BANKS PENINSULA.

Otago Witness, Issue 921, 24 July 1869, Page 5

BANKS PENINSULA.

Tho following particulars regarding the late discovery of gold in Banks Peninsula, already reported by telegraph, are given by tho Lyttelton Times of the 9th instant :— A large extent of quartz reef has recently been discovered in the vicinity of M 'Queen's homestead, in the rear of Gobble's run. Thn origin of the discovery is due to somo remarks whioh fell from Dr Hector, who, on a recent visit to this province, stated that it was by no . means . improbable that gold would be found to exist on the Peninsula. Acting upon this hint, and upon other information gathered from persons acquainted with the locality. Msssrs Reynell (an old digger), Bowen, and Deßourbel started on Friday last, for the purpose of making a search for quartz. The whole of the first day was spent, without result, in prospecting the Kaituna Valley. On the second day. the party tried the neighbourhood of M'Queen's house, and, after a close search up a neighbouring gully, found, on a saddle running down towards M'Queen's, a quartz reef of considerable promise, which, after due enquiry, has been purchased at the Waste Lands Office. From indications, best understood by practical diggers, we understand that Mr Reynell is very Banguine that the reef will turn out to be gold-bearing, and these expectations are strengthened by the well-known fact that the colour of gold has been found at different times, for years past, in the streams whioh take their rise in the range. As a proof of the extent of the reef, we may mention that traces of it are to be found on the Lyttelton side of the harbour, between Governor's Bay and Raupaki, but lying too deep for working purposes. — At a public meeting held on the 9th inst at Chrisftchurch, for the purpose of forming a company to prospeot for gold, Dr. Haast stated that "he believed that the specimens presented some prospect of being auriferous, because they were found in rocks that in Otago belonged to the auriferous series. Therefore there was a chance for a Koldfield." With regard to the MUvern Hilte, the Doctor gave it as his opinion, based upon geological indications, that "th>re was no chance of alluvial diggings in the Malvern Hills or in tho neighbouring distriots."