BOOK NOTICES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1853, 27 May 1887, Page 17

BOOK NOTICES.

"The Handbook of New Zealand Mines, 1887, With Maps and Illustrations," is a creditably got up work, bound in" cloth, and comprising some 550 pages, besides numerous illustrations indicating the progress mining has made in the colony, and of appliances used in goldmining in the different districts, together with maps showing the principal mineral localities, the extent of mineral workings in both islands, &c. The preface is written by the Hon W. J. M. Larnach, C.M.G., Minister of Mines, who states that he had long felt the necessity for a work of this description, and that the want became more apparent to him in 1885, when he had taken office and personally inspected the various centres of mining industry. Mr Larnach mentions many of tbe prominent works visited, and deals with the different ores met with in various localities in both islands, and after giving credit to those in whose hands the compilation has chiefly rested (Mr Patrick Galvin, of Wellington, and Dr Hector being specially mentioned), expresses the hope that subsej quent occupants of his office may arrange for a continuation of the work commenced by him. We trust so too, and t&ke the opportunity of complimenting Mr Larnach on the energy he has displayed from the day of his assuming office up to the present time, when he has issued perhaps the most complete handbook of any particular industry ever produced in the colonies, and at a figure (ss) which should ensure the sale of a large number of copies in every mining centre. The work is of especial interest to Otago, as will readily be believed when we state that nearly 100 pages are devoted to a description of the mining industry in the district south of the Waitaki, besides a considerable space to coalmining, and that lithograph illustrations of the following works are given: — Sketch plan of Berry's hydraulic sluicing plant at Gabriel's Gully; dredging, washing, and sluicing machinery on the Melyneux ; Mr John Aspinall's claim, Skippers' Point, Otago ; Captain's Reef, Ophir; Phoenix Company's Crushing Works, at Skippers ; do., sectional elevation ; Mr John Ewing's sluicing claim, Vinegar Hill, St. Bathans ; and the Kaitangata and Walton Park coal mines. There are also illustrations of a number of mines on the West Coast, and at the Thames, &c. ' It is intereresting to learn from the handbook that so far back as 1852 a a prospecting party of five, including one who claimed tp be a Californian miner, proceeded up the Clutha as far as what is now known as the Beaumont in a whaleboat brought from Dunedin, prospecting the banks on the way up, but that they returned after a three weeks' cruise, having obtained nothing more than the colour. A small I quantity of fine, scaly gold, obtained at the I Fortifications, (West Taieri goldfield) in 1853, is

also made mention of. The first gold obtained in quantity was that found in Nelson in 1857, . when 10,4370z, valued at £40,432, was obtained. Besides dealing with gold, silver, copper, antimony, and coal mining, &c, many subjects of interest are treated of in the appendix— such as the school of mines, the forest trees and building materials of the colony, mineral waters, leases, &c. Altogether, had Mr Larnach done nothing more than produce this valuable work a reason would have been supplied for the existence of his office. '

The " Report of the Mining Industry of New Zealand " is another useful work issued by the : Mines department. It contains 333 pages of ' information, supplied principally by the wardens < in charge of the various mining centres, Mr Larnach's Mines Statement of last year, goldfields statistics, reports on water faces, coalfields, &c, all of which appeared in the form of papers laid before the House last year. In the face of the virtual collapse of the chemistry classes on the goldfields, it is rather amusing to read- the following hifalutin statement in Mr Larnach's address : — "It is with satisfaction that I feel justified in saying that the course of instruction sought to be imparted to the miners by Professor Black and his assistants has proved to be of enormous use and value to them .... and reefs and claims that in many instances were barely paying expenses, or were entirely unremunerative, are now giving excellent returns to their owners." The royal road to learning had apparently been discovered. It ' would be interesting to know in what particular locality these marvellous results have eventuated with so little trouble to teacher or taught. So far as Otago is concerned, we are afraid the search would be a vain one, and probably our Auckland and Went Coast contemporaries will echo "Amen." Speaking seriously, we really think the Minister should have appended a good big qualification, now that he has had time to calmly consider the results of the large expenditure on a few crude chemical experiments which are really of little or no practical utility, and a knowledge of which could have been readily attained by an intelligent study of one of the numerous handbooks issued on the subject. It is to be hoped that really practical advice — say from Professor Ulrich, or even Mr James Allen, M.A., who has recently returned from a course of study in Europe — will be sought ere any new departure is made in connection with this very much over- . done experiment.

"The Victorian Year Book for 1885-6 "is a bblky volume of nearly 900 pages. It is compiled by Mr H. H. Hayter, C.M.G., Government Statist of Victoria, and the present one is the 13th year of issue. The introductory remarks > comprise a few particulars of the settlement and progress of the colony, with a useful chronological table of some of the principal events .and occurrences in the colonies from 1770 to 1885. Population, finance, vital statistics, interchanges, production, law and crime, accumulation; religious, moral, and intellectual progress, and many other matters of interest are subsequently dealt with, the whole forming a record of colonial progress which it would be well for such rabid anti-colonial papers as the London Standard to peruse and carefully digest.