THE WAIMANGAROA REEF.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 586, 27 November 1869, Page 2

THE WAIMANGAROA REEF.

Newspaper paragraphs and reports on quartz reefing have of late commanded more attention in the eyes of the public in New Zealand and the neighboring Colonies than the most startling announcements of alluvial discoveries. Any notice of a payable reef being discovered in any new locality would at present be made more the subject- of comment than the announcement of the opening up of a well-defined alluvial lead. This is not to be wondered at so much, when of late such fortune-making has been recorded in the North Island, coupled with the fact that no good alluvial "rush" has taken place since the opening of the various fields on the West Coast. But, long before the Auckland reefs were developed, is not the fact notorious that within a few miles of Westport some of the richest specimens have been found from reefs or leaders of reefs, and with one exception—the Waimangaroa reef—not one of them has been attempted to be worked. The history of the opening of the Waimangaroa reef is similar to that of all new industries undertaken by men more sanguine of success than experienced in the details of the work. Most of our readers know something of its early history, and some, to their cost, could relate over the event many narratives of their blighted hopes. Eeceutly the reef, with lease, and all the machinery and appliances, has fallen into the hands of some halfdozen shareholders, and there is now visible, to the stranger passing, in lieu of the original outlay of at least from four to five thousand pounds, the total assets of eight stampers, a water-wheel, and the other necessary fixtures—idle. Idle only for want of additional capital —a property probably convertible in the Auckland Stock Exchange (could lease and reef by some inventive ingenuity be there removed) into tens of thousands of pounds, but which, in the Westport market, would most likely be found unsaleable at a few hundreds.

When the prospectus which has been before the public for the past month or two was first published with the view of floating a fresh company, several gentlemen from Nelson and Westport, more anxious for information on the subject than desirous of investment, made up a party to visit the reef, and, with the assistance of Jones's Orawaiti team, they managed to reach Dickenson's store at the Waimangaroa. There ended their contemplated visit of inspection, the weather compelling them to have recourse to sixpenny points and shilling pints indoors. On Tuesday last a second journey with the same object was undertaken, and a few Westport gentlemen, accompanied by Mr Wylde, the manager and part owner of the Moonlight Reef at the Grey, visited the Waimangaroa works and reef. It may be worthy of mention that, on approaching the place where the machinery is erected, two miners were at work a few hundred yards lower down the river, and upon being questioned as to their success they produced a piece of quartz and gold which they had found that morning weighing from thirteen to fifteen pennyweights. An exchange of two sovereigns was taken by them for the specimen, and the transaction on both sides was deemed satisfactory. The same miners reported the finding of another specimen weighing 25dwts., bearing more gold, but which had been disposed of. They also produced a small lot of coarse gold, and mentioned the circumstance of having seen a 9oz nugget from some stuff on the left hand side of the river, opposite to their present workings. The Company's ground was then reached, and the first thing to strike anyone on reaching the works is the question how the machinery was ever got up that distance. Considering that there is at times of flood a strong current in the river, and that, without flood, there is very shallow water, it is difficult to conceive how the heavy stampers and ironwork were by boat conveyed to their present position. The works consist of a large shed, well and substantially built, with good shingle roof, in which there are eight iron stampers, weighing 4 cwt. each, plates, boxes, belts, tools, and every requisite to complete quartz-crushing machinery. Alongside is a large and easily wrought water-wheel of 30 feet diameter. The fluming leading to the wheel extends for half a mile, and is in equally good order with the machinery. The tunnels leading to the reef are from 100 to 200 feet from the works, and a tramway with trucks is on the ground and seemingly ready for immediate use. In each of the tunnels the reef is visible, and varies in width from two to three feet. Unfortunately on this occasion the shaft in one of the tunnels, from which the best of the stone was received, was not accessible, there being twenty feet of water in it, and time would not permit of having it bailed out. This circumstance was disappointing to Mr Wylde and the others, who desired to provide themselves, for their own and their friends' satisfaction, with something to please the eye, if not to tempt the pocket. Mr Wylde, however, saw sufficient to induce him to determine upon making an offer to the original shareholders, not to purchase, but to find capital to work it on tribute. It will doubtless be known in a few weeks whether the shareholders entertain the offer made by Mr Wylde. That gentleman's opinion is that tho main reef has not yet been reached, but that a series of

leaders only have beeu come across, and by the outlay of two or three thousand pounds more, that the main reef might be approached, or, failing that, that there should be fifty or a hundred tons of stone taken from the supposed leaders and crushed in a manner to ascertain how much per ton it really would yield. Hitherto the works have been carried on in the loosest manner imaginable. A diary was kept by the manager showing the work done, but no records were taken of the quantities of stone crushed. All sorts of stone from any or all of the drives were put through without any mode of measurement or selection. Something like £6OO or £7OO worth of gold is believed to have been extracted from the reef since its first opening, but as yet each ounce has cost the shareholders five times its value.

It would be very desirable to see the the work further proceeded with, either by a public company or as Mr Wylde proposes, as, in the event of it proving payable, there would doubtless be attempts made to open up other ground of a similar nature known to exist in the district. There are at present twelve men in all at work on the banks of the Waimangaroa river, all of whom are apparently making good wages. Simons and party (4) are the first approachable on the left hand side. On the right hand side, a little higher up, a party of two have been at work for the last month or two, and seemingly are well satisfied with their returns. * Opposite them are a party who have driven in a tunnel from 70 to 80 feet on the left hand side of the river. These, with a few fossickers, constitute the Waimangaroa mining population. They are all comfortably quartered, the majority occupying the hut of the Keefing Company.