GOLD

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 101, 26 October 1932, Page 11

GOLD

BOARD'S INTEREST

"With the advent of warmer weather, the Unemployment Board anticipates that there will be a considerable extension of gold-mining operations in Central Otago and a systematic development of likely areas on the West Coast if circumstances permit, according to Mr. J. S. Jessep, deputy-chairman of the Unemployment Board. "The board," he said, "has taken a. great interest in the business of prospecting, and success has attended the efforts of some of the prospectors. Some six months ago the councils of the four counties in Otago—Vincent, Lakes, Manitoto, and Tuapoka—each set up au executive which took complete charge of all Unemployment Board schemes. A special certifying officer, the postmaster at Cromwell, was loaned by his Department to- the Unemployment Board, and he acted, as certifying officer for the whole four counties, and the Mines Department reports on various areas, and has kept a competent mining engineer continually in the district. Working under the mining engineer are a number of experienced miners who act as supervisors and give instruction to any unemployed men who require it. "There are at present about 700 unemployed in mining in these areas," continued Mr. Jessep. "The payment allowed from the unemployment funds is 30s a week for married men and 15s for single men. The men 'find' themselves, but special grants have been made to the counties from which they might make advances for the purchase of mining equipment, tents,- and other necessaries." All miners' rights held by men in receipt of assistance from the Unemployment Board carry an endorsement to the effect that 10 per cent, of the value of the gold won is to be deducted by the licensed gold buyers, and Mr. Jessep explained that this percentage was used by the board for the purpose of equipping other prospectors from the uneniplojwd ranks. THE STRIKE AT CROMWELL. Speaking of tho strike of gold at Cromwell, he said that tho board had received advice from the certifying officers there to the effect that both the parties who made the find which has been, reported at Kawarau had written letters to him to be forwarded to the ■Unemployment,' Board, to which they expressed their gratitude and appreciation- for its assistance and for the help and advice which had been given by the supervisors and the mining engineer, without which it would have been impossible for them to have carried on. ' '"Steady returns of gold, not of such a sousational nature, .'lre being obtained by quite a large number of miners who have been assisted from, the unemployment funds," said Mr. Jessep, •nj.io produced a. return from one bank in Cromwell, which had paid out fourteen sums varying between.'£"3o 18s Sd and £1 5s 8d during'the past month to groups of subsidised miners, "Quite a 1 large number of miners have been steadily prospecting throughout the winter, where the ground has been frozen so hard that it is difficult to work on the surface," Mr. Jessep added. "Now that the warmer weather is to hand the Unemployment Board anticipntes that there will be a considerable extension of the gold-mining operations in. this area."

AND.THE UNEMPLOYED