The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY. APRIL 17, 1929.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 April 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY. APRIL 17, 1929.

MINING POSSIBILITIES

It is refreshening to find that mining interests for the future are receiving some attention in the metropolitan press. Lately a Westport correspondent rote to the Christchurch “Sun.” mak-

ing a plea, for inure vigorous development of the gold-milling industry on the West Coast. He stressed the importance of the industry not only as a means of employment, but also as a revenue earner. “The wealth of the Coast is little known to the present general ion; bill as an old digger ol many years’ experience In* staled that nit more than II) per cent, ol it has been won. It is on record that up to 1901 over 30,000,(100 ox., were won from the vnri ms fields, and yet it was only

tiio loose, scattered gold that was gathered up by the early miners. The real and permanent values still remain, awaiting intelligent development. The western watershed is a vast held of wealth, from .Milford Sound to Capo farewell (me million acres bought lor £du() in ISGO). The cany diggers were mostly inexperienced, and naturally took to the creons and gullies, as tney repiesented Nature s sluice-boxes, and in many cases reaped ricii liarvests. In some cases the returns wen q..oiod hi tons. It is on record that •.mo cieew up the Grey \ alley produced ugni t.nis oi gold lor a few men. The origin of this wealth is just where it was lound. From Ins experience it is of thermal origin, and his theory with others, is worth investigation by a pros-

pecting association.” iue “Sun” made a special comment on the letter in the course of winch the newspaper went on to say that the go.d-icvcr on the West eoasL was lierce and hot. It almost astonishingly sum burned itself out, and the present generation is, to a peculiar degree, content to hoK hack at those wild days of getting and spending, without thinking much ol the possibility of scientific goal-winning to-day. Vet the- possibility is well worth considering, as the success of American dredgers, for examp.e, working over a long neglected field, proves ojyond any question. While the resolve of New Zealand’s Gold Coast to devote itself to pasture and forest is in every way admirable* it is a matter for wonder that the resolve should oe as exclusive as it is and, to all intends and purposes, leave mineral wealth as an unattractive complement. A scheme ror the financial and other assistance of prospectors is part of the otate’s policy in encouraging gold-min-ing but it does not seem to draw many men to take up the prospector’s dish and shovel. Jt is possible that a better >yste.u could be devised by the Nil lies Geporlinent, whereby competent prospectors could lie given more generous ie1 1 ), scientific and financial, and a tliroiigli gold-search of the western ..•atersiied, ov degrees, he organised. ietera.li miners say, ever and over again, “The gold is there.” If it is there, as it very probably is, it. can •xj f-und'aiid it should he found. Eviienly a new and energetic move is wanted in the gold-mining industry; for in 23 years New Zealand s gold export has fallen fr m a value of over two' million pounds to a value of barely me quarter that sum. Those familiar with the goldfields of the Coast will igree that a revi.al in prospecting is accessary. It is to he hoped the newly installed Minister of Mines will do s-mething m that direction, or offer m ire encouragement to induce prospecting on an organised scale to take place. There is the need for the action, and Mr Veitcli has the opportunity to launch uis policy which would be well suported by all goldfield centres.