BANKS PENINSULA QUARTZ REEFS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 535, 27 July 1869, Page 3

BANKS PENINSULA QUARTZ REEFS.

The Lyttelton Times now regrets to state that the reef discovered does not fully bear out the favourable report which was brought to Christchurch. Two prospectors are employed by Messrs Gresson, Bowcn, Deßourbel, and Eeydell, on the land recently purchased by them, and they struck a reef which had a very promts ing appearance. It is within a very short distance of the summit. lis direction is from N.W. to S.E., and although hardness of the casing prevented much impression being mnde upon it with the limited appliances at hand, the general appearance of the pieces detached induced hopes of a good result. The colour of gold was not, however, observed, nor had it been discovered'up to Saturday afternoon. Other favourable indications were certainly visible, and we are informed that further tests will be applied during the present week. The reef; *here struck, comes to a sharp angle, «>mewhat like the point of a wedge, and this rendering it more difficult to operate upon, further proceedings were suspended, until proper driving tools were procured. Pending this, further search was made for quartz reefs, and a second, of somewhat more promising appearance, was discovered on the opposite side of the spur. A proper test will bo applied to both reefs, but it will be fully a week or a fortnight, before anything definite can be looked for. During the past day or two, many practical diggers and others have visited the locality, and searched for indications of the piecious metal, and one specimen brought from the locality of McQueen's, byMessrs 11. Atkinson and Goldsmith, gives very favorable indications.