MINING INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1921, Page 1

MINING INDUSTRY

PROSPECTS ON THE WEST COAST

(Christchurch “Press”)

During the recent visit to tho West Coast a representative of- “The Press” was able to make some general enquiries into the condition ot the gold-min-ing industry. The high price being paid at present for gold gives additional interest to the subject.

In his speeches at Hokitika and Grey mouth, Mr Massey strongly expressed the opinion that the auriferous riches, not only of the West Coast, but also of the Coromandel Peninsula, could not be considered as exhausted, and ho strongly urged that greater efforts should be made to exploit the Dominion’s resources in this respect. “No cue will ever make me believe,” Mr Massey said, “that the gold in these districts has been all won; I believe that there is a lot of gold waiting for the fortunate people who will find it.’’ Mr Massey stated that the Mines Department is at present subsidising lwenty-seve.ii prospecting parties in Westland, and that there has been paid during the past ton years in subsidies to prospecting parties, over £184,000. Perhaps the most important and interesting feature connected with goldmining on the Coast at present is the possibiliy of the revival of gold-dredg-ing. Many in Canterbury and other parts of the Dominion have recollections, some pleasant, and some painful, of tin; initial attempt made to win gold on the Coast by dredging. It is now recognised that the dredges of those days were far too light in construction, and that tho machinery not nearly powerful enough to deal with the extremely rough ground and the big boulders met with. The result was that breakages of machinery were frequent, causing delay in operations and adding to the cost of the gold won. The determination of the hi mu Gold Dredging Company—an American concern—to build a large and powerful dredge has revived interest in tin- gold-dredging industry. Last Thursday, Air A!assay visited the company's claim and saw the dredge a veritable “Dreadnought” in the shape of dredges under construction. The work is being carried on with eharacteris tic American thoroughness, quite a

number of auxiliary industries being e rried on, notably a small sawmill plant. In the course of his speech at Greymouth, Afr Massey referred to his visit to the Rimu dredge, and said that if the company proved successful it would mean the beginning of a new era on tho West Coast, and if they made it pay there would he lots of others starting: there was plenty of room for them.

Tin* Kiinu Gold Dredging Company s claim is situated two or three miles from Hokitika, and was worked some years ago by a dredge wliieli proved unequal to the task of dealing with the big boulders encountered in the wash. The length of the presold company’s i dredge is 11 oft; the width on the bottom being /30ft. the overhang of the deck making the width at the top of the deck 56ft; the depth is 10ft. Bin. The pontoons arc* hoing constructed cliit;fly of Oregon pine; a little totara being used. The motors will develop nnoh.p., and will be driven by eleetri- , ity generated from the Lake Kanieri. rate which the company has aef|iiired. ;,nd which will generate about 750 kws, As the current generated will he more than the company requires, it is possible that some of it will he available for the town of Hokitika for lighting and power purposes. The dredge will l.e capable of dredging to a depth ol ;;0 feet, and in place of the old-time mooring post, it is fitted at tho stei n with two •“•spuds,” each weighing 15 tons; these will act as anchors. The buckets on the dredge ladder are each of 1.0 cubic feet capacity (as compared v.ith 8 cubic feet, tho capacity of the largest buckets formerly used), and will be close-connected —that is, there will he practically no open space between the buckets, the hack of one titling into the front of the one behind. As compared with the old style of dredging, everything will "he driven slower, but more buckets will be filled per minute, owing to the use of the close-connected buckets. the bucket |ip S will be of manganese, and will be detachable so that if any damage is done to a bucket lip, a new one can be put on with little delay. The estimated ultimate expenditure by the com pany will be about £250,000; about £IOO,OOO Ims been spent already. It is expected that the pontoons will he ready fo r launching within a month, and that actual dredging operations will start about July or August. It is stated that the present is only a prospecting dredge, and that it she proves successful other dredges will bo erected anil operated. Another effect will he, probably, to revive dredging not only on the Coast but in Otago; in both districts there are auriferous areas that can bo profitably worked if cheap power can be obtained. It is.worth noting that the attention of American-investors was attracted to Riniu Flat as the result of the publication by tho Mines Department in the Minos Statement of the results of the boring operations carried out under trie Deparment’s auspices. Consequently the results were vouched for by * the Department; nevertheless, tile American. company, put Sown bores to check them and these cheek bores evidently satisfied the company that the proposition could bo made a payable one. On deciding to take up the area, the company paid up all back rents, which bad been owing for some time to the local body and then spent a large sum in making roads and tracks, instead of goto* cap in hand to the Government or the local body. It is, perhaps, not gen- ' orally known that the Government does not retain any goldfields revenue, but apportions it amongst the local bodies 1 ' in tho goldfields districts.

A s * rei'hrdS’*Si uiedrig, there are “several claims being worked by this method in the Kuniara district, notably on t o north bank of the Teremakau. Quart/, mining at Iteefton is praeticallv at a standstill, anil only two or three mines are working. This state ol affairs is attributed to two causes—first tho higher wages offered to coal-miners, which has had the effect of attracting quartz-miners to the coal mines, and, second, the demands made by legislation for the adoption and introduction of a special Kirill for the purpose of reducing the. risk of the workers contracting miners’ phthisis.