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Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1931, Page 4

Tun Interest in gold-mining interests was commented on recently by a member of the Auckland Stock Exchange who explained l the stir now created by the public Interest. He said:—“lt is a. long-time since the mining section has received as much attention as has been, the case of late. The reason is not far to seek. Of all the metals gold is a notable exception to the wholesale decline in values. Indeed, with exchange conditions as at present it commands a substantial premium. With unemploym.net rife it is natural that avenues neglected in more prosperous times should be explored, and prospecting parties are quite numerous. Another important factor is that, science is constantly increasing its measure of assistance’ to the gold seeker. From one cause and another the country is inundated at the present with mining ventures, big and little, of one kind and another. Some will never pay wages, even on the lowest scale, but -ft: proportion seem destined to make a material addition to the country’s . wealth. This aspect is obviously appealing to investors suspeetible to mining speculation',«and there has been of late a considerable turnover in mining shares, chiefly the scrip of South Island concerns.” There will be agreement with the statement that more care is being taken with mining ventures. Prospecting is now far more thorough. In former mining booms it was often the case that promoters of ventures took too much, for granted or accepted casual statements as to the values of the ground. .In these later times, prospecting is far more thorough. By the aid of boring it is possible to test tlie< auriferous nature of the ground very accurately. The Rimu Flat prospecting is a case in point,' and the same applies to the Five Mile beach where patient prospecting gave the hope for the success the recently built dredge is now deriving... A good deal of prospecting is going on now by the individual miner, all of which bears out the statement as to the reviving interest in the industry, ' and gives confirmation to the answer, made at the meeting of the County Council this week to the rather loose statements by the Under Secretary of Mines recently through the public press. The present mining activity is in the right direction and will assist in meeting the industrial problem of . the times. Not only in Westland, but in Otago and Auckland provinces also, there is quite a noticeable revival, and th© results should be all for the benefit of the Dominion as a whole.