THE WAIMAWGAROA QUARTZ REEFS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2630, 1 February 1868, Page 6

THE WAIMAWGAROA QUARTZ REEFS.

A cobeespondent of the Wesport Times writes :— Sir, — Having had occasion to visit the Waimangaroa quartz reef, some account of the work done by Messrs Martin and party and by the Westport Quartz Company, may not prove uninteresting to some of your readers. I will premise by stating that the reef is situated on the south, bank of the river, about four miles from its mouth, the road, or rather the creek itself being passable for horses 'and nags about two and a half miles, the rest of the distance being through, a rough bush and boulder track, quite impassable for horses and nearly so for any one with a swag, yefc Messrs Martin and party, by the most indomitable' pluck and perseverance have succeeded in' putting the whole of their extensive quartz crushing machinery on the ground, partly by hand carriage and partly by a boat, which was literally dragged up the river by the men over boulders, falls, and all the varying dangers of a mountain torrent, until the plateau formed for the erection of this machinery was reached.

The reef runs through the mountain perpendicularly, and is clearly defined through the whole of its height though above the river, viz., 87 feet, and in three places prospected, viz., at its base, middle, and crown, was found gold bearing.

The whole casing on the western side has been driven through for about 70 feet, and the quartz exposed all ready for being knocked out (the width of the reef at this distance in the mountain is 2 feet 10 inches). From the mouth of the tunnel a tramway 400 feet long takes the quartz to the feed boxes, immediately adjoining which the stampers, eight in number, are fixed. The power used wfll be an overshot wheel, 27 feet in diameter, of about 25 horse power, which is turned by water brought in a flume about half a mile long from a creek on the seaward side of the reef. 'The timber in which the wheel and other machinery is fixed is of the most solid description, and was all cut on and around the claim, and the tail race, to tako off the water to the river after it has passed the wlieel, is 150 feet long and 18 feet deep, the whole being blasted through the solid rock. The whole machinery will doubtless be ready in a fortnight or.three weeks, and then the anxiously expected question of its yield per ton will be ascertained; and judging from the specimens knocked out of the reef, and from the prospects obtained in a dish of coarsely broken quartz, it will be very handsome

Adjoining Martin's claim the Westport Quartz Reef Company have their, grouud, (viz., 270 feet on the line of reef, which can be traced by surface indications all through their claim). They have tunnelled 240 feet through the solid rock to cut off the reef, and the tunnel cutting through five leaders, all gold bearing, is a marvel of finished workmanship, and is now some feet beyond the surveyor's line. It unfortunately is at a standstill for want of funds. Should Martin's crushing be satisfactory, doubtless tho scrip which the Company are about to issue will command a ready sale, and this work of such vast importance, both to the shareholders and to the general public, will bo proceeded with.