478 Transactions.—Geology. 
The character of these veinstones is very similar, both in appearance 
and in mode of occurrence, wherever they are found, except that in some 
places the vein is only a few feet wide, whereas in others it may be thirty 
or forty feet thick. If we find a similar result to that already obtained 
from several different localities, we may then, I think, conclude that we 
have valuable mines in the district. I know a great many places in which 
these veinstones are found, and will now proceed to describe them. 
These reefs appear to me to be found chiefly along two lines, and run 
in the direction of the ranges—viz., about N.N.E. and S.S.W. ‘The 
western line intersects the upper part of the Otaki River, and that of the 
Hakatarewaha, and probably appears in a confused and undefined state at 
Baker’s Hill, near Wellington. 
The eastern line appears to strike up the valley of the Orongorongo, 
in which locality the specimen under discussion was found. ‘There is 
a reef of this stone on Sinclair’s ground in the upper part of the Wainuio- 
mata, and there are indications of it about Drake’s Elbow on the Rimutaka 
road, all pointing to the general direction of this line. 
The widest reef which I have seen is situated on the banks sof the 
Waiotauheru, a branch of the Otaki River. Itis a long time since I have 
seen it, and therefore do not like to speak positively as to the dimensions, 
but I think I should be safe in calling it at least a chain wide. 
In the upper part of the Hakatarewaha I found a reef about four feet 
wide. 
On the western line I think that attention should first be directed to the 
valleys of the rivers above named, particularly as there is now easy access 
to the valley of the latter river. 
To reach the reefs of the Otaki River cannot be an easy matter at this 
time of year. It is difficult to give an exact idea of the distance to be 
travelled, but an estimate may be formed from the length of time it took 
me to reach them. From the Wairarapa pa, near the point where the 
Otaki River leaves the mountains, it took me a day and a half walking 
to reach the reefs. In returning down stream it was an easy day's journey 
to reach Otaki itself. 
When the base of the higher part of the ranges is reached, the Otaki 
River is found to fork. The main stream comes down from the northward, 
and a large tributary called the Waiotauheru falls in from the southward. 
About two hours' journey up the latter river I pitched my camp, and near it 
were the reefs in question, cropping out on the right bank of the river, and 
standing vertical. 
The character of these reefs is typical of all the others of the same kind. 
The quartz stands in lines of three or four inches thick, separated by 
mullock. The quartz veins have an undulating conformation, chain-like, so 
