SEARCH FOR MINERALS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 December 1931, Page 3

SEARCH FOR MINERALS

A SYSTEMATISED EFFORT HOPES OF GOLD MINING revival. The Deputy Chairman of the Unemployment Board (Mr J. S'. Jessep) made the following announcement today:— The Unemployment Board is convinced that if a' revival of the gold mining industry can he brought about it would be a big factor in helping to soJ\e the unemployment problem. Because of this belief the Board, in conjunction with the Mints Department has for some mo..ths been drawing together all the strands of a scheme for a systematic search of areas known or believed to be goldhearing. The Board considers that where there is at least a reasonable chance of success it would he better to concentrate efforts on searching for payable reefs, or testing a reputed one than to spend the Board’s funds on work that, though it may meet the needs of the moment, will have little productive . value. Even though no spectacular discoveries may he made, or even though there is nothing to show for the effort but a plentifullystoped tunnel or a deep shaft in a likely-looking flat, the Board’s relief is that it’s better do have tried and lost than never to have tried at all. In any event, there will have been no extra money expended--it has merely been spent in a different manlier, the unemployed have benefited, and the experience grilled can lie placed on the credit side of the ledger, for use in the next effort to discover Dame Nature’s secret hoards. Should the effort result in the uncovering of a valuable reef the benefits would be instant and incalculable. Indeed, it is difficult to iniagire any happening which would as readily fire the imagination of the people and dissipate the fog of depression that has for many months been choking all Business enterprise. Thousands of men 110110 on relief work would almost certainly lie reabsorbed in secondary industries, and hundreds of small businesses now existing precariously would become the beneficiaries uf the consequent increased spendingpower of the people.

This may he regarded as visionary, but without vision there can be no achievement; and the. TJnempl rynient Hoard is determined that 110 effort * ball bo snared to most thoroughly exploit the possibilities of discovor- :: or payable mineral deposits in New Zealand . and at the same time providing an opportunity, tor. .many .unemployed men to obtain employment that may result in them becoming sell supporting. A beginning has teen made- in the Thames and Coromandel ditricts, where, with the co-operation of the Mines Department fourteen pr specters are engaged, under competent supervision, in prospecting the back country of the Thames Borough and at the head the Tararu Creek. In mines adjacent tu the town of Thames •»iore men are at work. The work in these districts is being supervised and controlled by a skilled technical stall under the supervision of the 'Mines Department. The direct effect of these activities has berth a remarka.be increase in the number of mining privileges land miner’s rights. Of , the former the Tierea.se was 53 per cent, and the miner’s rights increased 99j per rent., the totals being 636 and 2023. These figures are significant indication of the possibilities of this camniiign, and they warrant a feeling of optimism, because the production of onsiderabk-i quantities of gold at the present value of that metal would nat--11 railv ho an important factor in the rehabilitation of the industries and the commerce of the Dominion.

Preparations are being made on the West Coast for experienced men <o take up. the search,.-raid a thorough tost of likely ground "ill be trade during the next few weeks. Registered unemployed men are in all cases being employed under v'T'ous systems, and in the Thames and Coromandel districts only local men are being take:: on. So far as the West Coast is concerned, there are more unemployed men available than can be absorbed. It will therefore he apparent that applications tne "’nomployment Board or the Mines Department would be useless in the meantime. Whether it will he necessary in the future to encourage other men to become prospectors will depend on the progress of the present operations.

A grant to the Mines Department of £2,000 from the Unemployment Board’s funds enabled the Department to . despatch .90 men to various gold-hearing localities from Thames to Preservation Inlet, with t'’e result that many of the men have been able to. continue prospecting without further assistance from the grant, and probably their efforts are reflected in the increase recorded in gold production.

The financial assirnnee given to the Mining .Industry by the Unemployment Board, combined with the practical co-operation of the Alines Dep'rtment’ has, said Mr Jesseo, already given a substantial impetus to that industry it a most opportune time. The Board has, simultaneously, been, enabled to fulfil the main purpose for which it •'•as formed—namely, the- re-ab?'orp-fion of a number of men in an occupation that Ims distinct potential advantages for themselves and for the

Dominion. The. members of the Board will continue to exploit everyoossibility of extension of this industry, in th? firm belief that it w-uld materially assist to restore prosperity to the Dominion. In conclusion, Mr Jessep added that it must not he assumed that this is the only, or even the main evenue being eixnlored at the present time. The flax industry, afforestation, a: d anv other important industries arreceiving close attention of the Board. The Board is convinced that the judicious use of unemployment funds to stimulate industries which would tend to increase the experts of the Dominion, is the soundest method of attaching the unemployment problem.