THE MAKARA REEFS.

Evening Post, Volume XXVI, Issue 111, 7 November 1883, Page 4

THE MAKARA REEFS.

TO THE BDITOK. Sir— l have road Mr. J. W. Walkor's letters re the prospeots of the Queen of Beauty mino at Makara, and subsequent denials and criticisms as to tho oorrootnoss of his views and atatonionta. I think that Mr. Walkor mado a too hasty and bold assertion for an expert, however praotioal he may bo for the limited opportunity ho had of inspooting tho reofs. Praotioally, it is quito Impossible for any gold-mining ongineer or manager to say positively there is or there is not payablo gold through any quartz reef on sunaco inspootion only, however good or indifferent the outorop may show. Thero is no reliable ovidonce procurable except by cutting through and along the oourso of a lodo in proper mining manner, and testing from time to timo by orushing the quartz fine and oaref ully sluioing the gold. I have on Bovoral occasions made a private and careful inspection of our local goldfields, some now washing and somo yet to bo tested in tho Wairarapa and olsowhoro. Quite latoly I have tried prospoots from the face of tho decomposed blue reef at the Queen of Beauty. I most certainly obtained sufficient prospeot of gold to have induced me, had I been a proprietor of the ground, to take out from 10 to 20 tons and send it to the noarost and best appliances to be tested fairly. I have no doubt tho 10 tons which tho Queen of Beauty did tako out and sond to Auckland was fairly treated, and I am by no means astonished at the resulting yiold. I see no reason, except tho want of some machinery within easy reach of tho olaim, why this mine should not, on further tests, prove payable. All mining boginnings are but preliminary tosts of the future value of tho property, tho expense of whioh should be borne with duo patience if tho work undertaken bo honestly and efficiently done under tho suporintondonoe of intelligent mining and financial management Gold mining, like iron and coal and other mineral work, is as legitimate an undertaking, and often much more profitable than mercantile pursuits. I am of opinion that this North Island will yet produoo a large qnantity of alluvial and quartz gold. Informer days I have headed prospeoting parties at my own and others expense with groat success. I see oharcea here for a gold prospecting party that I would not have missed in Viotoria and other parts of Australia. I see no reason why tho more enterprising of Wellington do not go and do likewise ; thero is opportunity not far from tho Empire City. I may stato that there is a well-dofined quartz lodo of promise parallel to but nearor the Makara-road than the Queen of Beauty ; that I have seen sufficient indications on the surface to think it well worth properly prospecting j tho quartz is plentiful, good-looking quality, and easily mined and oonveyod to tho river, whoro there is a oonstant supply of water for power for SO stamps if oven needed. A fivo-stamp mill, drivon by turban or ordinary overshot or breast whool, would be comparatively oheap and quiokly orooted, having orushing powor for 50 or GO tons per week. This mill would serve all necessary prospeotiug purposes at tho boginning for throe small companies. I am of opinion that ono of our foundry firms might with great advantago to themselves and to the public, oreot a prospeoting plant, as is and was from the beginning done in Molbourno. I am, Ac, F. G. Mo orb, Gold Mining Engineer and Manager. Wellington, 3rd November.