TE ANAU MINERALS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8557, 27 July 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

TE ANAU MINERALS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Since the appearance of Mr Skey's report and assay of the minerals I brought down, which appeared in last Thursday's Times, I have been greatly questioned as to the district from a mineralogical point of view. Kindly allow me to say that I am not a mineralogist or even a geologist, but for all that I firmly believe that tho district is a mineralogical and ! metalliferous one, and that it simply wants one or two good miners (who ought also to be mineralogists) to thoroughly explore and prospect the country—a great deal of which is totally uuexplored, and nearly all very scantily prospected. I am told that alluvial gold prospects have I been found in the Upper Waiau, and there is undoubtedly gold in the lower part of this river, for a few men are working at it. Just as I was leaving I was asked to go and see what the man believed to bo a gold-beating quartz reef; but ! as going to tho place he indicated at this timo of year h very hard work, and then all I could have done was to take some away for otheis' opinion, I thought it better to let it wait until we get a practical man. My idea in bringing down what I did was to inspire someone who knows more about it to go and do better. And since I am so aareeably surprised at tbo result of the assay," I feel more convinced thau ever that there—in one of nature's stamping mills, where avalanches, snowslips, frost, aud flood are eternally grinding up the country—surely must be found minerals in these many million tons of tailings. So convincing is this, that to one or two good men (as previously described) arrangements can be made by which they shall be found " tucker," tents, boats, ice. for a month or two. I didn't come down company-mongeriug for minerals, but I do want to see if others can show more of what the district, I feel sure, contaius. I suppose nearly all Dunedin knows I cannot pose as a mineral philauthropist, and so now that the results of the mineral assay are so satisfactory, the amount of minerals and value of the finds will shortly be ascertained. But won't somebody else come and do better f The U.S.S. Company says the district is " far from the hum of cities and the wrath of human life," and to this may be added far from the sound of miner's pick and shovel.—l am, &c, July 22. Walter Prihce.