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Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1929, Page 4

As :i major moans to secure a revival in gold minin'', the ready suggestion of more prospecting will In; made. Prospecting by private parties needs more encouragement by a revision of the rates and the general regulations. There is also prospecting by the Government to be considered. The use of the haring machine is now the first test of alluvial ground, but machinery and its use cost a cod deal, and is beyond the resources of the individual. Small syndicates would do more with favoured treatment from the .Mines Department in the hire of plant. The reulations governing the use of prospecting plant should he liberalised considerably or the Department should itself undertake the work. That there should be more prospecting goes without saying. When the Geological Department was revived under a former Liberal regime. a good deal of exploratory work was done, but the matter was dropped just at the stage when the theories of the scientist should have been put to the test. Dr Dell and those associated with him covered a considerable area of Westland territory, and reached conclusions which unfortunately have not been followed up. Xo Minister of Mines since has had the courage to back up the''opinions of a Government Department with a practical demonstration of the theories the geologists propounded, ft surely was a great

waste to launch such an expensive undertaking as the geological research was, and then leave the subsequent development to chance. Yet that was the situation. Great expense was incurred in testing the hack country and in reducing the report to printed bulletins, hut nothing further was done. Here, then is scope for a live .Minister of Alines serious about his duties, to have the matter probed further, either directly by State ollicers. or with liberal State aid in which plant, and other resources of the* Government, already in hand could he used under proper supervision in effective prospecting. It appears to us if Air A'eitch is to distinguish himself as a .Minister o' Mines he must strike out on new lilies, ami display a new found vigour in seeking for the mineral wealth of the country. Unless he is prepared to do so. the portfolio is of little ultimate value to the country, and might well h<* left to a clerk to administer the office on the usual red tape lines. s The reward following j\ now discovery of gold would he worth striving for. The alluvial gold mining was the first stepping stone to world notoriety for'New Zealand. 'Without tlie “rushes” of the past population would have been slow in materialising and the country would have been very backward. The opportunity offers to revive the past. To seek for new discoveries. Put fresh hope in the people and lay the foundation for a bright era again in gold mining.