REEFTON QUARTZ FIND

Hokitika Guardian, 6 May 1921, Page 4

REEFTON QUARTZ FIND

the new discovery. „ i WELLINGTON, May 4 J The Hon G. J. Anderson, Minister of Mines, has received a report on the M now gold reels discovered near lleelton, y hut he is not prepared -to make public officially what the local Inspector of Mines has to say regarding the pros- >|S poets, except that they appear to be very promising. The Minister, having in mind many former disappointments JR over gold mining, is not disposed to j£j encourage the sanguine views until the discovery is well tested. jc The field is quite new, as it is fourteen miles from the nearest reef previously known. There are three lodes Q in the now location, all of which local reports go to show are highly promis- ||| ing.

The discovery was made by men employed by a local prospecting company, which has been receiving some assistance from the Government, so that there is a satisfactory result for the State’s policy of aiding prospectors. A. fairly good road exists to within four miles of the new reef, and the Inangahua County Council asked the assistance of the Mines Department to extend the track to the reefs. Tlie Al inister at once authorised expenditure

sufficient to make a track, which can he improved if development shows that this is warranted.

Tho Minister has completed a tour of Coromandel peninsula, where he found the miners very sanguine over the prospects of the gold mining industry, and many evidences of the fact that development is being undertaken with renewed activity. (Inangahua Times). Air T. Learniont, who left on Monday liiorniilg to survey the route to Alexander River via Stevenson’s Flat, returned to Reefton on AA’ednesday morning. He reports having cut a line by way of a' gully to the top of the saddle of the dividing range, commencing at a point between 20 and 30 chains up tlie Mamin Road from the hut at Stevenson’s Flat, He estimated the height of the saddle at 1000 feet above the Maruia Road, and is sure there will not be any difficulty in finding a route with an easy gradient. The distance from the hut to the saddle top is about one mile, and Mr Learniont thinks that the length of the road when laid out will be about one mile and a

quarter. So far he has not done any work on the Alexander River side of the hill, but states that that country has a very gradual fall and presents no difficulty whatever for the construction of a dray road with an easy gradient. He * estimated that at 3J milqs. Men are now engaged in finishing off the line for a track, and Mr Learniont will return to the scene in a day or two to continue tlie track on the Alexander side of the spur. Since striking the reef at Alexander River, the prospectors, Alessrs Hurley and AloVicar, have received numerous offers for their find. So far these have not come up to the prospectors’ value of the find. To-day, however, news of an offer has been made public. This offer, we understand, exceeds anything of the kind ever made for a local mine or anything in New Zealand for that matter. It is said to run into six figures and that the principals will arrive in Retfon and proceed to the goldfield. AVe cannot guarantee the absolute truth of this statement, but know that a very large amount of money lias been offered.