NOTES AND QUEEIES. 



273 



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 indicates the following respective peculiarities: — At Tuapeka 

 (Otago) : — a. The bare open country, resembling the Lammermuirs of 

 Scotland, consisting of gently undulating "ranges," of a height generally 

 of from 500 to 1500 feet. h. The abundance of the auriferous drift, and 

 the comparative insignificance or scarcity of the parent quartzites. c. The 

 scarcity of timber for fuel and slabbing ; but, on the other hand, the pre- 

 sence of lignites, d. The inclement climate, e. The difficulties of land- 

 communication with the capital, Dunedin, arising from insufficient roads. 

 f. 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 jungle-vegetation to the top ; the 

 hill-bases impinging directly on the sea-margin, without the intervention 

 of "flats," save to an insignificant extent, b. The scarcity of the aurifer- 

 ous drifts, and the abundance of the parent quartzites. c. The abundance 

 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, f. Difficulties and dangers of prospecting and working, 

 arising from the presence of a jealous, hostile proprietarj^ native popu- 

 lation. 



From his observations at Coromandel and Tuapeka, as well as in the 

 other parts of New Zealand visited during his tour of 1861-62, Dr. Lindsay 

 makes the following 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 quartz-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 

 chemistry and mechanics to systematic mining, which must become one of 

 the permanent 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 

 quartzites, 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 experiment only, and on a suitable scale, can 

 determine where and whether " payable " gold-fields exist. 5. That where- 

 as lignites are 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 confined necessarily 

 to metamorphic slates or their derived drifts, but occurs occasionally in 

 granitic and hornblendic (syenitic) rocks or their debris ; and whereas, 

 though this is rare in New Zealand, there is, according to the testimony of 

 Mr. Haast, the G-overnment geologist of the Canterbury province, at least 

 one good instance of such an occurrence in the province of Nelson, in the 

 beds of the rivers Eoto-iti and Eoto-roa, where the gold could apparently 

 only have been derived from the decomposition or degradation of rocks of 

 a syenitic or hornblendic character, — the attention of prospectors and 

 miners, not only in the province of Auckland, but in that of Otago, and, 

 indeed, in all the New Zealand provinces, all of which will probably be 

 found to be to a greater or less extent auriferous, should be directed to 



TOL. TI. 2 JS" 



