NOVEL SWEEP

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 284, 26 July 1932, Page 8

NOVEL SWEEP

GOLD-MINING CLAIMS ALLOTTED AS RRIZES. SOUTH AFRIGAN LOTTERY. The South African Government has just concluded an official "sweep" — ■ only in this case the prizes consisted of 14 gold mine claims on a farm in the Sabie district of the Eastern Transvaal. More than 6000 people took "tickets." Owing to the large number of applications for licensas and the, small number of claims availabie it was decided that it might be dangerous to have the customary rush so the system of drawing lots was adopted as provided for under the mining regulations. An announcement in the Official Gazette read exactly like a lottery advertisement. It provided that at 10 a.m. on the day appointed all licenses taken out should be handed to the mining commissioner who would allot a number to each license. A eorresponding number would then be placed in a receptacle and when this had been done 14 numbers would be drawn, and the holders of the corresponding licenses would immediately proeeed to peg out one claim each. A prospecting license costs 2s 6d a claim, so that for an investment of 35s anyone could have a chance on all 14 claims. The low price of the "tickets" and the popular report that the claims could be sold for £500 apiece brought joy to the residents of the Eastern Transvaal. The scene of the drawing was much more pdeturesque than the Dublin affair. Up on a mountainside close to the site of the gold claims, a vast and motley throng of hopeful people had gathered after an arduous early morning trek across country in waggons, mule carts, motor cars, trolleys, drays, bicycles and on horseback. The

optimism inherent in the human breast was shown by the fact that every man, woman and child among them had brought their pegs ready to demareate a claim should they be among the lucky winners. Throughout the morning, under a grilling sun, the crowd awaited patiently while the 6000 numbers were marked and placed in a canvas bag and shuffled about in a grave and ceremonious manner by a sergeant of police. Spurred by the enthusiasm of the crowd, he shuffled and reshuffled again. Then the draw took place. Excitement grew to fever pitch when the drawer of the first claim was offered £1000 on the spot for his holding. He refused and marched off sturdily with his pegs to the site of the new goldfield and the thundero.us cheers of the crowd. But, whether lucky or unlucky, everfybody voted the "First South' African Government Lottery" a complte success.