to tako his soat in tho jury bpx and tho prisoners* dook I After Mr Mooro leaves us wo beliovo thoro will bo no furthor visit of a clergyman from OliriHtchurch until tho arrival in Iho prdvinco of tho gentleman for whom the appointmont is boing rcHorvod,

Tlio Hixpoimy nobbloi 1 movement hns provod a mioooHS, Ilio reduced rales boing nowoharged In tho majority of tlio holds in town. ,Of coui'rto it niity bo oxpoctod Unit Iho quantity of liquor Miippliod will bo aomowhut moro strlotly muamiroil ilinii hax hlthorlo boon tho oaso. Tlii/i, howovov, will bo 11 Air mow noooplablo AocornimnlMdiil of ohoupnoM than tho supply of im inferior or uiliillomlod arliolo. v

AhoUwj* Hmnfoy, wll.li a Blight, indication of ft goiille mm ti§ ovonlug hoI in, is our only

Mining Jimllorii at tho 'Kunlori aro oxcoodliitfly lii'Mf, 0110 on«lno being already at work, wlillflt llio prounmtfoiiH foi' receiving othora avo hi a forward a(nU>. Tho l(lrl (lr g 0 4(3 hoi-do po wor boiler hiM boon miloly landod a lltllo abovolho lowmliip, and in now boing transported on ways to if h intended position oloso to LyttoL ton ntraot.. ThoJparlioH who own this plant havo formed Uiohiholvuh into 11 company undor the titlo of tho WoßHand Stoam Drainago Company. Thoy aro six in numbor, and gavo notico of registration on Monday last. Tho Star Steam Pumping Company is a groat buocobs. It coimnonood working on Monday, and answorj udmirably.

Ono or two claims at tho Wpodstook digKings aro slill yiolding handsomoly although tho minors gonorolly uro not making high wages. Yesterday morning a shaft was bot> toraod in tho Mao-i Rosorvo out of whioh was obtained 12 ozs. gold. Tho alaim in. whioh it is sunk hug long boon notocl for Us violmojs ft»Ul pvomj&pl to pay wp» fovoughoi^

Sovornl civil enses wcro hoard in tho Residont Magis' rate's Court yestorday, tho most important ono being that of Parkor and Garsides v. Hodgo, in whioh tho plaintiffs sought to recover tho valuo of threo hogshoads porter which had beon broached and drunk by some of tho pnssongors and crow of tho Star of tho South when sho run ashore at Chalky Inlot, in tho prosonco of Captain Hodge. Tho defendant's counsol endeavoured to prove that tho vessol had been abandonod whon tho porter was consumed, but as ho failod to do this his Worship gavo judgment for tho plaintiffs.

Much anxiety is folt concerning tho fato of Patrick Dixon, ono of tho Toroniakau boatmen, who has not beon soen or hoard of since tho morning of tho 21st inst. On. Monday tlio polico received intimation that tho missing man had loft tlio Toromakau on horseback at half-past one that morning with tho intention of procooding to Hokitika, and that in tho foronoon his houso was found tiod to a stump on tho north bank of tho Wahnoa. It was at first supposod ho had continued his journoy on foot, but his protraotod absonco exciting approhonsion, soaroh was diligontly made for him in tho sorub whioh bordors tho coast, and at tho different diggings along tho beach. Not tho sliglitost traco of him was, howovor, discovorcd. Yesterday Constablo Wilson procooded to tho Waimea, and assisted by soino minors draggod tho river, but failod in finding tho body. It is feared tho unfortunate man in attempting to cross tho Waimoo- wus swopt away j if so, iiis body must have beon oarriod out to sea. Ho boro an oxcollont character, and was muoH rospectod by all who know him, and was considered to bo tho smartest and most obliging boatman on tho rivor.