THE LYELL REEFS.

Evening Star, Issue 5966, 26 April 1882, Page 1

THE LYELL REEFS.

[By Ode Special Repobteb.] The South British claim, which is now coming more prominently before the public, adjoins the United Alpine. Some time ago the Alpine Company arranged with this claim to put in a tunnel through their; ground, with the intention of eventually working their (the Alpine) lower or JNFo, 8 level. At a distance in of 300 ft ft welldefined gold-bearing reef has just been, struck. This reef is about 3ft thick, and from what I have seen I think it will go something like 15dwt to the ton. The news of this discovery created something of a sensation in the town. South British shares are, I think, now quoted at Ll5O. The next discovery of any importance is that fat the Deep Creek lease, about a mile and a-half up Deep Creek, nearly opposite the Lyell township. The reef, a large one, some 12ft to 16ft thick, was discovered a little time back. Some excitement was occasioned, but ugly rumors about "salting," etc., getting abroad, shares went down in the market to nil, I have just received reliable information that a fair sample of gold has been obtained from the reef by several parties upon whose veracity I can depend; but I shall visit the locality, and communicate the result by telegraph. About two miles and a-half above the Lyell, on the Nelson main road, two lines of reefs have lately been marked out. They are known as the Golden -Gate and the Golden City. In the Golden Gate a reef is visible for 300 yards, and some fine gold has been obtained therefrom by mortar crushings. The proprietors, with commendable pluck, have already driven a tunnel 80ft In order to strike the reef at a lower level, and thus prove the value and extent of the reef. In the Golden City there is a well-defined reef also, but no steps have as yet been taken to prove either its extent or richness. I have heard that gold has been found in it. Of course there are a large number of leases that I have neither visited nor touched upon here; and, as in many of them the reef may be purely an imaginary one, I do not think it necessary to notice them. The Manuka Flat leases I have visited and carefully inspected. Manuka Flat is a large plain 500 ft above the level of the Buller River, is some hundreds of acres in extent, arid is supposed to have been a vast lake into which the Buller River and Lyell Creek originally flowed. The leases have been well chosen, are situated in what appears to be a gutter or hollow about the centre of the flat, and if gold is struck' in them it should be exceedingly rich, as heavy nuggety gold haß been traced right up the terraces and water courses into the flat itself. There should be but little difficulty in testing the value of theße leases. I would strongly recommend the owners of the various leases to commence operations without delay. Mr R. C. Savage, in conjunction with some Dunedin capitalists, is the moving spirit in this venture, which, taken, altogether, I think is one that cannot fail to be remunerative. Dr Hector has pronounced, or rather I should say has predicted, that this fiat will prove a second Ballarat. The indications point to the locality as being the centre of vast alluvial deposits carried hither by the Buller River and Lyell Creek in ages gone by! If any opinion may be formed from the known richness of the present beds of these streams, then Manuka Flat should be rich beyond conception in alluvial deposits. From an intimate knowledge of the locality I would suggest that an open cutting or tunnel put in from the lowest point on the terrace on the Buller side of the leases would be the easiest plan to test the ground, and the same could be afterwards used as a tail-race. I will merely remark in closing that quartzmining is only in its infancy so far as the Lyell District is concerned.