ISLAND GOLD

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 757, 2 September 1929, Page 11

ISLAND GOLD

STRIKE IN SOLOMONS OUTLINE OF POSSIBILITIES News of the first gold discovery in the Solomon Islands has been brought to Sydney by the discoverer. Mr. W. Newall. Mr. Newall was living quietly with his wife for 10 years on his plantation in New’ Georgia, one of the Solomon Islands, with no thought of any commercial activities but the gathering and selling of copra, when he came by chance to know of the presence of gold, says the Sydney “Morning Herald.” He was busy one Sunday morning in his office when his wife appeared at the door and said that a native boy was trying to sell her a tin of coloured sand for a shilling. As the natives pester the settlers to buy all kinds of valueless articles, it was only by chance that Mr. Newall examined the sand. He was amazed to see the precious yellow grains studded plentifully through the mixture of sand and gold ore. With the native he set out for the scene of the discovery, which lay about 20 miles away in the rugged hills among dense undergrowth. On the way they were forced to cross the same stream 28 times, as it wound from side to side in its narrow valley. When the goal was reached Mr. Newall found two reefs with associated gold-bearing ore, and a certain amount of alluvial gold in a washaway.

Samples of the ore were sent to Sydney analysts, who found that there were 3oz 16dwt of gold to the ton and loz Gdwt of silver. Although the extent of the field has not been examined by experts, Mr. Newell sent for his friend, Captain Patrick, the Sydney shipowner, whom he had known for 14 years, and the partnership pegged out 1,500 acres. Several prospecting parties had left Tulagi to examine the field. The field marks the first discovery of gold in the Solomon Islands. Prior to 1927 no search was made, as the British Protectorate would not allow the miners to take minerals, which belonged to the Government. As copra prices are at their lowest ebb, leading to unparalleled depression in the islands, a successful gold strike would do much to bring the Solomons back to a state of prosperity. Natives report that similar occurrences of mineral occur in the more inaccessible parts of New Georgia*