TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 81 
character, the débris of the component rocks of the parent ranges, which gravels rest 
immediately on the “bed-rock” or slate. In this gravel, as at Otago, the gold 
chiefly occurs; hence to these gravels are, as yet, mainly directed the operations 
of the miner. 
7. The gold itself occurs in the form of dust, scales, or nuggets—frequently as 
scaly nuggets or “ pepites,” but still more generally dendritically disseminated in 
quartz-pebbles, which are usually ochrey or brownish in colour. 
8. It is largely associated with iserine (titaniferous iron-sand), apparently of 
the character of that so abundant at Taranaki. This mineral, indeed, appears to 
be associated with gold in almost all the New Zealand gold-fields. 
9. The prevalent volcanic rocks, which burst through, overlie, or are otherwise 
associated with the slates, are mainly various trachytes, tuffs, basalts, and syenites. 
A hard breccia, consisting to a great extent of fragments of jasper and flint, re- 
sembling somewhat the “cement” or quartz conglomerate of the older or lower 
Tertiary auriferous drifts of the Otago gold-fields, occurs on Beeson’s Island, in 
Coromandel Harbour, which island is mainly or altogether tufaceous. Boulders of 
basalt and syenite bestrew the tops of the hills which form the greater part 
of the said island; and basaltic boulders are associated with quartzose ones in the 
shingly beds of the mountain-streams of Coromandel and in the boulder-clays of 
the auriferous drift. 
Contrasting the Tuapeka (Otago) with the Coromandel gold-fields, the author 
indicated the following respective peculiarities :— 
At Tuapeka (Otago) :—a. The bare open country, resembling the Lammermoors 
of Scotland, consisting of gently undulating “ranges,” of a height generally of 
from 500 to 1500 feet. 6. ‘The abundance of the auriferous drift, and the compa- 
rative insignificance or scarcity of the parent quartzites. c. The scarcity of timber 
for fuel and slabbing; but, on the other hand, the presence of lignites. d. The 
inclement climate. e. The difficulties of land-communication with the capital 
(Dunedin), arising from insufficient roads. 7. Unlimited powers of “ prospecting” 
and “working,” arising from the absence of a native population. 
At Coromandel :—a. The precipitous mountain-ranges, densely covered with a 
jungly vegetation to the top; the hill-bases impinging directly on the sea-margin, 
without the intervention of “flats,” save to an insignificant extent. 5. The scarcity 
of the auriferous drifts, and the abundance of the parent quartzites. c. The abun- 
dance of timber for fuel, mining-works, and dwellings. d. The superior climate, 
arising from its geographical position, 800 miles more northerly. e. The facilities 
of water-communication with the capital (Auckland), 45 or 50 miles distant. 
J. Difficulties and dangers of prospecting and working, arising from the presence of 
a jealous, hostile proprietary native population. 
From his observations at Coromandel and Tuapeka, as well as in the other parts 
of New Zealand he visited during his tour of 1861-62, the author makes the fol- 
lowing statements, inferences, or predictions :— 
1. That while there is, at Coromandel, a very limited and insignificant field for 
alluvial digging, there is ample scope for guartz-mining. 
2. That the auriferous resources of Coromandel will only be fully developed in 
the course of many years by the application of all modern improvements in che- 
mistry and mechanics to systematic mining, which must become one of the per- 
manent industrial occupations of the province of Auckland, and which will demand 
the sinking of a large capital in the first instance. 
3, That slates similar to those of Coromandel, with associated auriferous quartz- 
ites, will be found to occur over a comparatively large area of the province of 
Auckland. 
4, That new gold-fields remain to be discovered in that province; though experi- 
ment only, and on a suitable scale, can determine where, and whether “payable,” 
gold-fields exist. 
5. That whereas lignites ave widely distributed over the province of Auckland, it 
is most desirable to ascertain whether they are of similar geological age to those of 
Otago, and associated with the same auriferous drifts. 
6. That whereas, in Australia and other auriferous countries, gold is not con- 
fined necessarily to metamorphig slates or their derived drifts, but occurs occasion= 
1862, 
