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This province has not been fortunate as yet in finding within its boundaries any quartz-mines of important value, although in at least three localities—the Waikakaho, the Wairau River, and the Wakamarina River—auriferous reefs have been discovered and developed to a considerable extent. On the first-mentioned two fields active quartz-mining has ceased for some years, but a little is still carried on at the Wakamarina. Some description of these various fields may prove of interest.

The discovery, in 1899, of gold-bearing stone on a saddle between the heads of the Mahakipawa and Waikakaho Creeks caused a good deal of stir in the province, and for a time it looked as if a very promising new field had been found. Within a short time about forty licensed holdings were applied for, but on the greatest number of these little work was ever done. Gold-bearing reefs were prospected in what were known as the Mahakipawa, Kapai, Waikakaho, and Southern Cross holdings. The first-named was at the head of the right-hand branch of Mahakipawa Creek, on the Mahakipawa side of the saddle. The Kapai holding was on the saddle, and adjoining the former. The Waikakaho holding adjoined the Kapai, on the Waikakaho fall of the range, with the Southern Cross in immediate contiguity to the south. Two strong parallel reefs, about 120 ft. apart and striking in a general north-easterly direction, traversed these holdings, and in at least one of them a third parallel reef or leader seems to have been disclosed. There is some uncertainty as to the dip of these formations, various reports dealing with the point being contradictory, but H. A. Gordon mentions^[1] that it was south-westerly at an inclination of about 1 in 2, while the general dip of the adjoining rock was north-easterly. This description seems to be the correct one, and would indicate that the reefs cut across the strata and were thus true fissure deposits which, from their very nature, might be expected to live down to considerable depth.

No plans of the workings are available, but the annual reports of the Mines Department show that quite a lot of development work was done on the various properties, and that the prospects were most encouraging. On the Mahakipawa holding much trenching was done on the main outcrop,