GOLD IN MURCHISON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 16 July 1929, Page 8

GOLD IN MURCHISON

DREDGING PROSPECTS REPLY TO PROFESSOR BARTRUM Tlic Auckland "Star" lias received the following from .Mr John A. Spencer: It's an axiom of life "That an ouhec of fact is worth a ton of theory." The writer, having been engaged for the past two years in systematic drilling of, and testing out the alluvials in the Murchison district, is probably in a better position than Professor Hartruin to arrive at the true values and conditions obtaining in those areas. Scores of holes have been drilled to bedrock on behalf of certain British dredging, interests. At the present time one of the largest dredging companies of tlj'e world is checking up the writer's work on the Upper Maruia. River. The Matakitaki River (a portion of which is/ now un-

fortunately devastated) has also been thoroughly and systematically mapped and drilled, this being the only known scientific method of arriving at true gold values. The writer obviously is iiot in a position to divulge .the values obtained on the two areas named, but can state that they are excellent, and on these results a dredge was about to be placed on the Matakitaki River. The results art: lodged with the Department of Mines, Wellington. With reference to the surface values on cither the .Matakitaki or the Maruia Rivers, Professor Bavlrum is entirely in error. Henry Novris, of Murchison, got £6 worth of gold in four days of five hours each, under two feet below the surface, in April last. Alfred Rogers, of Ariki. 'got £l2 worth of gold in night days of live hours in the same month. These results were got on the Lower 'Maruia and the Matakitaki Rivers respectively, and represent a fair average. Rogers carried his wash in a sugar bag, and both men used an ordinary "fly-catcher." The local tailor, Percy Mills, spent his summer holidays of 14 days prospecting for gold on the Matakitaki River and came away with £3O worth of gold. These results can be verified by asking any of the old prospectors now living about Murchison. He would be a lazy man who could not make a good wage on the Matakitaki or Maruia Rivers. Each flood brings its quota of gold and deposits it on the beaches. The average dredging depth on the .Matakitaki River and flats is 17ft 6in.. and on the Upper Maruia about 40ft. The values are good and consistent throughout. and on the Matakitaki still comprise some 2000 acres of flats. On both rivers a probable 100 years' dredging programme lies ahead. The systematic, drilling of alluvials by power drills offers a true test of the values, and it is proved beyond all doubt that a very close approximation of dredging returns can be arrived at by this means, and so the risk of failure practically eliminated. To the Murchison district (here, are many thousands of acres taken up under dredging prospecting license. The resurrection of the Murchison district will probably depend not en the rehabilitation of the farms, many of which are permanently destroyed, but on the results 'of the gold dredges which will very soon be in active operation.