GOLD PROSPECTING IN THE KINO COUNTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7602, 3 April 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

GOLD PROSPECTING IN THE KINO COUNTRY.

Mr. J. H. Kerry-Nicholls, who some time ago travelled through the King Country, which he described in a series of letters in our columns and in his book, "The King Country," writes us a letter with respect to gold prospeoting in that region. The parties which have been out have all come in, having been unsuccessful in their search, but it must be recollected that only a small part of the ground was gone over, and we do not think that any exploration was made of the Kangitoto district or of Kaimahawa, which Mr. Nioholls thinks highly of. The following is the letter:—

The accounts which have appeared from time to time in the New Zealand Press respecting the existence of gold in the King Country, induces me to address this letter to you, with a view of pointing out in a way that may be useful to the mining community of the colony, the observations which I made and the conclusions I came to in relation to the existence of auriferous areas in the King Country during my exploration of that territory in the year 1883.

By a statement made in the Auckland WKEKLr News, I learn that several parties, under a Government agent, are about to set out for the King Country for the purpose of prospecting for gold in the following districts —1, By the eastern side of the Waipa Valley, in the direction of the Rangitoto Mountains; 2, from Taumarinui, up the Uppor Wauganui, in the direction of Tuhua ; 3, tho south side of the Pukearuho Ranee and the Upper Mokau country ; 4, the Hoturu Range and district on west side of the Waipa River; 5, from Wharopapa towards Taupo.

So far aa the eastern side of tho Waipa Valley is concerned, I venture to state that no auriferous indications exist there, but shallow deposits of brown coal may be discovered, as they are to be found along nearly the whole course of the river ; seams of coal of a more useful character may bo found at a greater depth.

With regard to tho existence of gold in the Kangitoto Mountains, the whole of that range is not by any means of an auriferous character, the higher volcanic mountains, of which there are many, being of a truelitic formation. Thero exists, however, a belt of country, situated almost in the centre of the range, the geological formation of which would point to the existence of auriferous deposits, and it"is here, if gold exists in the range at all, it will most likely be found. This belt of country may be reached by following up the valley of a small river known as the Waipari. It is a little to the east of the Upper Punui. and flows northerly from the Rangitoto Mountains into the Wailcato. In any search for gold, the upper valley of the Waipari should be carefully prospected, as also the mountainous district to the south of the river.

From Taumaranui up the Upper VVanganui coal again will more likely be found than gold, as we heard of its existence there in considerable quantities from the natives of Ruakaka. Dujing my journey I found no auriferous indications whatever along the valley of the Wanganui, excepting at one point in the valley of the Manganui A-toao River, which forms the principal tributary of the former stream.

The existence of gold in the Tuhua has been long supposed, although I am inclined to think that its importance has been exaggerated. The area of auriferous country in that locality is comparatively small. The centre of this auriferous belt is Puketapu, to the west of which flows a small stream named Pnngapunga, which has its rise near to a conical mountain known as Pukeatoa. It was at the head waters of the Pungapunga River that the natives stated gold was lirst discovered. With regard to the Upper Mokau and west side of the Waipa River, the same remarks will apply aa to the Upper Whanganui so far as gold is concerned. From VVharepapa no gold will, in my belief, be discovered in the direction of Taupo.

As I venture to point out in my work on the King Country, it is my opinion that, judging trom the geological character of the country, extensive auriferous areas will bo found in the Kaimanawa Mountains, which run in a north-easterly and south westerly direction for a distance of eighty miles south-east of Lake Taupo. Their highest peaks attain to an altitude of about 6000 feet above the level of tho sea, und, besides being thickly covered with some of the finest timber in the colony, they possoss abundance of waterfalls and streams suitable for the erection of machinery. It is, iu short, this area, with its adjoining mountain ranges, which should, to my mind, be made a special field of research, as it is likely that not only gold, but other valuable minerals will be found there.

In conclusion, I may mention that on my map of the King Country published under the authority of tho Royal Geographical Society in its proceedings for the month of April, 1885 (a number of which were forwarded to the Government of New Zealand by Sir Francis Dillon Bell last year) the districts to which I have alluded may be found laid down, with a reference to their probable auriferous charaoter, together with tho rivers and mountains to which 1 have referred.

Another point by. which tho Raugitoto Mountains should bo prospected is by the upper waters of the Waipapa River, which forms the largest tributary of the Waikalo River flowing northerly from the above mountains. It is situated a little to the east of the Te Toto Ranges, and its position may be seen on tho map referred to. It has its source in the western ranges of Mount Titiraupenga.