TREATMENT OF QUARTZ AT THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9285, 12 February 1889, Page 6

TREATMENT OF QUARTZ AT THE MELBOURNE EXHIBITION.

As our readers will no doubt remember, a number of parcels of gold-bearing quartz were sent to Melbourne for inspection and after-treatment by plants connected with the Exhibition or otherwise. The first returns were received yesterday by Mr. J. H. Witheford through the Bank of New Zealand, and the bars of gold were placed in his window for inspection. , The treatment of the quartz was watched by influential people in Australia, who were evidently puzzled by the class of ore being so dissimilar to what they are accustomed to, but the yield was very satisfactory indeed, and gave an agreeable surprise. The heaviest return was from a load of Tokatea quartz, which was taken from a depth of 600 feet on the lode. This yielded 25 ounces of gold. A similar parcel of Royal Oak stone, from which all the specimen stone had "been picked, gave a return of 6oz 13dwt. A load of Manaia ore gave lloz Bdwt, valued at 65s 8d per ounce, and a sack of quartz from a private claim gave soz 3dwb of gold. Such practical tests of our mineral resources speak for themselves, but in the ccvrse of their manipulation entailed so much personal trouble and expense on Mr. Witheford, that he would not care again to have the responsibility of various parcels of rich ore. It should be mentioned that the abovenamed mines produced some of the firstclass gold-bearing quartz which Sir James Hector referred to in his letter to the Colonial Secretary. On Saturday the Premier asked Mr. Witheford if his collection of specimens could not be forwarded to Paris, but Mr. Witheford informed the Premier that unless his friends were assured of the business arrangements in better hands than was the. case at the Melbourne Exhibition, _ it was not likely that the owners of the principal specimens would allow them to go.