SEARCH FOR GOLD

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 433, 18 January 1933, Page 2

SEARCH FOR GOLD

THROUGH, THE WILD % KAIMANAWA RANGES. EXPORATION PARTIES. • ' The Kaimanawa Ranges and the wild country leading baclc to them have attracted the attention of many exploration parties this year, some of "them from' Wanganui. - No doubt l the thought that gold exists, in that rugged country, or perhaps the possihility that liuias will he discovered there, account for a good deal of the interest and have acted as ispurs : to initiative. _ Messrs. N. L. Tyler, L. R. Rutherford, Maurice Walker and Rua te Mana, of Wanganui, retufned two or three days age from a ten days' jourthfough country which knoWs little of man and the ways of civilisation. These four made no "secret of the fact that their object wasi to find gold. "I am satisfied that there is gold there," Mr. Tyler said'to a repreSentative of the Wanganui C'hronicle, "but it could never he got out in payahle quantities." As for huias, Mr. Tyler says that there is a difference of opinion as to whether they exist or not. To' settle th'd matter a man will have to produce a live bird. Many hold that they have h'eard huias, and Mr. Rua te Mana is fairly confident that the birds are there. Others are most sceptical. Mr. Tyler and p'arty travelled by motor truck via the Wangaehu Valley Road to Karioi, and from there to Waiouru over a clay road. They i camped in a rabbit-tfapper's hut and' then struck straight inland for the ranges on foot. Reaching the gorges which led down into- the upper Waikato, "they returned for the truck and drove it overland through some of the roughest country ever travelled hy motor vehicle. The truck was safely piloted to th'e edge of the cliffs, isome three or four miles off the road and, overlookirig the wild, uninhahited region that fises to the blue ranges, the party made their headquarters. Prospector's Old Camp. Stags, which iare now "in the velvet," were conspicuous hy their absence, hut several hinds were seen. Barren country greeted th'e visitors in this locality. Thre was nothing for natiVe pigeons to feed on, hut tuis and bell-birds were plentiful and the longtailed cuclcoo and natiVe parakeets were seen in fair quantities. Like Messrs. A. J. Banks' and K. Robinson, who had travelled another region of the Kaimanawas lower down, this party isaw no' rahhits. In localities where this p-est had heen breeding in thousands there was now' liardly a trace. There were no wild horses either. Making the most of their stay, the campers explored the gorges of the Waipahihi and Tongariro Rivers. At one spot thOy located what was obviously a prospector's old camp. A stray piece of newspaper bore ia date in 1922, so it was surmised that the place had been inhabited then. A party of 33 members of the Tararua Tramping Club was met. There were several women among them iand from a splendidly pitched "camp these visitors from the capital city and places truly 'civilised were enjoying their stay in the wilds. Tramps were organised eaeh day. Patiencp and perseverance must have heen needed to estahlish' their camp. It was well off the road and all the gear had been carried in on foot. The loss of a dog occasioned the Wanganui party a little worry. He followed Messrs. Tyler and te Mana through the Waipahihi Gorge and lost them on the way. Thinking h'e had retraced his steps to join the other members of the party, these pushed on to" 'camp, but there was no dog when they got there. A return journey had to be made through the gorge next day and the dog was found patiently waiting for somehody to turn up at the deserted prospector's camp that had been discovered the day before. ■ After leaving the wilder country the party nioved on to Tokaanu and Taupo. There were hundreds of eamping parties seen throughout the journey.