57

able to gather any information relative to
the extent of the Jaroas occupied by the
several rock formations. Under these
circumstances it is necessary to speak
cautiously and to draw conclusions only
when the evidence is clear.

Amongst the more important specimens of rock submitted, I recognise
mudstones, similar in lithological char-
acter to the rocks occurring in the basin of
the river Yarra, greyish blue mudstones
with iron-pyrites and thin veins of alumi-
te containing more or less silica, and
quartz.

I also observe a very fine grained
granite rock, and a rock, evidently derived
wholly from the degradation of this, con-
sisting of quartz, felspar and mica, with
included pebbles of quartz.

Much of the granite rock contains
veins of quartz.

Judging from the specimens submitted,
it would appear that part of the valley of
the Upper Hutt is occupied by plutonic
rocks, but how far these extend, or
whether the quartz veins intersecting the
primary rocks also run into the granite,
it is impossible at present to say.

In Mr. Crawford’s report, dated the
24th October, 1861, it is stated that the
metamorphic rocks fill a large area and
compose the Rimutaka and Tararua
ranges, but I do not recognise amongst
the specimens any gneiss, clay slates, or
mica schists.

I regret that Dr. Evans’ hurried visit
did not admit of Mr. Crawford’s giving
more information respecting the quartz
veins of the Province. I observe speci-
mens of ferruginous quartz, milky quartz,
and much chalcedonic quartz, but how
the veins occur, or whether they are thick
or thin is not stated, without this infor-
mation it is impossible to give any useful
opinion respecting them; for hand speci-
mens may be obtained abundantly where
the veins are thin, and, comparatively,
few and unimportant.

One very interesting specimen of basalt,
with glassy crystals of felspar, a fragment
of a boulder from the bed of the Hutt,
would indicate that igneous as well as
plutonic rocks may be looked for in that
part of the basin.

A fragment of a purple slate rock,
marked “Hawtrey, Johnsonville” appears
to me to be important in connection with
the specimen of quartz No. 11, from the
same locality.

All the rocks, including the quartz and
excepting the granites and conglomerates
contain more or less iron pyrites, and the
specimens taken from Barraud’s well,

which contain alumite, resemble very
much the mudstones of the Heathcote
District, where we find gold, sulphide of
antimony, chrome iron, and a mineral
resembling bournonite.

I submitted the fragment of sandstone
marked No. 37, to Professor McCoy. He
at once pronounced it as of mezozoic
age, and similar to the coal formation of -
Merino in Victoria.

The other specimens are devoid of fos-
sils, but the mudstones may, I think, be
safely set down as palæozoic.

With but imperfect means of coming
to a conclusion, it may be said that the
rock formations of the Province of Wel-
lington comprise

1. Recent accumulations.
2. Tertiaries, age unknown.
3. Carboniferous rocks of the oolitic
   age.
4. Mudstones, probably Silurian.
5. Granites and other plutonic rocks.

As the discovery of gold in remunerative
quantities would no doubt have a most
beneficial influence on the future pros-
pects of the Province, I would recommend
that the recent drifts should be carefully
examined. Attention seems to have been
directed rather to the quartz reefs than
to these; but it must not be forgotten
that elsewhere gold occurs in drifts and
in Post pliocene accumulations in quite
sufficient quantities to pay for working,
in the midst of primary rocks in which
there are but very thin and apparently
unimportant veins of quartz, the explo-
ration of which would never reward the
enterprise of the quartz miner.

If the suite of specimens forwarded by
Mr. Crawford fairly represent the rock
formations of the Province it may safely
be asserted that the search for gold may
be prosecuted with every prospect of
success. I have not yet had time to
analyse any of the specimens, or indeed
to apply any but the slightest chemical
tests to one or two, and therefore I cannot
say whether or not they contain gold,
except as regard the fragments of rock
and clay taken from Barraud’s well. In
these I detected a very small grain of
gold.

Whether the gold found in the well
is derived from small veins of quartz
penetrating the mud stones, or whether
there is a thin surface stratum overlying
the older rocks which is auriferous, is
well worth investigating, and I would
recommend that the locality should be
carefully examined. What is the pre-
vailing rock in this neighbourhood? and
has it been ascertained whether or not