MINING EXECUTIVE

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1933, Page 8

MINING EXECUTIVE

VISIT TO WATAROA. ' REPORT BY SUPERVISOR. The following report has been received from the supervisor of the Mining Executive in respect to mining up the- Wataroa River:— I visited the Wataroa River on Tuesday, July 18, and spent- three days up there. All the men are working well, but quite a lot of time is lost .packing gear and food, especially at. the top end where it takes four days to do one pack load from the swing bridge. The country from the swing bridge up is very rough indeed, and the further up one goes the rougher it gets. In my opinion it would be useless to try to improve the present track from the swing bridge. There are several bluffs to go up and down which are very steep, in ftfct in some places they are perpendicular, and you have to null yourself up hand over hand by the roots of trees. Where you take the river bed the going is also very rough owing to big boulders. The cost of constructing a track would be far too great, a 6 there is nothing so far to warrant a Jhig expenditure |as far as alluvial prospects are concerned.

The whole of. the track from the swing bridge to. the head reaches of the river was cut by W. Barrowinan without any financial assistance. This man has been on the river for over two. years and quite a lot of his time ha, 3 been spent cutting tracks. Without doubt there would not be the men on this river had it- not been for th:s man. He is one of the best climbers I have seen. He and A. Delin are credited with being the only two men to get to the head of the river.

I am of the opinion no man will ever. get very rich seeking alluvial gold up this river. Certainly there are beaches carrying very good gold but there is no extent of them, and they are very rough indeed. The reefs are the things that should be sought for mo-st, as without doubt the gold in the river is emu, ng from reefs. A Helm has a very line sample of gold got at the head reaches, and there is quartz in nearly all of it. What is needed most on the river are a few wire ropes to that men can cross in safety. 'One could be put across at the Gunn Beach; one at the Butler river; and one further up. This would enable men to prospect with safety, and would give access to both sides.

Some of the men up the river are getting out, it being too rought and not too rich. Harold is out and Price Brothers are coming out on Wednesday: Price Brothers are coming back in the summer to look for reefs.-

Mitchell is working on his beach below the road traffic bridge, and is getting little gold. Willmot and Farrow, are digging a water race about 35 chains in length. This will give them plenty of water, and they, should do better in the future. Silk and Turton are working a beach about three miles up the river, and are getting a little gold. . Cooper is on the same beach and is getting a Tittle gold. (Sgd) J! COOPER, Supervisor. HOKITIKA. July 25, 1933. A cony of the foregoing report, lms been sent to the Unemployment Board.