D.—No. 6.

Reef widened to ten feetWaipori Company. Quartz Reef at Waitahuna.

Mr. Dmmmond's ReP°rt on foregoing.

95. In a subsequent report Mr. Worthingtoii states that the reef has widened to ten feet. 96. *rom the Waipori Company no returns have vet been received, nor have they yet erected any machinery for crashing the quartz. _ 97. In the month of January, 1863, two men. named Jenkins and Smith, reported the discovery of a quartz reef in the Waitalmna District, and produced to the Warden some specimens of goldbearing stone, alleged to have been obtained on the surface. Notwithstanding these promising indications, however, nothing lias yet been done to develope the reef. 98. Referring to these reefs, Mr. Mining Surveyor Drummond reports:— "In laying down the position of the Otago Company's claim (at Waipori) and that of the prospecting company at Waitahuim, I find that the bearing of the reef intersects both, which leads me to imagine that it may be the same reef, and I have drawn on the map an imaginary line of the supposed course. I am informed that the reef has been traced from the Otago Company's claim as tar south as the Waitahuna ranges, and to the north as far as the Lammerlaw ranges Several parties are now out prospecting for reefs, and I make no doubt but that fresh discoveries will be made." 99. On the 1st August, 1863. Mr. Warden Williamson reported:— "I have this week granted prospecting claims at Golden Point, Pleasant Creek (Upper Shotover District), to Thomas McIJattie and John Mcllroy, for two distinct quart/, reefs The SEf^T are g"°d ' S°ld being uist)>ibllted through the quartz. The casing also contains line "old. Lhe thickness of reef on the surface is fourteen inches, widening out to four feet." 100. The name of " Elgin" has been conferred on these reefs by the prospectors. 101. At various times quartz boulders containing gold have been picked up in the watercourses at Skipper's; whence it is reasonable to suppose that auriferous reefs exist in that locality also. Similar stone has been found at the Woolshed Creek. In the cabinet of the department there is a very fine specimen thickly studded with flaky gold, and which was forwarded in the most obliging manner by Mr. Baird of Glenore. 102. It is unnecessary to insist on the prosperous condition of the Otago gold-fields. Well authenticated facts are of more value than unsupported theories ; and the large quantities of "old regularly brought down by the escorts afford indubitable evidence of the richness of the workings. .N oi accumulation of falsified statements can do away with these undeniable proofs of the general well-being of our mining community. But if further argument was required, I need only refer to the fact that out of nearly 28,000 able-bodied male adults, scarcely 150 have yet been induced to leave the gold-fields and volunteer for the Northern Island Militia, notwithstanding the indefatigable exertions of recruiting officers, and the tern ptation of free grants for fifty acres of excellent land, lhis alone is sufficient to show that our miners are neither destitute nor miserable nor particularly desirous of quitting the Province. 103. The condition of the miners is very favorable. Taken as a class a more respectable body of men never followed the vocation of gold-mining. Orderly and peaceable in their habits and general conduct, crime is rare amongst them, and "although the police on the gold-fields is necessarily small, life and property are safer in the tented gullies of Otago than in many of the cities of civilized Europe. From the ruffianism which pervades some other colonies, this province is almost free.—a result attributable in part to the efficiency and excellent conduct of the Ota<-o police force, somewhat also, perhaps, to the peculiarities of the country, which afford but slight facilities for concealment or escape to the hunted desperado ; but above all to the superior moral character of the miners themselves. VI.—Climate. 104. The climate of Otago is extremely salubrious, and so very similar to that of Britain, that the emigrant might imagine himself to be still in the land of his nativity. Not being subject to hot winds and dust storms, gold mining, and all other out-door pursuits, can be carried on with vigour and energy during the greater part of the year. In the low-lying districts, snow is seldom seen on the ground, although heavy drifts occasionally accumulate in the ravines of more elevated regions. The roads, however, are rarely impeded for more than a few days. It was recently reported that 500 men were completely snowed up at Campbell's, but, on enquiry, it was found that the track was only closed for a very short time. Many similar rumours have an equally slight foundation in fact. It is undoubtedly true that human lives were lost in the floods and snow-storms of the season through which we have just passed; but it is no less true that the numbers have been grossly exaggerated. It is to be hoped that our miners, warned by the sad experience of their first winter in the interior, will avoid similar mischances in future years, by adopting more precaution in their movements, and by erecting their dwellings in positions of greater security. 105. The climate of the Gold Fields is even superior to that of the sea-coast. Mr. MiningSurveyor Drummond writes thus from Tuapeka : — " My experience of the climate since my arrival in New Zealand —a period of eighteen months —leads me to think most highly of it. I consider that the New Zealand miner can follow his avocations for about eleven months in the year."

Quartz Reefs at tT,v S Shot^ *"

Named "Elgin" W prospectors, Q,,artz Ree£ at Skip--I)er'-

Evidence of the prosperous condition of the ota S° Gold Flelds"

Condition of the miners,

Climate of Ota^o

piim*** n f «,„ rvu Uimate of the Gold Mr Drummond'n Report on the climate at Tuapeka.

21

OOLD FIELDS OF OTAGO.