MOTUEKA.

DISCOVERY OF MARBLE.

[FBO-I our own correspondent.]

Sincji writing last re marble discovery, I have had an interview with Mr J. Jacobsen, who has brought down from the hill several specimens. He informs me that he has lately been making a thorough investigation of the property taken up by himself and party for prospeoting for marble, and I am pleased to inform you that his indefatigable energy introspecting the land has met with good results, as it is bow proved beyond doubt that their marble reef is not less, than one thousand feet deep, and Mr Jacobsen has proved that out of the 235 acres taken up by them, not less than 200 acres thereof is one mpes of marble. Mr Jacobsen, in his remarks, stated to me that besides th« purewhite, granulated and statuary marble, there abounds on their holdings a variety of the most beautiful colored* marbles, a distinot variety both veined and mottled, and any of these marbles mentioned can be obtained in blocks of any size and thickness, perfectly sound, and free from shakes, even on the surface sf the reef. Mr Jacobsen showed me to-day six different distinct varieties, amongst them a blood red with minute white dots— this is known as the " Rosso Antico*" the mo.t valuable of all colored marbles—mottled, black and white, pink and grey,'pink and white, and a very fine grained white.

I fiad I was muoh under the mark in stating that nearly £100 had already been expended in testing the quality and quantity of the stone, for in addition to this Mr Jacobsen has spent a lot of time without remuneration, and I consider that great credit is due to him for the trouble he has

taken, the energy he has displayed,- and the hardships he has endured in some dreadful weather in prosecuting his researches. It is related in " Buried Cities Becovered," where reference is made concerning the building of the city of Ephesus, when they were short of building materials, " That a young man by the name of Pixodorus, whilst ! feeding hisfleoks on the neighboring bills, discovered a quarry of fine marble, and bringing home a sample only, the whole city went out to meet him and received him with great joy, changed his name to Evangelus, and paid divine honors to him," Now, when we cpn-

sider what a little that noteworthy man did I to receive iuoh honors, viz., bringing home only a cample, what honor.is due to Mr Jacobsen, who haa not only brought down such excellent Bamples. but has spent the best-part-of a year, under great hardships, in order to prove beyond doubt the value of the discovery, which must prove a benefit, not only to the Nelson district, but to the world at large, for he has even taken the trouble to face up the stone befora bringing it down. I Steps are now being taken to form a Company in Wellington. Ju1y27,1888.