TUAPEKA NEWS

Evening Star, Issue 20671, 19 December 1930, Page 12

TUAPEKA NEWS

[From Our Cohrispondsxt.] LAWRENCE, December 18. A good deal of attention has of late been given to the need of the Government affording more assistance to the mining industry in the way of prospecting and developmental work in many centres, and such work, wisely controlled and directed, would open up another avenue for unemployed miners. One locality that should bo thoroughly investigated is the Canada Reel country, in the Table Hill district. Two companies were in operation there in the ’seventies and met with a good deal of success, but unfortunately the conditions under which, they carried on and in the absence of well-equipped plants and of the practical knowledge so essential in these latter days - of scientific quartzreefing, the country was not put to,a thorough and systematic test to provnj its actual value. It certainly is country that demands more attention than it has,yet received, either at the hands of the prospector or the capitalist interested in mining. _ „ , The late Prolessor G. H. F. Ulrich, F.G.S., in his joint work with the late Professor Hutton, F.G.S., ou ‘lbe Geology and' Goldfields of Otago,’ gives a very interesting report on the Canada Reef, in which he stated “ that the length the reef is traceable reaches perhaps a mile, and it has more or less extensively been worked at various places by adits, deep, open cuttings, and shafts over a distance of nearly half a mile, the workings furthest west lying high on the steep mountain slope facing tlie north branch of the Tokomainro River. ... As regards the nature of the reef, it consists of alternating blocks of good and hungry-look-ing quartz and mullock, dipping apparently eastward at a steep angle, and varying in thickness from 2ft to /ft. A small block of hungry, white, and glassy stone exists close east of' tho main shaft, but further on fine seamy, ferruginous quartz appears in the eastern drive, and continues, though interrupted by occasional small bands of mullock tho whole distance of the windlass shaft. West of the main shaft the reef looks Well and carries much pyrites along to very near the end of the drive, where a block of mullock makes its appearance. All the quartz passed through contains gold in very fine particles. . . • The quantity ot stone available in this way on the eastern side alone will bo very considerable. as by far tho greater part of the backs between the level and the surface is still standing, and the windlass shaft lies 50ft higher than the mam shaft. Touching the yields, they are rarely above sdwt of gold per ton, and according to the legal manager of the company the mine pays its way at less than—and leaves a profit at—that figure. From what I could (earn- about the character of tho reef in the old workings towards the west, it is very similar as in those described—i.e., blocks of quartz alternated with such of mullock, and tho former proves more or less auriferous. At one place, in fact, in an adit from the steep slope facing the Tokoraaiciro River a patch of stone was found yielding soz of gold per ton. The reef might on this side be opened by an adit from tho river at a depth of 300 ft or over. . . . On considering the character and extent of tho reef, in connection with the fact that with good management so small a yield as sdwt per ton, and from so small a quantity of stone as the. small battery is able to crush, already leaves a profit, I think there can hardly bo a doubt that the mine would become a steady dividend-paying one if worked on a larger scale and with increased crushing power. About six chains to the north of the reef just noticed, and running quite parallel with it. its strike being east and west, and the dip north at 75deg to 80deg, there is another reef, originally worked by tho Table Hill Company, but for a long time neglected. This is also reran rf.ahly well defined, judging from the fine smooth walls exposed in the top pari of tho old workings, which extend tor seven to eight chains in length. _ Its thickness ranged «n these workings fiom 2ft to 7ft, and its block structure find tho mode of occurrence of the gold were quite the same as in the Canada Reef.' The top portion paid in tlie average sdwt to 6dwt of gold per ton, but in depth it became poorer, the stuff from about 150 ft down, where it was opened, but not much worked, by an adit from the northern face of the hill, yielding only about 2dwt to 3dwb_ per ton. This, in connection with considerable expense attached to the timbering of the workings, and more especially to the conveyance of the stone to tho crushing machine, brought the mill to a standstill.”

A great deal of prominence throughout the country is being given just now to the question of hospital and charitable aid expenditure and the heaviness of the burden which lias to be borne in relation thereto by contributing local bodies. This . burden becomes

heavier and heavier as tho years roll round, and tho taxpayer who contributes either directly or indirectly wants some measure of relief. Many are disposed to think that the Consolidated Fund should bo entirely responsible for the expenditure and that it is unfair to cast practically half the cost of hospital maintenance on tho contributing local bodies whose ratepayers are directly taxed. The Tuapeka County Council at its last meeting had tho question under consideration, but members realised that it would be a very hard matter to induce the Government to take over the full responsibility of the expenditure., Representations arc, however, to bo niade on these lines to the proper quarter, and time will tell with what result.

During, the discussion that ensued some interesting official information bearing upon hospital expenditure was vouchsafed by tbe county chairman (Mr D. M'Lcnnuu), who is the local representative on tho Otago Hospital Board. Ho mentioned that for tho year ending March 31, 1929, 5,952 patients were treated in tho various institutions under the board’s control. The levies on local authorities within the board’s jurisdiction amounted to £49,832 14s 4cl, of which £IO,OOO was for capital expenditure. Tho total cost of hospital maintenance for the period was £101,272 11s 2d, and the total fees received amounted to £78,289 7s ] Od, of which £30,824 19s was collected. The percentage of fees collected from those assisted was 39.4. The average number of patients in'hospital per day during the year was 526. Tho stops taken to collect fees (continued Mr M‘Lennan) were as follow;—When the patient was discharged ho was handed an account for the cost of his maintenance. Ho was then written to periodically, and if after a reasonable amount of time no arrangements have been made with regard to a settlement, and it is considered that ho is in a position to pay, tho account is placed in the hands of the board’s solicitors for collection.

The motor lorry is competing keenly just now with the railway in the transport of wool from the interior to tho seaboard. One heavily-laden motor which passed through Lawrence a day or two ago is said to have come from the Lakes district. A larger number of lorries than usual is now on the main roads.