N.Z. TIN DEPOSITS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 23, 2 March 1942, Page 4

N.Z. TIN DEPOSITS

Sir,—lt is many years since the Gold Rush at Preservation Inlet. I was amongst those who went there to make tlieir fortunes. With its wealth of scenes, bald headed peaks and birch bush right doAvn to the water's edge of its small islands and, bays it lias now become a place of interest to tourists. At Coal Island in the mouth of the harbour where I spent nearly two years digging for the precious metal, there was a seam of coal about four feet thick which ran. > through the Island. It provided coal for the miners to shrapen their picks and drills.' The trading 'store and hotel was some seven miles up the Sound on an island called Cromarty which at o.ne time was a whaling station. A little trading packet of about 120 tons, Avould visit us once a month (weather permitting) and the Government steamer Hinemoa would call in at Puj r segier point, lighthouse to deliver stores and mail. The lighthouse is situated on the northern entrance toi the inlet. I noticed in your article "Tin Deposit" of February 2 there was a revival of the working of the tin deposit at Port Pegasus on Stewart Island, which on the map is right off from Preservation Inlet.

Well after the rush had settled down and the disappointed ones were leaving, four mates hired a cutter and went over to Stewart Island to prospect for gold. There they found this deposit of alluvial tin "which also carried a percentage of' gold with it; gold was worth £3 15s ari ounce and tin £112 a ton at that time, they stuck to the claim for about two years, but communication was bad and it rained for 270 days in the j r ear so they decided to get back to the mainland and civilisation. It should be a good proposition to-day for a party of miners at present prices for the metal but would not warrant a rush. Yours etc., "OLD TIMER."