GOLD SEEKING

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1932, Page 6

GOLD SEEKING

WORK (STARTS AT CLAIM NEAR MURCHISON. NELSON, September 28. The recent revival of gold seeking in New Zealand has seen renewed activity on all the old fields in the Nelson province, including the Golden Bay, Murchison, -and Howard areas. Near the headwaters of the Buller River and situated about eight miles from the well-known Howard goldfield is a little-heard-of alluvial Held known for 18 years as tile Golden Hope, but it has never been worked properly. This new area has now been opened up by unemployed labour subsidised by the Unemployment Board and this week will see 90 men commence to work on their own claims. This field is in recognised gold-bearing country and experts consider that the area offers -good prospects for the recovery of gold. The goldfield is.. now ready, with water races and tail races completed, for the men to commence work this week. The Golden Hope area is situated on a terrace at the back of 'Lake 1 Station homestead- in the Howard district, Murchison County. The area is situated about a mile and a half off the main Kawatiri-Tbphouse road on the watershed of Maggie’s Cr-eex, •a tributary of the Howard River; which is a tributary of the Buller,* from which so . much gold has beenwon.

The terrace on which the goldfield is situated is a terminal moraine dating back to the last glacial age, and it apparently overlies a much older moraine, the -material in the latter in the meantime, having become- tightly cemented. .This cemented material, situated about 10 fee-t under the surface, carries practically no gold value. Tt i-s interesting to note that the St. Arnaud range (about 15 miles distant) near Lake R-oboiti, shows distinct signs of having been glaciated.