GOLD MINING CLAIMS

Evening Star, Issue 21170, 2 August 1932, Page 12

GOLD MINING CLAIMS

EXCITING OFFICIAL LOTTERY The South African Government has just concluded an official “sweep”— only in this case the prizes consisted of fourteen gold mine claims in a farm in the Sabie district of the Eastern Transvaal. More than b,OOO people took “ tickets.” ‘. Owing to the large number, of applications for licenses and the small number of claims available it was decided that it might be dangerous to have the customary rush, so the system of drawing lois w*as adopted, as provided for under the mining regulations. An announcement in the ‘ Official Gazette ’ read exactly _ like a lottery advertisement. It provided that at 10 a.m. on the day appointed all licenses taken out should be handed to the Mining Commissioner, who would allot a number to each license. A corresponding number would then be placed in a receptacle, and when this had been done fourteen numbers would be drawn, and the holders of the corresponding licenses would immediately proceed to peg one claim each. . A prospecting license costs 2s Gd a claim, so that for an investment of 35s anyone could have a chance on all fourteen claims. The low price of the “ tickets ” and the popular report that the claims could be sold for £SOO apiece brought joy to,the residents of the Eastern Transvaal. The scene of the drawing was much more picturesque than the Dublin affair. Up on a. mountainside close to the site of .the gold claims a vast and motley throng of hopeful people, had gathered after an arduous early morning trek across country in wagons, mule carts, motor, cars, trolleys, drays, bicycles, arid on horseback. The optimism inherent in the, human breast was shown by the fact that every man, woman,, and child among them had brought their pegs ready to demarcate a claim ‘ should they be among the lucky winners. Throughout the morning, under a grilling sun,' the crowd awaited patiently while the G,OOO numbers were marked and placed in a canvas bag and shuffled about in a grave and ceremonious manner by a sergeant of police. •Spurred by . the enthusiasm of the crowd, he shuffled and reshuffled again. Then the draw took place. Excitement grew to fever pitch when the drawer of the first claim was offered £I,OOO on the spot for his holding. Ho refused and marched off sturdily with his pegs to the site of the new goldfield, amid the thunderous cheers of the crowd. , But, whether lucky or unlucky, everybody voted the “ First South African Government Lottery ” a complete success.