Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1901. SAYING FINE GOLD.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 21 November 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1901. SAYING FINE GOLD.

It will be remembered that some four months ago Messrs Guinness, Colvin, Petrie (2), and Earn'shaw waited upon the Minister for Mines at Wellington relative to the advisability of offering a bonus for improved gold saving appliances that would in good quantities successfully treat our beach drifts. The Hon. Mr. M'Gowan at first was much averse, but after a couple of hours argument upon the subject he appeared to be convinced at the advantages likely to accrue, and promised to bring the matter before the Cabinet. Our readers will be pleased to learn that he has been as good as his word, and not only tha*-, but'has offered a bonus of £2,000, which appears in the Government Gazette just to hand. The bonus will bo paid on compliance with following conditions : —The invention shall, in its main features, differ from all machinery and appliances at present in use for the saving of gold, whether coarse or fine. It shall be readily transportable from place to place, and shall be capable of utilising local water for all its requirements. The invention must be capable of treating not less than 80 cubic yards an hour of black sand or any coarser material up to a diameter of 4 in.; and it must be capable of treating such material profitably where there is not more than a value, in gold, of 3d. per cubic yard ; not less than 80 per cent of the gold contained in the material to be recovered by the machine. No bonus to be paid until the invention has been continuously worked for not less than 100,000 cubic yards of material, working three shifts a day. The bonus will be paid on the certificate of an officer that not less

than twenty persons other than the applicant for the bonus are successfully working the invention. Any person who receives the bonus shall not be allowed to take out patent rights in New Zealand for his invention. The bonus is liberal enough in all respects save one, and that is the last clause that provides that the invention shall possess no patent rights in the colony. If the “ machine ” meets all the requirements contained in the specifications, the owner would never agree to forgo his patent rights for such a sum. It is to be hoped that this clause will be amended. We may state that we know of three practical engineers—all men too who have had experience of black sand—who are now engaged making models. That one or other of them may speedily gain the £2,000 is a consumation much to be desired. To the West Coast such a machine would mean an enormous gain.