The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1931. ASSISTING GOLDMINING.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1931. ASSISTING GOLDMINING.

liiE time is particularly favourable and opportune to assist prospecting with a" view to the promotion of goldmining interests. Tiie glut in unemployment and the difficulty of the Un- | employment Board to meet the demands for sustenance without imposing more special taxation, has convinced the members of the' Board that more should be done to encourage men to take up goldmining, Westland as a highly mineralised territory, presents a wide field for operation. The Board’s assistance is by way of subsidy any some parties are working already under tlie scheme; others are applying, so that their i® evidence of the men’s anxiety to maintain their independence. It i,s imperative to seek for new fields and it is in that direction the best' assistance can be given to the industry. While it is satisfactory to find treasure being won from former fields and abandoned workings, tlieer is not tlie promise of permanency from such operations. With a prospecting association established here that body might direct its work in the way of seeking for new fields. The Association will not be able to do everything with its restricted finance, but a scheme, could be outlined for Goyernment subsidy with organised operations tinder proper leadership'. The Mines Department should lend a geologist, who after a study of the' reports as’ to the auriferous deposits in Westland, could select an area for testing. Local funds would be contributed readily towards some such settled (scheme under proper direction, and with the Government help, there is always tlie. prospect of success. The. winning of gold at this juncture would be most advantageous to t!io 1 ♦ • ,*> ' • ; country’s welfare, and a find of value would be an immediate lever to less unemployment. It is manifest from tlie depressed values for the country’s produce, that the. returns in that direction must bo supplemented, if New Zealand is to make an early recovery in regard to general trade and public welfare. A long term of unemployment will impose great hardship all round, for more funds must be raised for sustenance work. That fact makes it all tlie more imperative that greater volume of public and private money should be forthcoming to assist in the endeavour to promote an extension of the goldmining industry. The matter is of, great importance nationally, and an organised effort from this quarter where, there i® the promise of a. gold find, -should be up and doing to attract public attention and secure the desired action. Westland would be an immediate gainer, and some proportion of the private expenditure might well be diverted to a scheme which would *• afford an opportunity for a big development. Probably the scheme which could be attempted would be ton large for the newly formed Association, but that body-might be enlarged, and the local bodies could be called to . assist also. A conference to assist in outlining proposals for the promotion and development of goldmining would be a good beginning, and the interest stimulated thereby would have a good effect on public opinion and help to turn more attention to the desired development.