The Manganese Deposit at Taieri Month.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 15

The Manganese Deposit at Taieri Month.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib, — In reply to Mr Baldwin's scurrilous and unwarranted attack on me in your issue of the 3rd inst,, perhaps you will afford me space to state, as concisely as I can, my whole connection with the discovery of manganese, The manganese ocours on private property, owned by Mr I. Hughan, Crown Lands ranger, and Mr George Lawson, respectively. Some loose piece* of manganese were found on the surface on the tatter's property, then owned by Mr Harming. As far as my memory serves me, Proftssor Ulrich, who was asked , to visit this district to report on a supposed discovery of copper, was shownthe manganese, and mentioned tho occurrence of manganese in his conjoint work with Captain Hutton, on the geology of Otago. After that no further notke was taken of the mangauese until [ brought it belore the public. Iv 1886. I Lliiuk it was, while Professor Black was conducting mining claoaea in Lawrence, I took a piece of metalliferous oi c which one of my brothers found on the sl'<i beach some half-mile or so from where the specimens first discovered weie found. I did not at the tim-i know what metal the ore contained, but on assaying it I found that it was manganese ore containing over 90 per cent, of the oxide Professor Black said that such rich oro was worth finding and advised me to search (or the dutiosit. On coraiug home some time after, I made <li'))>ent search and found indications of manganese iv several places. Mr Hughan showed me an outcrop of ore t<f rather poor quality, which had been mistaken for coal at first till put to the fire test. ■Being now convinced that manganese ore of good quality existed in the locality. 1 communicated with Professor Ulrich to ascertain whether manganese was worth mining and shipping Home. He advised me to communicate with the Mines department, which I did. ami received a telegraphic reply, stating that manganese ore was worth about £l per ton. I next sent three specimens to Mr Skey for aa^av. No. 1 was from a boulder found by me on the beach, No. 2 whs off Mr Hughan*s property near the beach, and No. 3 v.nb found in the bush about three miles from tue beieh. Mr Sknv's assay, dated January 7th, 1887, gave <)0 13, 68-43, and 69 36 of manganese oxide respectively tor the three specimens. The report states: " Koa. 1 and 2 are, first, class samples of tho ore, and tliould prove valuable if in quantity. No. :$ is too hiyli i'> silicious m-itters to command high prices. <i es containing over 5 per cent, of oilicimr- metier* .ue objected to at the ironworks." I gave a copy ot the report to Mr Hughan, who rid nob taiie miu-ti nnticf of it, at the time. Failing to s;et anything definite bearing upon the market value ot innn^niipsn from the Mines department, I communicated with Mr J. M. Chambers, of Auckland, who at that, time handled the ore from the B<vy of IsUnds' mine. I sent along with my letter a copy of Mr Skey's report. In reply, the firm offered to sell th«> oie in London, charging 10 per cent comn iasirm, nnt\ rnnking mi advance of 30s per ton, f.o b. at Port Chalmers. I showed this letter to Messrs Hughan and Lawson, and advised

1 them to take some steps to have their properties prospected. At a meeting held in Mr Lawson'a house, a subscription list was opened to provide a prbspeoting fund, and a couple of men were set to work under my direction, the understanding being that should the ore be struck good a small working company would be formed inthedistrict. The resultof the prospecting was that good ore was discovered near the const on Mr Hughan's property, and nearly a mile back from the coast on Mr Lawson's. I again wrote to Professor Ulrich, asking him to come and examine the locality, which he very kindly did, accompanied by Mr James Allen, M.H.E. Professor Ulrich did not give us a written report, but he told Mt Hughan and me that he thought the ore occurred in quantity, and advised where prospecting should be conducted. At a meeting held shortly afterwards in Mr Hughan's house, my proposal to form a small working company was discussed, when a counter proposal to form a small company, confined to Taieri Beach, with a nominal capital of £500, was brought forward. I took a completely neutral position, and did not in any way seek to secure any advantage for myself. So satisfied were Measrs Hughan and Lawson of this that they generously offered me 100 fully paid up shares in the proposed company. The proprietors were then willing to give a long leaie, but the meeting adjourned without arriving at any conclusion. I published a short report on the deposit ia the limes, thus bringing it before the public, and Mr Hughan personally congratulated me on the way in which I had brought the manganese deposit into notice. At an adjourned meeting held in the schoolhouse , no satisfactory conclusion could be arrived at, and Mr Hughan withdrew his offer to lease or give a mining right to the proposed company. Here my connection with the manganese business ceased. Had Messrs Hughan and Lawson, in dealing with the present proprietors, reserved anything for me, of course I should not have refused it ; but as they d*d not I considered it none of my business, and I defy anyone to speak the truth and Bay that I attempted in any way to influence the proprietors to give me a share On the other hand, I gave both lime and labour gratis, and subscribed towards the prospecting, and had I not taken the interest I did in the concern the chances are that the knowledge of the occurrence of manganese at Taieri Beach would have been confined to the mention of it made by Profeasor Ulrich in 1873 for long enough yet. No one would be better pleased thau I to see a really prosperous mining concern in the district, as it would enhance the value of landed property, my own included, and I think the landowners on whose property the manganese occurs will bear me out in the statement that I did everything open and above board, — I am, &c. Taieri Mouth, May 9. F. A. Joseph.