Granite Formations.

In various parts of the world, in which valuable fissure lodes of low grade ores exist. The "Great Granite Mountain mine" of Montana is a case in point, having distributed to its fortunate shareholders, in less than 10 years, fully £3,000,000 sterling. A mine that will last for many years, and now employing thousands of miners. So with the "Alaska Tread well" mine, working in an open quarry face, on ore worth 13s 9d per ton, paying dividends aggregating £80,000 annually, and employing an enormous staff. And, let us not omit the marvellous mines around Johannesburg, with an output of over 200,000 ozs of gold monthly, from a mineralised conglomerate averaging about 7dwts to the ton, and in which a speck of page 4 gold is seldom or never seen. I submit, Mr Chairman, a sample of the rock from which these enormous results have been obtained, presented to me by Mr David Ziman, of whom you have all heard, who assures me it was taken from one of the series of mines now in operation, and from a depth of 1200ft. The reefs of the locality being considered especially strong if they average 5ft in thickness. There are numberless other low grade mines, paying well, that could be mentioned in many parts of the world, but let it be understood all worked in the most skilful manner and devoid of any element of chance.

A recent report on the Mount Wills district of Victoria, embracing an area of 40 aquare miles, forms an interesting chapter, worthy of all attention, because several reefs have been discovered in the main belt of granite, many of them being distinct quartz veins traversing the granite in various directions, others consist of a crushed mass of granite containing fine quartz veins and seams of pyrites. The report recommends in prospecting granite country for auriferous dykes that the pestle and mortar be continually in use, and any rock of a finer texture, having a yellowish green tint, should be carefully examined by mortar and dish. The idea of sending any but well equipped parties is condemned.

Similar granite formations are the leading features observable for hundreds of miles in the great auriferous belts of the West Coast, and although gold has been proved to exist in these formations, scattered over an immense area and obtainable in any of the granitic formations, not one effort has been made by the State to solve the problem of the presence of gold in so finely divided a state, and over such a stretch of country, by exhaustive enquiry or scientific research. No—according to the doctrine which appears to be laid down by the apathetic, and, let us make bold to add, antiquated Mines Department, every novel discovery is to be looked upon with suspicion, a kind of "it has no business there" aspect. And the importance of the discovery or otherwise is to be sampled and judgment pronounced upon it in profound and learned phraseology from a well appointed office in Wellington. The idea of exhaustive enquiry in the field never seems to be considered, and presumably would be repugnant to the spirit of departmental inactivity.