31

C—ll

and masses of ore ; and it is certain that there are not more than 300 or 400 tons of ore showing there, or, indeed, to be collected from all the outcrops, large and small, that are in this neighbourhood. The mineral belt, consisting mainly of dark compact olivine rock, is here about half a mile wide, and the outcrops of chrome lying along its eastern border strike N.S., and seem to dip W. at an angle of 45°. On the opposite western side of the belt there is a second and corresponding line of nests or bunches of chrome iron-ore. Among these, samples completely crystallized and of great purity, are to be obtained, but there are no masses of ore of good quality equal to those found along the eastern line. There is, however, a considerable development of olivine rock containing chromic iron disseminated through it, and forming of the whole from 10 per cent, to 20 per cent. ; but this, at least, in the position in which it occurs would be quite useless as a commercial commodity, and it could not be concentrated at or near the locality of its occurrence. As regards the richer ore, even did if occur in greater quantity than it does, the cost of transit to the Port of Nelson would be so great as to prevent its being worked to profit. It has been thought that an aerial tramway could be constructed to land the ore in the low grounds of Aniseed Valley, whence it could be carted to the Hope Railway-station ; but, more than this, the ore would have to be carted from the mine on to the saddle where the mine end of the aerial tramway would be. This, though not more than half to three-quarters of a mile, would add considerably to the cost. But, referring back to the ore itself, the quantity in sight and presumably within reach, is, to my mind, insufficient to warrant the construction of the works that would be required to land it at the Railway-station or Port of Nelson. Alex. McKay, The Under-Secretary of Mines, Wellington. Mining Geologist.

WILSON RIVER AND PRESERVATION INLET GOLDFIELD, FIORD COUNTY, OTAGO. Report on, by Alexander McKay, F.G.S., Mining Geologist.

Mr. A. McKay to the Under-Secretary of Mines. Sir— . 4th July, 1896. I have, as directed by you, examined the district of the south-west part of the Fiord County, Otago, embracing the goldfield of Wilson River and Preservation. Inlet. This work was effected between the 3rd January and the 12th April, 1896, and the results of this examination are given in the report which I have the honour to submit herewith. Alex. McKay. Report. Narrative. I left Wellington on the 3rd January, by way of the west coast of the Middle Island, for Preservation Inlet, but, owing to the prevalence of excessively stormy weather, I was not landed at Cromarty till the 16th of the month. Here, again, owing to a continuance of the most excessive inclemency, practically no work could be done for the remainder of the month. Nor, with regard to the character of the weather, was the month of February in any respect an improvement on that which preceded it, and it was not till the 20th March that any improvement in the state of the weather took place. The rainfall in January, as determined at Puysegur Point Lighthouse, was 31'70in. ; about an equal amount fell during February, while the first three weeks of March proved to the fully as stormy and wet as the two preceding months. Throughout, high winds prevailed, and at frequent intervals storms of extreme violence occurred, blowing either from the north-west or south-west. Boating on the waters of the inlets was thus rendered unsafe, and at one time it appeared as though the boating trips contemplated must be abandoned—at least, for the season. Work was therefore pushed in a north-east and east direction, over the country surrounding the head of the Wilson River and Kiwi Burn, and along the coast-line towards the mouth of Big River. After leaving Cromarty the first camp was placed on the ridge dividing Kisbee Bay from the upper basin of the Wilson River; afterwards a camp was established at the north-western source of the Wilson River, and the water - divide between the Grey River and Kiwi Burn followed for several miles on to the granite belt. The weather being extremely unpropitious much time was lost, and such fine days as there were could only be employed in short trips, from which return was made to the principal camp. Had the state of the weather permitted it was intended to make a number of trips, lightly laden with special provisions, into the rugged granite country around the sources of the Kiwi and Princess Burns for the purpose of determining the limit of the granite belt in that direction, and ascertaining the nature of the rocks that to the north and north-west make contact with the granite; but this proved wholly impracticable, and work had, under many difficulties, to be continued in an easterly direction between the flanks of the granite mountains and the sea. Therefore, from the western sources of the Wilson River the flanks of the granite mountains were followed to the Kiwi Burn, and the boundary-line determined between the granite and the gold-bearing Silurian rocks to the sea at the mouth of Kiwi Burn. Here for a time camp