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Hokitika Guardian, 17 November 1919, Page 2

Thebe are high hopes iu respect to •the prospective mining developments to ensue as a result, of the introduction of American capital to work the auriferous deposits of Rimu Flat. The new company capitalised in .the United States is taking over tile property of the prospecting Sydney company, and the Americans will tackle the job in the usual big way associated with American action. Several thousands of pounds have been paid already for the rights, and as soon as the necessary transfers are completed to the satisfaction of a firm of Wellington solicitors acting for the United 'States Company, a massive dredge will be ordered for the work. . It is believed that a very large dredge in course of construction in America intended for a Russian proposition will be diverted to New Zealand, and find a field for operations on Rimu Flat. The Rimu Flat is a well known auriferous field which has been well prospected, and is said to .have given good prospects. The locality is a considerable* tract of country which joins on to a goldfield which has carried a mining population over a long term of years. The question of working Rimu Flat has been before the people for many years. About the year 1893 the late Mr J. N. Smytfie surveyed tli e field for the purpose of putting in a drainage ■ ,tail race with the object of working the field with a blow up. The field was beJ 'lieved to be higfily payable in those days by the miners then working at Rimu and Seddon’s Terrace. The opinion then held, sti)l stands, so that there are encouraging hopes that the American project is destined to succeed, The new year will see, doubtless, the adyent the pf the necessary staff to launch the big undertaking in view, and which is so well thought of.

A southern correspondent in Saturday’s issue supplied some particulars of developments in the far south of WestItmci), and; instanced, the fact of a large draft of cattle being sent from the West Coast to Otago by way of the Haast Pass. The route is a link between the southern district and Otago which will come more and more into use as settlement grows and stock in creases in the south. The more stock that are produced in that quarter, the greater the need for finding a market, and by way of the Haast Pass .there i$ ( i natural outlet to a market which will have an increasing demand for conditioned stock, What is known as Macandrew’s dream was a railway from Otago to South Westland by way of the Haast Pass, an easily negotiable route for a railway a s mountain tracks go. The late Mr Seddon knew of Macandrew’s, dream, and in one of his latest speeches here he expressed the desire to see an iron girdle put round the South Island. This is one of the national works to come to pass in the i future. For the present, traffic by way of Haast Pass mus be content with a slower means of locomotion than a railway. Sonic day the Otago Central fajjlwjjy \yill push its way on from Cromwell jto the Pembroke country, and the line will penetrate by the Makarora Valley and over the Haast Pass into Westland, but meantime the Pass Track requires to be kept in passable order for stock traffic. There are probably less natural, difficulties in stock droving into Otago from Westland, I than tq psjsS fy opj South Westland north over the Maori Saddle to the cattle markets nearest to the far south settlers. At all events the alternative markets give a choice of markets and better chance for' the truly pioneer set- | tier getting more stable iprices for the commodities be has to offer.