The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1927. A GOLDFIELD’S JUBILEE.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1927. A GOLDFIELD’S JUBILEE.

Bukinc; the week the Thames district celebrated its jubilee, the event passing o!t most .successfully. Being a sister goldfield to Westland, local interest may well be manifested in the event which marked the diamond jubilee of the discovery of gold on the Thames goldfield. There was a great reunion of old identities who brought back memories of the past very vividly by their eager and earnest stories of the early days. There were no days like the old days, the old time miners believe, though many of them also aver that the old times will come again with a fresh discovery of gold. A gold rush would indeed be a happy event in the day's when stern economics are so ruling the fate of the world. AYe must remember what an aid to the prosperity of New Zealand the discovery of gold was. If New Zealand had to work out its destiny on ordinary or: mimic lines, it would have lagged ‘far behind the present opulence. As a contemporary remarked there can lie no doubt that the discovery of gold in tho Dominion was one of tho greatest aids to development we have had. The industry makes a demand for physically strong men, and there is something about the work that makes them most resourceful. The old-timers worked strenuously in mining operations, thus adding to the wealth of the country, but when the mines petered out they turned to other occupations with the same indomitable spirit'. Aten who were once miners have t>een largely responsible for breaking in much valuable land. AYhat they have done in the neighbourhood of Waihi Is a striking example of industry and perserveranee. And they have not lost ' that rugged spirit of independence which always characterises the true miner. They have roughed it in many 1 a remote district, and the Dominion < has benefited by their enterprise. The mines at Thames produced over £7,- i

(101),OCO worth of gild, and that at a time when tile development of the Dominion was in its infancy. They contributed in no small measure to the growth of Auckland, and added greatly to the man-power of the country. It would be cheering If, at a time when the diamond jubilee of the old field is being celebrated, one of the parties still searching for lost, lodes were ‘‘to strike it rich.” The veterans would ho able to .say with added vigour, “I told you so," and the country would welcome tho revival of an important industry. We owe a great deal to the miners of the old days, and it is pleasing to note that, in the once famous mining centre of Thames the veterans have boon enthusiastica'ly honoured. The Hmi .Minister of Mines was among those, present at the Thames celebrations. Mr Anderson conveyed the congratulations of the Government to Thames and her grand pioneers. He thought the indomitable pluck and confidence of the pioneers was typified in an old miner of 93 lie met on the West Coast who was very anxious that the Minister should help him in a prospecting hunt he was anxious to undertake in tho ranges to re-locate a wonderful “show” lie had found years ago, and then lost. Mr Anderson said people did not always realise the huge amount of gold iliat bad been won in New Zealand—.“no £30,000,000 in Otago and £8,000,000 at Thames, the latter being probably the richest patch for its size in the world; at any rate he had never heard of fin.v other place where the stampers had been clogged with gold. He was pleased to hear the Mayor say there was a roscrudcsceitee of interest in mining, and lie could assure them that wherever there was a reasonable prospect of being successful, and there Was no element of that interesting animal, the wild eat, it would always get assistance from the Alines Departmeut. With regard to working tho low grade ores there had been some talk of frowning at the use of Dorman capital, but lie said “good luck" to them; it it would give work lie wou’d not care where the capital came from, there were some very large reel's south of Thames upon which money was being spent, and be wished the men every success. If successful those big reel's would last for years. He trusted Thames would still win more gold and meet with the success merited liy the worth and determination of her grand old pioneers and their descendants. Tt would have been very much to the point if the MBlister could have told is audience something of a mining policy his Department contemplated in the endeavour to bring a retifrn of tho old mining days. Some lead in the matter might well lie given bv the Government, .and the present time is more opportune for .such an effort than it has been for years past. The I hames celebrations certainly suggest the effort and regarding the wealth produced by mining some moiety might be spared from the public ••exchequer to aid a national mining development .