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know no reason why there should not be gold in these reefs, but my assays fail to show more than a trace of its presence. Further prospecting might result in finding better stone ; but, looking at the fact that the geological formation has not hitherto been fouud favourable for gold, I do not think that the present prospects warrant a large expenditure in opening-up the reefs. Some further work, however, is required to set at rest the question of the auriferous character of these reefs, In the Waitekohi Biver a little gold is said to have been got from time to time by prospectors, which points to this district as more likely to prove payably auriferous than those previously mentioned. I was not able to find any payable quantities of the precious metals in the samples sent from this district, though most of them gave traces of both gold and silver. The geological formation here is the same as that of the Te Aroha and Waiorongomai Goldfields, being composed of lavas (diorites or propylites probably), with occasional beds of volcanic tufas and breccias. In traversing the bed of the Waitekohi Biver I was shown a great many small veins of quartz, and several of nearly pure calcite, nearly all heavily charged with iron pyrites. Unfortunately the veins are all very small, and the country is very hard, as a rule. In such hard blue rock as many of the veins are found in, I should not expect to find much gold, for it is now generally agreed that gold finds its way into the reefs from the country rock, and is a result of its decomposition. Where, therefore, we find the country rock hard and undecomposed, any gold it may contain cannot have been washed out into the reefs. The bands of soft tufa country seem to be few and of small extent compared to the hard lava bands, so that, even if gold were found in the tufa (sandstone of the miners), the lava would be continually encountered, and working would consequently be most expensive. There has been very little quartz found in the Waitekohi Biver, which renders it unlikely that there are any large reefs near it. Looking at the generally hard nature of the country, and the small size of the veins found as yet, I do liot look on this district as likely to prove a payable goldfield. Mr. Moon, who has prospected the country for a long time past, informs me that near the head of the Waitekohi Biver, where I did not go, the country becomes much softer, and a " kindly sandstone " makes its appearance. It is in these bands of soft " sandstone " that the gold is likely to be found, if at all. The upper part of the Waitekohi might be better worth prospecting than tfie portion I examined. Present appearances do not, however, warrant much expense in opening up the country for prospecting. I must take this opportunity of thanking you, Sir, and the members of the Tauranga committee for many kindnesses during my short visit to the district. To Captain Turner and to Messrs. Smith and Moon I am especially indebted for the great amount of trouble which they took to show me the different reefs in the Kaimai and Waitekohi Districts, and for a large amount of information. B. C. Jordan, Esq., I have, &c, Mayor of Tauranga. • A. Montgomery, M.A. [Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil ; printing (1,600 copies), £19 Bs. 9d.]

Authority: George Didsbubt, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB6.