ALLEGED QUARTZ DISCOVERY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 97, 19 March 1881, Page 2

ALLEGED QUARTZ DISCOVERY.

[Specially Telegraphed to Star.]

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) New Plymouth, Last Night.

It was reported some time since that gold had been found up the Patea river, inland of Hawera, by Mr. Barclay's survey party. A prospecting party has been out for a month on the land. One of the prospectors has been interviewed by the Editor of the Herald, and states that they made a most thorough search, but could see no signs of true quartz in any of the rivers. They tried to find the ti-ack Barclay was particular in describing, but say they are convinced no suck track could exist, from the lay of the country. The spot where gold and quartz was reported to have been found is on the land recently purchased from the Government by Capt. Skeet, Mr. T. Bayly, and others. A skilled and many years' evperienced miner prospected the country thoroughly, but declares that he could not find anywhere the slightest indication of gold. Every creek worth trying was tested, and the prospectors followed up the Patea river to its junction, so as not to miss the point where the gold was supposed to be found ; but they could find nothing. The country, as a whole, is very broken, and poor, with patches here and there passable ; but it chiefly consists of sandstone, black slate, or stiff clay. There is nothing anywhere to be seen which would indicate gold being in the district.