SNOWY RIVER SLUICING CO.

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1932, Page 9

SNOWY RIVER SLUICING CO.

CONTROVERSY CONTINUED.

Mr A. Fischer, had an interview with the district correspondent of the “Star” regarding Mr E. Lemon’s letter on the "prospects of the Snowy River Sluicing Co. Mr Fischer, who has had fifteen years’ experience in dredging and sluicing, stated that he had thoroughly prospected the claim at Snowy River for the last three months and had taken samples from all faces. He has also had men there who had never washed a dish before, and their results were, as good as that stated in the prospectus. When prospecting in the first instance independent of the owners, he could not believe the excellent results obtained but now after three months’ prospecting had proved that results ob tained in the first instance were correct. Mr Fischer said that when Mr Lemon was speaking to him and Mr Pettigrew some three months ago, Mr Lemon spoj<e favourably on the Snowy claim. Mi’ Fischer has not met one man who has tried Snowy and has not spoken very favourably on same.

Interviewing Mr M. Flynn regarding Mr Lemon’s statement that Mr Flynn did not st;op him from working the claim, Mr Flynn stated that he did stop Mr Lemon owing to the tailings going on to his freehold property. Mr G. Quinn worked the claim till he drove to a depth of two hundred feet, and had to abandon same owing to having two feet of water in the face. He made £9 a week when working, and only stopped through lack of fall. The Sijowy Company is now floated, and the surveying of the race will commence by the end of this week. This work is expected to take about a month and the race will be started as soon as survey is completed. The race will be put in by contract. Small parties of men will be given small sections at a time, and it is to be completed as early as possible.

[to the editor.] Sir, —My attention has been drawn to a letter appearing in the ‘‘StaF’ of Monday last under signature of E. A. Lemon. As he attempts to cast some doubt on the value obtainable on this claim I should like to give you my experience of it. I spent three hours panning prospects, and in that time obtained over 5| pennyweights. It is rich ground. I‘ think it is the best sluicing proposition I have ever seen. I have had over 12 years experience of sluicing at Kumara, and I have no hesitation in stating that in all my experience I have never seen anything to compare with it. I have no interest in the claim, and give you my opinion as above, as I consider an attempt has been made by Mr Lemon to discount the value of the property. I am etc.

F. G. THORN. Hukarere, February 12. [TO THE EDITOB.] Sir,— Referring to Mr Lemon’s letter of recent date. Mr Lemon is so well known in the Grey Valley that the value of his statements can be readily assessed by Coast people. He is doing no service to the Coast in his crude attempt to throw bricks at the Snowy River enterprise. His questioning of the value obtained there by such men as Mr J. Aynsley and Mr Geo. Pettigrew, I will not comment on, except to say that these gentlemen have had so much experience and are so well and favourably known that the great majority will accept their statements. Mr Lemon, however, questions the report of the late Mr Nicholas Lawn. I am sure those of your read-

ers who had the pleasure of knowing Nick Lawn will have no difficulty in deciding which of the two statements is correct. I am etc. H. P. LEWIS.

Certain personal comments have been deleted from this letter. —Ed., “Star.”