GOLD REEF FOUND

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25090, 23 January 1947, Page 6

GOLD REEF FOUND

CLAIM IN COROMANDEL DISTRICT

DISCOVERY BY DRIVER OF BULLDOZER

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, January 22. A claim to have found a reef of quartz in part of the old Coromandel mining area at Mercury Bay has been made by a Maori bulldozer driver, Mr William James McLean. A bush contractor, .Mr McLean has supported his assertion by exhibiting specimens which, he told Whitianga residents, he had chipped from a reef uncovered by his bulldozer on the old Kapai Vermont claim, which, apparently by coincidence, was formerly registered in the name of a Mr McLean. Mr McLean took out a miner’s right at the Thames Courthouse yesterday. It was reported last night that he had already pegged out his claim. Some years ago the Kapai Vermont claim produced very rich gold. It is reported that Mr McLean chipped a specimen from the reef which he uncovered. There are Government land, Maori reserves, and private property in the area.

A Whitianga storekeeper described the sample of gold shown him by Mr McLean as a good one. Mr McLean was described by the storekeeper as very trustworthy and not prone to exaggeration. The storekeeper thought the discovery shduld be regarded as definite.

Mr McLean is married with a family. and lives four miles from Whitianga.

By noon to-day a number of men had left Coromandel with picks and shovels with a view to staking claims. It is believed that some had taken out miners’ rights, but others omitted to do so in their excitement.