MANGANESH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8793, 1 May 1890, Page 1 (Supplement)

MANGANESH.

TO TEH KDITOR. Sm,-I was not a little surprised on seeing a letter in last Saturday's supplement, from llr (ieorge J. Blniiß, defending such a doubtful venture as the attempt to successfully work the manganese deposit at Taieri Mouth certainly is. I must humbly thank Mr binns for 1113 scientific correction of my nn cienlifieword" patches." No doubt tlm word" bunuues," which lie bin carefully quoted for my edification, is more lucid to tho pedantic mind; but it was more f..r the unsciimtilic public that I wrote, than such captious critiC3 us Mr Binns. He states that the mining has hardly progressed beyond the prospecting stage, and that although "no systematic method has been so far adopted, the pecuniary result has been sufficiently satisfactory to induce the proprietors to commence operat.l'oll3 for proving the d«posit at a greater depth." If my information is correct the ••pecuniary result" has been eminently satisfactory to 0110 of the party who lately held ah interest in the conc;rn, and who snlii out 1-is interest for £500. The pecuniary result to the purchaser will lie somewhat different. Than, as to proving the deposit at a greater depth, it is quite I clear that Mr Binns is floundering out of his depth when he makes such wild statements; fnr,accor<.iing to Professor Ulrioh.who examined the locality in which the ore is found.it is an illustration deposit of bog manganese ore occurring near the surface. Mr Alexander M'Kay, Government geologist, who also examined the locality, holds a similar opinion. But perhaps Mr Binns, who has not seen the deposit, knows more about it than tha experts who have seen it. The "prospecting," »hich Mr Dinns refers to, was a fair attempt to work lodes which do not exist, and I incline to tho opinion that much if not most of the future mining operations in the same locality must partake of the nature of similar " prospecting." Mr Binns is possibly not aware of the f.ust thit In connection with the working of the manganese at the Jiaj of Islands, c mtinuous prospecting has to be carried on; but there the prospecting is done with the boring rod. I would advise Mr JJinna Mis next timo ha feelii disposed to rush into print in tho interests of the propcie'ors of mining property to write on what he knows something about.—l am.fe, April 20. YOUR JSHPOHTST!.