GOLD IN QUEENSLAND

Evening Star, Issue 20137, 30 March 1929, Page 14

GOLD IN QUEENSLAND

UNPROFITABLE INDUSTRY AIR TRANSPORT IN NEW GUINEA \ That, with the present, labour ennuij lions, the mining o! : gold in Quccn.slaml J was an unprofitable industry, hut that 'there were encouraging prospects in New Guinea, morn particularly with the advent of the extensive use ol aern- ( planes, was a statement made by Mr • T. Barry O’Meara, of Cairns, Queen.s- . land, who is at present on a visit to ■ Gisborne, where ho lived lorty-thrco / years ago. Mr O’Meara, was closely connected with the gold-mining industry in Queensland, also visiting the goldfields of New Guinea on several occasions, and he had a number ol interesting comments to make in these connections. In 1900, during the height ; of the mining operations at Charters lowers, where ho once resided, the town had a population of 04,000, hut with the dwindling of the mining operations the town had decreased in size until population was now only about 2,5UU. He stated that gold existed at a considerable depth, but labour conditions prevented gold being won at a profit, this being applicable to practically too whole of the mining operations of Australia. During the past six or seven years practically no gold at all had boon non in Queensland, added Mr (VMeara, whereas at one time from oO.OOOoz to 6().00(T&z per month was being produced. The only gold mining now, he added, was being conducted by private prospectors and in conjunction with copper mining. Before the war the of the miners were ,£2 5s per week, and at this rate there was a profit in the mining of fine gold at £4 14s 1 Did per ounce, and standard gold at £3*l7s 10 k! an ounce, but at present men were demanding from £6 10s to £7 for a five and a-half day week, which made the industry quite an uu- ■ profitable one. TliGro was n particularly bright future for the industry in New Guinea, he added, now that transport troubles had been overcome. The country was very rough, and in the past the transport of supplies end gold had to be done by the blacks, wlto took eigl.it davs to traverse a distance of eighty miles from the coast to the goldfields at Edie Creek, in territory _ under British mandate. About eighteen months ago, however, an airplane service was instituted, proving very effective, and by air the journey occupied only an ■ hour and a-half. AhouQ a dozen planes were now employed. The Edie Creek goldfields were opened up about four years ago, .when mostly alluvia] gold was found, but it was apparent now that there were a number I of reefs that could be profitably worked, i The operations on this goldfield were ] financed mostly by Australian capital, and blacks did most of the labour. Speaking further with regard to the. value of aeroplanes for passenger and other transport, Mr O’Meara stated that in many parts of Queensland most of the mail services went by air, while as an ambulance service the planes had proved to bo extremely valuable. The country there was eminently suited for air transport, and good landing grounds were to be obtained almost anywhere. ! He was rather surprised to learn that I little progress had been made in this j respect in New Zealand.