NEW GOLDFIELDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 202, 28 August 1886, Page 8

NEW GOLDFIELDS.

Report on Big Bay nnd Red Hill Districts.

(BY TELE-BATH.—OWX CORRESPONDENT.)

Wellington, this. day. An interesting roport on the prospecting tour in tho Big Bay and Rod Hill district, reference to which was mado in the Houso last session, has just boen received by tbo Government, having beon sent by Mr J. Durward, the manager of the Red Hill Mineral Company^Limited) to tha Chairman of that.Company. He states that the colour of gold can be found in the branches of Pyke's River, which runs through the Red Hill range, but the gold is not in payablo quantities. The range is quite destitute of soil or vegetation of any kind, and has a scorched, copper-coloured appearance. On tho western side cf tho rango he traced 16 lodes and took specimens from tho earth, and on tho eastern side ho obtained specimens from 15 wolldetinod lodes, sevoral of wbiah are doublo and of different kinds of etone. On tho western side of tho Cascade River, where tho supposed rich find of gold was mado somo 40 years ago, thoro were no traces of tho drivo then put in, but that might ba accounted for by tbo natural changos in tho formation of tho country. A considerable quantity of quartz can bo Beon in tho river bed brought down from tho Barrier range?, but no gold was found in it. Prospect, wore also tried in tho bed of tho river and creeks, but with tho same result. The country passed through appeared to be more of a mineral than an auriferous nature. Tbe timber on the routo between Red Hill and Jackson Bay consists of red birch, red, white, and silver pine, and cedar and rata ; but with the oxception of one or two small patches the quality seomed to be rather inferior. At present tho only part of this district suitable for grazing purposes lies between tho Cascado and Martyrs' Rivers. A track ie now in courso of construction from Jackson's Bay to Lake W.akotipu. From Docembor 19 to July 16 thero wero SO wot days. Thus it will be seen that tho climate is very moist, and consequently prospecting must bo carried on under this disadvantage. With respect to futuro work, the most likely district for good prospects is, in Mr Durward's opinion, that situated on the west side of the Gorge River Plateau. The terrace on the northern shore of Big Bay has also a promising appearance for minerals othor than gold. The Red Hill and Oliver Banges certainly offer the most encouragement, Mr Durward concludes hiß report as follows : — " From the foregoing, you will gather that tho expedition has not been productive of anything very definite as regards discovery, and I should impress upon any party proceeding to the district the fact that gold and other minerals, if they do exist in payable quantities, can only bo secured by tho expenditure of considerable capital. It is also iruperat.ro that a properly qualified mineralogist should accompany the party prospecting for minerals in ordor to savo time and possibly vexation. In our caso tho gentleman who was mineralogist of our party unfortunately had to leave us in tho early part of our journey, so that in selecting specimens we wore placed at a disadvantage. In conclusion, while unable to Btate that payable gold was found by us, I am decidedly of opinion that the field is a most promising one fer thoso who go prepared to put up with the hardships incidental to its climate and rugged nature."

Dr. Hector's report on tho 36 specimens sent to him states that the samples wore altogether too small for satisfactory examination, so that only quantitative tests could be applied with the view of determining tho minerals present. The character and pros pects of tho district were analogous to the Dunn Mountain belt, boing to the oast of Blind Bay.

Professor Black, in his report to the Minister of Mines says : " Tho collection is a disappointing one. It doos not contain anything to indicato gold or silver, tin or mercury. Ono specimen contains a trace of copper, and this galona, which, like all galena, contaius a little silver. Two samples are good chromo ore ; three contain nickel alloy. It is a thousand pities that the Prospocting Association do cot sco the necessity of including a qualified mineralogist in every exploring party, ono that would'on the spot be able to Eay what valuable ingredients a stono contains. A fow weeks in one of our collogo lahpratorios - with Profoesor Brown, of Auokland ; Professor Bickerton, of Chrit-t-hurch ; or mysolf hero, or with Mr Montgomery at the Thames, or indeed with any of the goldfiolds stall' of miners, would go a long way to qualify an intelligent man for such work, Young peoplo such as thoso who compri.o prospecting associations do not roalise tho necessity of special knowledge on the part of their working prospectors."