REWANUI NOTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 September 1917, Page 7

REWANUI NOTES.

PROSPECTING CONTINUED. [Our Own Correspondent.) Since writing* on the above subject in my last notes, I came across some of my old prospecting friends, both personally and also per medium of the post- Each said I have not done justice to the subject- In this I agree with them, but I am trying to do my bestMy growl, as I said before, is

going* to be :i continuous one against the Slate Mines Depart-, incut for not keeping prospecting parties and boring plant, on the move, instead of loaning the plant to private individuals. What can

anyone expert from a staff like the one .in Wellington, who are composed, from the chief down to the smallest office hoy, of individuals who know absolutely nothing' about the industry? If they

saw some poppet heads they would wonder what they wereThese State mines (with their large area of ground) are the only

mines on the Coast that have not got the prospector continually out. If other mining* companies can afford to prospect, surely the Stale canI daresay some of my readers wonder at my taking* up this sub-

ject so drastically. I will try to explain. In the first place the West Coast country is so broken ami rough, and in parts very faulty, that after the prospector has finished other individuals,

viz., surveyors, engineers, etc., have to come along. You must beai ■ in mind that the prospector is very seldom a college-educated man; lie knows practically nothing about the theodolite and taking levels scientifically, except in

his own rough way, with the compass, and a still rougher way with his levels , so that sometimes it takes years to open up a certain section of the country, for instance, the Kewanui line. Here we have a. valuable asset right alongside the very door of (freymouth, yet, through this wave ,of retrenchment and economy that is passing through the "Mines Department, it is allowed to stay idle and uuproduct ive. _ There are a good few of the old pioneers of the industry still knocking around these parts,, men who know the value of the country as far as mineral, deposits are concernedIf my readers could only see the specimens of the different minerals that were exhibited at the Christchurch Exhibition eleven years ago, gathered to-

■tli?r mostly by the old prospectors, and which gained the highest award, all from the "West Coast, they would understand our feelings, and also why we snort and growl at the indifference that is shown to one of the most needy propositions in front of the mining industry to-day. SOCIAL.

Of course, we had to have the usual social and dance last Saturday night. We must have some sort of attraction to keep the residents together, as we have had nothing more . sensational than a ‘‘cavil,” which always provides a mild excitement. A word of praise is due to the Rewanui > Social Committee for going to the trouble every week to provide an entertainment of some description. “Teddy”

Richards proved a great acquisition to the social, helping- our old M-C., Jack McPhee, wonderfully well, also hy his singing’. Messrs Ike Powell and Geo. Bell contributed items to make the evening pass smoothly. The ladies seem to take a very great interest in these gatherings. I am afraid of mentioning anyone individually, but I cannot let these notes go without a word of praise about the supper provided at every gathering, which is very daintily laid out. The" tfsual fortnightly euchre and dance is on Friday night, and from what 1 hear the prizes are very valuable-