NORTH OF AUCKLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3071, 22 January 1913, Page 9

NORTH OF AUCKLAND.

MINERAL WEALTH AND LACK OF ENTERPRISE. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, January 10. The country north of the city ot Auckland has never been properly geologically explored, and the great variety of soils and of characteristics to bo found in that region has always invested it with some degree of mystery, even to Aucklanders. In many respects it may be called the unknown north. The Bay of Islands correspondent of the Herald has been calling attention to the undeveloped mineral resources of the country. He says that some years ago there was a big mining boom in Puhipuhi. and amateur mining engineers were going to show the world great things. When the fires were lit and there was little or no metal to be seen, the onlookers said the silver had gone up the chimney, little knowing that they had spoken the truth. No doubt the silver is there, but the process needed to get it from its surroundings has yet to be found. Cinnabar and other minerals are also near at hand. When cinnabar is mentioned, that piece of country between O'haewai and Kaikohe comes under review. About 20 years ago works were erected to deal with the cinnabar, and quicksilver was secured in good quantities, but it seems not in sufficient quantities to pay Here again it would appear to an outsider that the conditions axe such that although the first efforts put forth failed, yet other people may succeed. The material secured was no doubt in broken patches and not from the main deposit. The amount of sulphur is troublesome, and the heat from the boiling springs in the workings not pleasant. Moreover, as in Puhipuhi, too much of the metal was lost as the condensing chamber failed to do its proper work. There are several lakes of various colours and quite a number of hot springs. In one place the visitor puts one hand in water too hot to bear comfortably and the other hand in water quite cold, but as he looks about on the sand he sees tiny globules of quicksilver, and so he gets proofs that the hot water contains mercury in solution. A mining engineer was taken there some years ago, and lie expressed unbounded amazement at the neglect of such a natural curative agency. The Maoris have always known of the benefits, and pakehas go there to get rid of some trouble, but there are no shelter conveniences. The highest expert evidence that can be given says that only in one other place in the world—in Hungary—is there water with mercury in solution. In the northern part of the country, at Pungaere, there is a deposit of shale covering many acres. Some experts from Sydney pronounced it to be unique in the world. It burns freely, and, in fact, did burn for weeks when carelessly set on fire, the smoke being visible for miles around. Several attempts have been made to develop it, and in one case a test gave results that appeared to be highly satisfactory. The values of the several ingredients were given in detail. Like other resources in the neglected north, it still awaits the enterprise that will ensure success. One of the leading experts who succeeded in bringing the oil industry in Taranaki through the early troubles at one time spoke far more favourably of the prospects of the shale in Pungaere than of the oil in Moturoa, hut the enterprise that has won success in the south is still wanting in the north. If the question he asked, “ What about gold?” the answer is again, “Lack of enterprise.” Fortunately the railway is bringing in new people, and they will take hold of many promising natural resources hitherto scarcely cared for.