480 Transactions. — Geology. 



There is every reason to sup^Dose that this quartz may be found in the 

 Euahine and all through the mountains as far as the Bay of Plenty. I 

 have seen specimens of it from the Kaimanawa Eange. I would suggest 

 that it should be looked for well within the ranges, and not only on the 

 outskirts or flanks. These, from being more easily accessible, are no doubt 

 first examined. 



The same remark will apply to the eastern ranges of the South Island. 

 I think I have seen indications of this quartz some distance up from the 

 Hurunui Gorge, but it was a long time ago, and I cannot speak with 

 certainty. As the rocks of the eastern ranges of the South Island are of 

 similar character to those of this district, there is, j^i'i'^nci facie , good reason 

 for investigation. 



My impression is that this quartz will in no place be found rich in gold, 

 and, therefore, that the mmes, if any, will not be subject to great fluctua- 

 tions in value, but that the stone, if payable, will make up in quantity for 

 what it lacks in quality. It is a quartz of such a peculiar character, with 

 its muUocky casing, that a miner once acquainted with it, would be sure to 

 recognize a vein of it at the first glance. 



The reef of the Otaki Kiver is by no means made up of a mass of solid 

 quartz. The mullock occupies perhaps as much space as the quartz, and 

 there are also slaty partings. 



The reefs ought also to be looked for up the valleys of the Wairarapa 

 rivers, and far up these valleys. The beds of these rivers will be hardly 

 accessible at this time of the year, and some months may have to pass 

 before they can be searched. The localities are also very inaccessible, 

 supposing auriferous quartz to be found there, but the plan should be to 

 find the quartz first, and then to contrive how to take a road to it. By the 

 Wairara^Da rivers I mean those chiefly from the Tauherenikau to the 

 Euamahunga inclusive. The Cape Palliser ranges should also be examined. 



There is one defect in the composition of the stone which may be 

 serious and possibly fatal to its payable qualifications. The gold seems to 

 be associated with sulphate of iron, which will make it difficult and expen- 

 sive to extract. I believe that great improvements have been effected in 

 Victoria and elsewhere in the economical reduction of similar ores, and 

 hope that this defect may not prove an insurmountable obstacle. 



