MINING INDUSTRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1921, Page 3

MINING INDUSTRY.

AMERICAN CAPITAL FOR THE WEST COAST. CHRISTCHURCH . Dee. 10 Mr R. Wilson, of this city, wild has been associated with mining on the Wes* Coast for the past twelve years, leturned or* Wednesday from a trip to the United States undertaken with the view of getting into fpitcli with the latest phases of the mining; iiidrtstry in respect of labour and methods. He also brought under tlie notice of Americans interested in milling matters connected with tlm consolidation of the West Coast mining fffterests lie repregenteel.

In giving some particulars ,r.iVgfi/;ding tlie result of his mission, Mr \\ ifsoo sail! that lie had got in touch with several companies interested in mining particularly in gold mining, on the’ West Coast. The British Empire Chamber of Commerce, organised (lining the past eighteen months by a wealthy Briton and a wealthy American, which was doing splendid work hi promoting commercial relations between the two countries, he found was greatly interested in tlie subject, and through tins Chamber be had no difficulty in meeting influential people in America who were desirous of extending tlie operations of the companies with which they were connected. Investigations were now being made in respect of the possibilities of extending their activities to the West Coast, and M, Wilson said he was hopeful that in tlie near future, as the outcome of tlie investigations, some practical results would bo produced in the introiliietinn of American capital to develop West Coast mining propositions. I' rom Mr Westlake, the superintending engineer ol the General Development C omp:i,,y Mr Wilson heard how impressed

that cm poratiou were with the mantlet in which the people of Hokitika had assisted their engineer, Mr Cranston'; and Mr Wilson bears a message of appreciation from Mr Westlake to the people ol Hokitika for the assistance rendered Mr Cranston in connexion uith the compa'ny’s dredging undertaking oil the Rimii Flat. As regards mining generally in the States, Mr Wilson found on his arrival iluit it was still suffering from the skimp that begun three years ago; hut ut the time of his departure, u month ago, there were signs of n revival. r l he Aincrbail milling methods are on such n huge scale that, in comparison, New Zealand methods appear comparatively email. Where a 50-slamp buttery would ha run in New Zealand, the Americans wmihl have 25(1 or 500 stamps running: where New Zealand mining concerns to id it difficult to make lOdwt stone pay, the Americans can nay dividends from 7dwt. or (idwl sloiic. The American quartz miner lias abandoned unionism, and Mr Wilson was inOu lin'd (hut the most hurinmiioits relatioiisliin exists he* i a the qua l l z minors and their cm-j pluvcts. The Amcriean coal-minor, on : 1 ~ hri land, are militant unionist s. Mr WiLnn mentioned, as an important development in lahntir mailers in H") United States, the growing attention being paid to the public. In the coal indust tv the Legislature has laid i' down that in some "f its phases, and ill the interests of the public, unionism in the industry cannot he allowed. Ihe threatened strike of railway employees was abandoned because the l‘('derated Brotherhood of Railway Workmen realised that they could not fight the Government.