Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 3 February 1920, Page 2

An interesting deputation on the Premier was made last-week by Messrs W. Mclntyre (Chairman) and G. M. Powell (member) of Buller County Council, on behalf of the gold producers in a small way. Mostly alluvial miners were the interested persons. It was alleged that those having small parcels of gold to sell were not receiving the enhanced price now being obtained for gold sold in the open market in London. The last sale of gold had. taken place a few days ago, when the highest price yet obtained was reached, viz., £5 13s 3d per ounce, 1000 fine. It was stated that alluvial gold, except in a few localities in the Dominion, was of that fineness and yet the banks were only giving the old rate, £3 19s per ounce. Although the hanks were willing to consign any parcel of gold, the deputation affirmed that the charges for assay, refining, and marketing small parcels prevented the small producer from obtaining the enhanced price now being obtained for the Nelson metal. In the aggregate, they said, alluvial mining produced some £400,000 per annum three or four years ago. It had dropped ever year since owing to the-high cost of all materials re quired in the industry and the stationarv price of gold. Now that the embargo on export was lifted, if the - pro- • 8 1 ,-n Inn nr/1/1 llliflGT

would revive. The deputation urged that the Government should establish a j refining and marketing agency, or, if the amount of gold produced did not warrant such action, that the Government collect all the parcels throughout the Dominion, pool them and consign through one of the banks, as the larger companies were now doing, so that the added value might go to the producers.. Mr Massey, in reply, said that the matter had not been brought under his notice previously, and he had not given it nny consideration. It was important to maintain production of gold as far as possible. He would look into the matter and see if the proposals made could be put into operation.