GOLD IN THE WHANGAREI DISTRICT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7863, 4 February 1887, Page 5

GOLD IN THE WHANGAREI DISTRICT.

We aro informed by Mr. James Maokay that he was waited on by two miners, well known on the Thames, named John Laughlin and Owen Mclntyre respectively, who stated they had found aurifurnos quartz at the North Head of Whananaki inlet, about twenty-five miles north of Whangarei, Laughlin, a few months go, took a section of 40 acres at the North Head ; but, finding the land too rough and bad for farming, he abandoned it, and notified the Commissioner of Crown Lands accordingly. He had noticed quartz veins on the beach below high-water mark, and Bet to work on them with the assistance of Mclntyre. They followed these up until they struck a reef four feet in width. Whilst doing so they came on to a email leader about half an inch thick, containing a very considerable quantity of gold, in fact a really good specimen leader, requiring no magnifying glass to see the gold in the stono. Mr. Mackay, on their behalf, at once drew out an application for a prospecting license, and interviewed the Hon. Minister for Lands on the subject. Mr. Ballance said that if the discovery was of value it would be of great importance to the district north of Auckland, and directed Mr. Mackay to forward Laughlin and Mclntyre's application through Mr. Tole, the Commissioner for Crown Lands, when it would receive every consideration by himself and the Ministor of .Mines. The application for a "prospecting license" has been lodged in the Crown Lands office, for transmission to Wellington, It is for permission to search for gold on the 40-acre lot formerly held by Laughlin (now Crown Lands), and on the sea beach adjacent thereto, between high and low water mark. The miners left Auckland on Wednesday morning with the necessary appliances for getting out stone from the four foot reef, which, when procured, will be forwarded to Auckland for the purpose of testing its value. At present no gold is visible in it, but it may prove auriferous when worked into. The adjacent lands are held by small settlers, and there is but little Crown property in the vioinity. If the discovery is found to be of value, it will induce further search for gold in the northern districts of Auckland.