MINING

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1932, Page 3

MINING

AT KAWARAU RIVER,

, DIFFICULTIES OF MINERS,

DUNEDIN, August 14

The absence of definite information regarding the amount of gojld won by the -numerous prospecting parties on the Kawarau river during the past few weeks, has prevented the compilation of an estimate-of . the 1 total amount of go-d secured since the 1 closing' of -the dam, A number--of rumours, none ol which bas gained much credence, have ,-been circulated • with -referSisbe to"' the discovery of almost fabulous quantities of gold by some of the syndicates working on the''pivfer-bed.cy Although many of the 'miners have ' good strikes, m the majority. >: Of cases 'a few penny-; weightk rr ’'Poif ll day hat* been the average value of‘the gold won, but ho definite figures- regarding the amount secured by any of /'the ‘ syndicates’ have been made available. " - ■-

The Junction Hydraulic Elevating Syndicate'; whidh was' rtimoured ’ to' have Bttucki'a rich ‘paddock, has, it is understood, actually 'secured well over lOC ounces; but the ever-present danger of the paddock being■’ flooded by 1 the Sh'Otover, thus destroying months : of work; and the difficulties' created 'by frozen pipes hud shortage of" water supplies, combine to make the syndicate's/ teniiie of the claim most precarious. These conditions are typicad of k great ihariy claims on the river, but the work of prospecting and sluicing is going on stefadily: Th'efe are ■ many'stretdhes of; the river which have not yet been touched, and it is impossible to estimate what the yield might be if th orougJi and systeinatfr-prospecting were 'carried' out. ■ The greatest drawback to success-; ful work bn many sections is that the ground .is still in the grip of frost, 'and. unworkable. Although a great deal of disappointmtnt has been caused by suah conditions; they have had the beneficial effect of keeping the river at a very Sw level, with the result' that the Kawarau Company has received permission to keep the dam closed for another week. , - Fairly good yields have been reporter* from the Molyneux river, where . ri. large number of men are working in the vicinity of Fourteen Mile, and V •has been estimated that on this -stretch of the river over 1000 ounces of ire d have been won since the closing of the. ’gates. Apart from a few isolated returns, however, the miners and prospects . have been somewhat reticent regarding' the success or otherwise of their operations, with the result that it is impossible at present to, cpmputt the value of the goid won since the closing of the dam.-