FOSTERING GOLD-MINING

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1922, Page 4

FOSTERING GOLD-MINING

THE NEED FOR PROSPECTING. DISCUSSED AT LOCAL BODIES’ CONFERENCE. At the Local Bodies' Conference last evening at the Town Hall, the following letter from-the Hon J. Anderson. Minister of Alines.wan read on Lhe .-.object of prospecting, arising out of a resolution carried at the January Conference of the representatives:— “I have to. acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th January, forwarding copy of a resolution passed at a conference of Local Bodies recently held at Hokitika in regard to mining. J have noted the terms of the resolution and in reply would point out that the Government has at all times been only too willing, with the finances at its disposal, to foster the milling industry, and proof of tins is shown by the expenditure which it has incurred on mining in the past. Your communication is rather indefinite in character as to whnt further action your Chamber considers should be taken to further the interests of mining, and 1 shall therefore be glad if you will kindly furnish me with full particulars of any proposals which

you have to offer to assist the Department in the matter, and what linancial assistance the Local Bodies are willing to offer by virtue of the powers conferred on them under the Alining Act of 1!>0S. PAPER ON PROSPECTING. (By Afr 1). J. Evans). Arising from the foregoing, Air Evans Comity Clerk, read the following paper on prospecting in the Aralmra Region for the consideration and discussion of the Conference:— The Hon Alinister of Alines in n letter to he Conference arising out i 1 a motion carried at the January meeting on the subject of prospecting, has asked to be furnished with particulars of aiiv proposals which would assist the Department, n.nd also wlint financial assistance the local bodies would be prepared to offer. It is suggested that no one <nn go back over the report of Dr Bell published in liis No 1 Bulletin in lOOti. without realising that there is still much unrevealed in regard to the mineral deposits of this immediate neighbourhood. Hokitika, and district embracing what the geologist lias called “the Aralmra and Kanieri series” yielded a great volume of gold. That much still remains is evidenced bv the returns from the gold dredging at Ilium Flat where a most satisfactory result is being obtained fortnight by fortnight. That experience ns a matter of fact gives point and color to the general report Dr Bell has made, and suggests at once that more should be done in the way of gold prospecting.

| What has been done in regard to | prospecting lias been both spasmodi.- | and immunized. 'I be few peg-ties | Fit)vo gone where their tnney took , them, and the work done has been i neither consistent nor persistent. The reason for ibis bns been fe> doubt the j shortage of funds. If a parly did not I obtain -."*•' gold to implement The i subsidy, the latter s mil proved too inI adeouate to continue. In that, way nothing definite was proved—not even the negative existence of the gold Istiata. Again, science is plaving more and more rn active part in all l loToiigh ly conducted research work. The prospecting of late years since tin- effect of tho Relic >1 of Mines days has wo n dll', has been devoid of scientific ku -w----li'dge. However practical the m‘:i*r< bine been, even however thorough their work may have been, tin* lack iff si ientilie training might easily came them to miss deposits* of great value. This is a very highly mineralised C art. and though all kinds of minerals are about us, tbn search lias been invariably for gold. Even where the prosper tor searched for silver, as at AM Rnngiloto. the probabilities are that that area is more pregnant in gold deposits than in silver. The .search in the main has been always for gold the miner relying on bis practical I.nowledge to >eek for tile Mile or the lead. Yet. the fact that there are so many other mineral deposits aJieiil, suggest that all prospecting should be under | scientific leadership, and should not j li(‘i essarilv coniine its objective solelv j to gold. ' ■

The Aralmra ri-.inn is spoken of very promisingly in l)r Bril's i opart. IL' traversed the bark country an! be speaks iti no uinenain maimer of v.l 'H be saw. The details lie supplies suggests In* was impressed, and I lie b* a 1 ity still at 1 1 ai ts as a very promising distriel on which to oo' ii up genuine scientific prospect ing. It is suggested that the Alines Department having before it the icp.irt el its own officer on the region referred tn. should la* asked to organise a prospeeting policy to rover Hint territory during next summer. The prospecting vote l,v Parliament is now a verv nominal amount, but. if a policy ol investigation were adopted the Alinister could secure additional funds. Tt lv

perhaps not unreasonable that the Government should ask what tin* le<al Indies will not do in the matter. The law provides that they may contribute to sueli a purpose, and the ilireet and indirect results Ip a dislrii I fnllowiipj mining developments warrants the principle of local aid. In n properly or-

ganised State scheme of prospeeting it would Mol be unreasonable for the local bodies to find say f>s for every £1 provided by the State. If tberelore the Government set. apart.*■ CI.OO I lor State prospecting in the Aralmra region, the local bodies would In* expelled to contribute C2-"it>. This would give a total of £ 1,2.1(1 to operate upon. The Alines Department lias already the geologists in its employ to lead the expedition, so flint lboil* salaries should not be a (barge against the prospeeting vote. That money would be earmarked for the labor and supplies necessary to support the direction of the -scion! ilii* lead- J er or leaders.

It. is submitted that this outline of what might lie done supplies tin* proposal for the Alines Department to work upon. That Department has its official stall’ capable of organising the scheme along practicable lines, anil if the matter is taken up properly the results might.at any moment be beyond one most sanguine expectations. A new gold find at the present, time would give the Dominion n great fillip, and if the results are of such gi'Cita possihilit i"S, not to say probnbilit ies, surely the expenditure ol the modest amount suggested In this proposal, is not yn unreasonable sum to ask for. II the step outlined is taken it is certain to lead up to a more active mining poliev. and the languishing of the gold mining industry should not be longei tolerated without a genuine effort to restore it to its olil-lime prominence anil groanoss as a leading factor in assuming the prosperity of New Zealand.