PLENTY OF GOLD.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1924, Page 1

PLENTY OF GOLD.

“ I tell you male, there’s more gold in the hills at Coromandel and Thames than has already been taken out. Give us a pipe of tobacco, please.” The speaker was an old miner who had passed his three score years and ten, but like all genuine gold seekers still possessed the hope and enthusiasm of youths (says the “Auckland Star”). He was not a “ cadger”—to ask for a pipe of tobacco or a match was merely a sign of the good comradeship of the old time-miners who were just as ready to give as to accept such tokens of friendship. As soon as his pipe was drawing freely the old man continued. •* The trouble at the Thames anil Coromandel gold fields was that company promoters and directors had only one idea, that was to .get picked stone or specimens to make. a flutter on

’Change. A'erv little systematic development was done. Alining was merely liillinving si i ine.ci s Dial, showed col ours of the precious metal. Some - ’ the tunnels looked like the twists in a rabbit burrow. No comprehensive system of working was undertaken. The

I't‘snl t- was wo missed moio than wo found. tin 1 slill tln* smarl men got L lu*i 1* dividends til roll ”1 1 sidling; and buying shares on ’Change. ()1 course wo wanes nil'll had simply io obey orders and work where we were told 10. I can tell you, working the shares on 'Chance was more important than the leaders in the mine in those days. If you want, to work a mine thoroughly you must put up machinery, and propart" to spend money to open it up thoroughly. Of course, you can’t do i hat on these ridiculous penny calls. Look at the W’nihi Company. It was an English concern and about CloO,ooo was spent before any return was cot, but they have taken out nearly C 1:1.(100,000 since. At Thames and Coromandel when a company struck a patch of rich stall', tin' directors paid it all out in diviilcmls, and never set aside anything for further development worlc. “ I’m over 70 now. but. if my si relict h holds out lor a lew more years. I’ll open up a new goldfield at a place I know where there are reefs, and they are a continuation of the system front Thames field, ~l’nt. only a little over seventy, so 1 may have strength yet given me to cel it going. Hello! my pipe's out again. Clive us a match, dad.”