A STRANGE CAEGO

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 14, 18 January 1933, Page 10

A STRANGE CAEGO

ANIMALS IN AEROPLANE

A cow and a, bull, together with machinery and a number of passengers, were among the cargo carried overland from Salamoa, on the coast of New Guinea, by aeroplane to the Bulolo Gold Dredging Company's site 70 miles inland.

News of the remarkable operations of the venture was brought to Auckland yesterday by Mr. W. A. Freeman, chairman of the company, who, with his wife, has started, out on a, world tour (states the "Auckland Star"). They are passing through Auckland on the Mariposa, which arrived from Sydney yesterday.

Mr. Freeman said the total yield for a month, ended on Ist January, amounted to 84960z of /bullion from 432,500 cubic yards. The value of the yield was 114,696 gold dollars. The working costs to date, excluding royalty, averaged under six gold cents per yard.

Two dredges were already working on the property, said Mr. Freeman. The third is being erected, and the fourth is in the builder's yards. About April or May of next year the property would be completely equipped. It was expected that the value of the production from the four dredges each year would be about a million sterling, and three-fifths of that would be visible income. In Australian currency the bullion was worth £5 an ounce.

'All the machinery used in dredging was flown over mountainous country. This was one of the most remarkable erection jobs ever done," said Mr. Freeman. "The largest single piece of machinery carried by the three G3l Junker aeroplanes weighed three tons. Although everybody said we could not do it, the construction programme has been on time and within the estiates."

Mr. Freeman said that the capital expenditure on the venture to date Was aboui £600,000, and he believed that another £100,000 would .see the programme finished. •