The School of Mines.

Otago Witness, Issue 2390, 21 December 1899, Page 38

The School of Mines.

TO TUX HUITOK. Sir, — Your al:c>6cli of the woik of the School cf Mines iH highly gratifying, and the public cu^ht by, thin time 10 be convinced that the bchooi is doing good work. The want of scientific training has in the past led to valuable minerals being passed over, simply because the average pio^peetor, whose practical knowledge was hunted to gold, did not recognise their value. I last summer left Moasburn on « prospecting trjp through to the Waipaia River, a branch of the Arawata, to prospect it, but the river was too high, and wet weather coming on compelled me to return. I came down the coast via the Jfickbon, Cascade, and Hope Rivers, they down the Lauch, making excursioas irtlaucl, imcl a abort stay at the Forkspoon Itiver, where good prospects are to be got over a big belt of country between Hope and George .Rivers, extending 12 miles. Prospects of nickel can be got hi the George River. I then went on clown the big bay and some terracea — thc<*e are worth looking into. My course was then fiom Martins to the Kaipo Ilivcr, back to Martin's Bay, over tho Greenstone Pass, dawn the Mararoa River to MossLurn again. I saw lots of minerals I had never occn before, including galena and copper, from the Waipara and Cascade, gold-bearing quartz and asbestos from Mount liichardson and Oberlin Range, sheelite and iu'oy rock fio>m Martin's Bay, soapatone from Mararoa, chrome, iron pyrites' of different kinds, lnunclie in big, squares in blue slate reef, like a silver mine. I hope that the School of Mines people will have a trip through this country. It xs not half prospected, and has a big future in store for it in alluvial mining and reefing, as well as in other minerals. It is densely covered with bush, and being all alone, I found it; tough work. I start out again soon, but better equipped this tima. — Yours truly, LONE HAND. At the Magistrate's Court, Naseby, on Tuesday, Archibald M'Fie was committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court, Dnnedin, on a charge- of stealing £20 from James Dugan at Naseby on the 7th inst. The evidence showed that Dugan came to Naeeby with between £30 and £?0 in his possession, but after being in Ai'Fie's company for some time- he had only about £4 on him, while M'Fie was vacy flush of money.