THE WAITOA GOLDFIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8066, 29 September 1887, Page 6

THE WAITOA GOLDFIELD.

A visit to Waitoa goldfield is, in its results, unlike a visit to Thames or Coromandel, as the chief object of interest, the gold itself,, is not visible in picked stone or specimens. The only picked stone is a piece of cement or concrete formation with no gold showing, and the specimen mud is certainly not calculated to fill the inquirer after gold with any special enthusiasm. On examination of the locality one is inclined to say : Give me an auriferous acre on the Thames or Coromandel goldfield rather than a whole country of this stuff. But, stay, critic I This is a land of surprises, and we are not dealing with matter which geologists have been used to, or which miners have operated on with pick and shovel, oradle and dish, from time immemorial. We are brought to consider the value of a - deposit, not in the form of a vertical reef a few feet wide, nor a horizontal seam giving six inches of wash dirt, but pi so-called "auriferous deposit," filling enormous valleys, yards in depth and square miles of superficial area extending from Huntly to Patotere, and to judge by the samples shown from different places, and guided by reports as to the precious metal being traced therein, we are led to pronounce this the Waitoa Goldfield—perhaps prematurely—but by reason of the tact that » reputable firm has tested a large parcel and announced that it is payable, and that the owner of the land and his Southern friends, who know the exact result obtained, have subscribed a capital of £35,000 to work the deposit. We may consider therefore that operations are now about to be started.

smite's goldfield.

Mr. Smith's property consists of about 2000 aoreß of this auriferous dirt, and, if payable, is consequently a goldfield in itself. It is situated to the south-west of Te Aroha, distant some 6or 8 miles, The residence is Hanked with a plantation of well grown trees, and is situated on moderately high land. From this eminence there is a long stretch of ground running about S.E. and N. W., with a gentle slope towards the N.E., terminating in a flat which extends to Te Aroha. This slightly elevated ground falls gradually away to flat land on either side, which is of a somewhat similar character, judging from the strata turned up by drains having been dug throughout the district. With the exception of the deposit being in some places coarser and darker in colour, there is not muoh difference in appearance, and as regards value, owners of land with the coarse deposit declare it to contain coarser gold. The shafts sunk by Mr. Smith are on the higher ground referred to, and there is not so much water in the formation. The pumiceous quartz sand is of a closer aud finer nature than the deposit obtained on the flats. In proximity to the last shaft sunk there are several boulders or hard dykes exposed which resemble concrete. The com« ponent parts are, however, similar to that taken out of the shaft. The depth of the deposit has not yet been determined, an bottom has not been reaohed. A thin vein of a black substance like lignite was cut in the shaft sunk by Mr. Smith, but there was no further change. The piles sunk in the To Aroha river did not reach hard strata at forty feet, and those sunk in the erection of other bridges were driven to the required depth without coming on solid bottom, so the extent of the deposit may. therefore, be better imagined than described. Mr. Williams is well acquainted with the Upper 1 hames district, aud has for some weeks been giving attention to the question of the existence of auriferous wash dirt at Waitoa, and from reliable tests, is convinced that a great discovery has been made, and that Waitoa and Patetere deposits are of the same nature. Various theories are indulged in aa to how gold-bearing strata have been deposited. Mr. Gordon thought it was * volcanic spew, while some are of opinion that it has oeeu carried down from the Lake district by a big river in ages past, and that the drift filled up the great valleys of Waitoa and Matamata, ultimately blocking up the course of the stream, and turning the course of the Waikato at a point some forty miles from Waitoa, where the valley narrows to a defile. The water-worn rocks on each side tell of tbe past action of water, and the abrupt angle of divergence which now characterises the course of tbe Waikato at this point serves to confirm the theory that a river once flowed directly through the plain. There is unmistakable evidence of gold in the district, of good quality, but the quantity thereof has yet to be determined, and until larger teats of the staff have been made, and it has been demonstrated by actual results that a payable method exists for treating the sand in bulk, any undue excitement is to be deprecated, or only disappointment and pecuniary loss may await the too sanguine.