GOLD MINING.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18238, 24 November 1924, Page 8

GOLD MINING.

KAWARAU RIVER SCHEME.

MINISTER FIRES FIRST SHOT.

(srSCIA-L TO "TH2 PUM.') QUEENSTOWN, November 22. Visitors from all parts of Otago and Southland and several from the North Island were present at Queenstown today on the occasion of the firing of the first shot by the Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Mines, in connexion with the Kawar.au mining scheme, one of the biggest undertakings over known in New Zealand. Tlio engineering design may be thus stated: It is to open out the whole of the present outlet of Lake Wakatipw at Frankton'Falls to about four times its present size, by taking awny a large portion of the bank on the hospital side, by removing all islands that now contract the outlet, and by lowering the natural silt which at present exists, and replacing the natural barrier, which is not under control, by an artificial barrier consisting of ten gates that can be worked at will, thus securing control of the level of Kawarau river and enabling crevices and banks to be worked. The winter time is naturally the mostfavourable for the working of torrential rivers, but in this case winter level can be assured in summer time. No such plan has ever been adopted before, so far as is known, for goldniining purposes, but the principle of locks is exactly the samo as that employed at the Assouan Dam, on the Nile, and it follows the experience of hundreds of places in India, England, Germany, and other countries.

The length of Kawarau is about thirtj'-seven miles, but it is proposed to try for gold on a stretch of only thirtytwo miles. One hundred and nineteen claims are planned for, and of that number 10!) are taken hp, three being held in Melbourne, 31 in Dunedin, '27 in othor parts of Otngo and Southland, seven in ChristchUrch, 27 in Wellington, and 14 in Auckland. Nino of the claims are not regardod as suitable for tho simple methods of mining, therefore they will not be allocated unless men como forward who are prepared to put on dredges or some other forni of expensive machinery. When the engineering works are completed the outlet will be spanned by a bridge 477 feet long and 10 feet 0 inches betweon wheel guards. All being favourable, the clainiß should be working in about six months from now.

THE MINISTER'S OPTIMISM. "THE RICHEST RIVER IN THE WORLD." (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGJUSt.) QUEENSTOWN, November 22. A venture which, while thought by some competent judges to boar wonderful possibilities, but condemned by others, and which lias the backing of the Government, was , inaugurated today, when the Minister, of Mines, the Hon. G. J. Anderson, fired the first shot in connexion with the Kawarau Gold Mining Company's project to dam the river at the Frankton Arm, with a view to lowering the level sufficiently to enable its bed to be mined. Great interest is being taken in the scheme, and during Friday and Saturday large numbers of visitors arrived from all parts of the Lakes District, Otago, and Southland and the north to attend the official ceremony, at which over 1000 people were present. The Minister expressed his firm belief in the scheme, and said that it would do a great deal to enrich, not only the people of. the Lakes District, b,ut would be a considerable benefit to the Dominion as a whole. He referred to the renewed activity in Waihi, and said that if it were possible to hold the waters of Lake Wakatipu and the Shotover river for a sufficient length of time to enable the river be'd to be mined, they would find similar projects to hold the watefs <Jf the Wanaka and Hawea lakeß arising. At a conservative estimate, the gold from Kawarau and its tributaries should amount to about two-thirds of the total quantity wqn in the Otago mining districts, which of 23,042,460 ounces of gold reported from the Dominion from January, 1857, to December 31st. 1923, had contributed 17,737,059 ounces. Many parts of the country still held rich gold deposits, and with up-to-date methods this would be recovered.

He hoped, however, that there would be no more booms, but whatever mining took place that it would be carried, out on legitimate business lines. Booms might benefit the Stock Exchange Speculators, but they always gave mining a setback. The present veaiture might be considered ambitious, but he believed it would be successful, and was of opinion that the Kawarau river was tho richest river in the world in respect to gold deposits. Tho success of tho scheme would mean a new mining era for the country.

At the conclusion of the speech, Mr A. C. Hanlon-, chairman of directors, presented the Minister with a beautiful greenstone casket, sot in gold and bearing four Kawftiau nuggets set on each corner with pick and shovel, and the word "Kawarau" was set out in little gold studs on the lid of the casket'.

Keference was made by Mr Hanlon to the consideration. shown to the company by the Minister, without whose assistance, he said, the scheme could never have been carried through.