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Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1927, Page 2

Ini: Aliuisrcr of Alines rather reproached those in mincrial districts, v, hen in tile House tile other day lie- inferred lo a .scheme lie bad propounded with re;',aril to prospecting. He intimated that the Government had been prepared to .subsidise the search, for precious me;ills in New Zealand, if ].r..speeting was undertaken by local bodies or properly constituted prospecting associations. Ho told the House that, not one iv; !y bad been received to this offer. The Government would have been prepared not only to give a subsidy, but might have also provided a geologist as leader of the party. No prospecting associations bad boon formed, but flic offer was still open. It is rather news to learn that in addition to the subsidy, a, geologist leader would be provides! ids), for that concession nuts a more generous asne-H to the Government proposals. Answering members who bad urged the Government to undertake prospecting, the Hon (1. .1. Anderson expressed the opinion that this would be a mistake. Local people who bad faith in their district should come forward and show thill they had confidence in the men they wore .sending out. There is of course something in this latter contention, and the Alinister’s action savours of son ml judgment. As the matter stands it would appear that the offer is worth c nsidering in this district. At Die out-

set a faiilv srbstuntial sum must bn rai-e I locally. It would appear that to attempt ;l scheme at all possible of achieving practical results, not less than £660 .should he found locally. A much larger sum would be even more desirable. AA’lint could this district d t towards finding even the lesser amount ? The local bodies might help, and Die -business people should certainly help, for Die rcasc.n that any mineral find of value would give the locality a. groat fillip. A discovery of any precious metal at onto produced a general buoyancy of spirit, and a wave of optimism is in evidence. Any aid towards such a possible achievement would therefore be worth .vhilo. and as Air Anderson has stated the offer is open still, sonic movement towards sounding public opinion locally might take place. For a. long time the Government was urged to adept a prospecting policy, and now that the general terms of the offer are again brought to mind, it is for those settled in mineral districts to endeavour to take advantage of Die policy and seek to adopt it to local needs ns leading up to valuable discoveries and ultimately important industrial developments.