MINING MATTERS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5199, 4 November 1927, Page 2

MINING MATTERS.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WANTED.

COUNTY COUNCIL SYMPATHETIC.

Two applications for financial assistance towards developing gold-min-ing ventures were received at yesterday’s meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council. The first application was contained in the following letter from Mr W. F. D. Mac Williams, Waihi: “I am apply; ing for 200 acres of land at Karangahake in the form of prospecting licenses, and have made an application to the Minister of Mines for a subsidy to assist in driving a cross-cut in all virgin ground. I have been informed that the council has no spare finance to subsidise prospecting operations. If that is so, then I shall not trouble you further. It is our intention to do 250 ft of cross-cutting and sink a prospecting shaft. For that purpose, we have £5OO, but hope the Government can see its way to give assistance outside the paltry sum as laid down in the regulations in connection with prospecting. Do not think for a moment that if you are unable, to come into linq that it will make any difference—if you have not got the finance you cannot make any offem I might say that the prospect is not in any way ‘wild catish’ ; it is a legitimate | undertaking that I feel confident will assist to rejuvenate mining in a district where, my early boyhood days were spent in prospecting. It was my brothers and I who discovered the famous Talisman reef at, Karanga- J hake which has yielded so munificently in the past.”

The Chairman : There you am gentie.men, if you have no money in your ridings you can at least recommend the matter to the Mines Department. It was moved by Cr. J. B. Morris that the application be referred to the Mines Department, with a recommendation that a. grant be made. The Imperial Gold Mining Co. also applied for additional assistance towards prospecting work carried out •on its claims at Karangahake. In support of the application it .was state.d that since receiving the last grant from the council the company had driven nearly 800 ft of cross-cutting and had spent a considerable sum of money on the work. At the present time the company was nearing the, end of its capital, but was in such promising country that it was considered it would be a grave mistake to discontinue operations. It was proposed to ra’se extra, capital from the shareholders and continue the drive for at least an additional 200 ft to 250 ft. Application had also been made to the Mines Department for further assistance.

The chairman remarked that the council should treat the applications all alike and recommend the application. *

On the motion of Cr. A. R, Robinson this was agreed to.