GOLD LURE

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1931, Page 2

GOLD LURE

OPTIMISTS IN NEW SOUTH WALES UNSKILLED PROSPECTORS,. ■SYDNEY, May 14. It is estimated that 3000 men are now engaged in the search for gold in New South Wales alone. This is one of the direct results’ of Unemployment in the city. There have been minor rushes to all the reputed gold-bearing districts, but far few of tile prospectora have gained much success. To approved prospectors the Government allows £1 a week for four weeks, and a ter that they collect the dole. They find living on the goldfields cheaper than in the city, and in many instances whole families have been transported from Sydney to the primitive home which the prospector has been able to prepare— a home of canvas and bark. At many of the camps a grain or so of gold is the sole reward for a week of hack-breaking and heart-breaking work, but that grain is enough to keep the prospector at his self-impcsed task. Expei ts agree that there is as much gold in New South AYales as has been won from the State—perhaps more. Is it any wonder therefore that more men are lured each week to likely fields Practically all grades of society are represented on the fields. They are not the riff-raff or the unemployables, but include men who not long ago occupied sound positions fbat gave them every reason to regard the life ahead of them as an easy settled proposition.

There are lawyers accountants, clerks, and even doctors. Of course, most of them are “new chums,” and that might account for the fact that to date very little gold has been found. It takes an experimental miner, it is said, to find gold in areas that have already been prospected. Still, there is always the possibility that some day even the beginner will strike it rich.

The most favoured area is that vast stl'ctch of country bounded by the towns of Bathurst, Gulgong, Mud gee, Oapertree. This area includes many famous fields. One prespector at El Dorado was very disgusted. “I always thought an El Dorado was ta very rich place,” he said. “The chap who named this must have been thinking of rabbits. There are plenty of rabbits here, and that is about all we can find. Any they don’t take any looking for.” One man arrived at his claim two months ago in a sedan car. He was formerly the manager of a big city business which has been compelled to close its doors. He is not getting enough gold to pay for his tucker, ami when he goes to the nearest town for his dole he walks, as he has not enough money to pay for the petrol his car would use on the journey.

Experts know that manv of the “new chums” are blundering along without any hojte of success. It is •suggested that the Government should provide a mining engineer hi each district so that advice could be given to those who no o d it.