TERRA INCOGNITA

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1929, Page 2

TERRA INCOGNITA

(BY “X.”)

The Mayor of Christchurch has apparently in ail seriousness asserted Glut another gold rush would be a far greater disaster to the Coast than the earthquake. “We don’t want,” said bis AYorship, “to turn people’s nnmls to trie k.ea of making money easily or quickly, but we do want to establish the Coast on a sound and prosperous basis.” It is rather amusing to hear repeated what was said some sixty-five years ago, when we remember what the developments sinro then have been, and the very important part played in the history if New Zealand by the Otago and Westland goldfields. The Canterbury settlers were always s. optical about the value of the goldfields, and the Lyttelton Times of that early date in its protest at a goldfield being forced n Cant :rb.iry “without the consent and contrary to the expressed desire of the settlers” foin.tl consolation in the fact “that the goldfield had turned ii]i in the remotest corner of the province.” It is ancient history now how that “remote corner” of the Canterbury Province became in itself a province and bow Westland put up a record for wealth production which will always remain the most romantic and outstanding feature in the history of New Zealand. It would be useless possibly to try to recon ile the viewpoint of the settler and the miner. But there is an economic differenc .etwee.l “making money’’ and prod>iei"‘T wealth. At‘the time of the land boom many so-called settlers “made meney” more easily and quickly than the mos;. fortunate miner. But while the latter produced tang'f !e wealth, the former produced nothing but the aftcniatii of trouble uhich invariably follows land values inflation.

So far from another gold rush—dr the opening ”p of another goldfield—proving disastrous to the Coast, if world prm’p t'-e salvati >n of New Zealand at the present time. G ld production is a primary industr- . which stands out in advance of all others far cue: ing up and developing a country, and adding to the wealth of nations. In 1901 the world production of gold was £54,772,000 and that was only an average year. From 1850 to 1898 the world’s gold production' was estimated at £1,163,000,000. From 1857 to IS3B the gold producer in New Zealand was valued at £53,644,'4414, of which £22,891,10? c-ame from the AA’est Coast—and £l9” from Canterbury. The great problem in New Zealand just now is how to increase product ion and find work for the unemplc'-ed. ~*~ J ’ fheco problems would automatically be solved if a new goldfield would 'be opened up. i , ■/

The prospect of this happening is by no moans remote. Attention has Ibeen called t;o it by the terrible upheaval on tlie northern portion of the Coast laying bare strata which might quite possibly be gold bearing. The disaster is too fresh in the minds of all just now, and the relief work and opening up communications a too pressing problem to allow attention to be seriously directed to prospecting in the devastated areas. But it. would appear the time is opportune to bring under the notice of the Government the advisability of infusing new life into the Alines Department in the direction of encouraging prospecting. Practically the whole of the southern portion, of the Coast is a terra incognita, an unknown country with untold possibilities. Almost all minerals are known to be there, on the undisputed evidence of the old surveyors and the few hardy explorers who have forced their way into portions of it. The idea that the miners of the ’sixties—hardy, determined and adventurous

as tlioy were—discovered all the gold that was worth while, can only he held by those utterly unacquainted with the Coast. It must be remembered these old and independent pioneer miners never looked for or received assistance from anyone. There was no system, or co-ordination of effort, no bases established from which they could draw supplies, no proper equipment, and in most eases no thorough knowledge of geology or minerology. Under these circumstances it was utterly impossible for them to systematically prospect the country. In later years it is true some small assistance was given to prospecting, but it was never put on a thoroughly sound basis. Surely now would !bo the time to bring down a comprehensive scheme. With thousands of unemployed which the Government is being saddled with the responsibility v of finding .work for, it would be surely possible to secure a proportion willing and able to make up prospecting parties. These parties if provided with necessary equipment and expert guidance could systematically prospect areas which the old miners could not penetrate, and at any time might make discoveries which would not only enrich themselves but have far-reaching effects on the future welfare and prosperity of the country. The scheme would require some working out but it is probably one that should at this stage be brought under the notice of the Government.