Grey River Argus SATURDAY, August 18th. 1934. EXPANSION OF GOLD MINING.

Grey River Argus, 18 August 1934, Page 4

Grey River Argus SATURDAY, August 18th. 1934. EXPANSION OF GOLD MINING.

Far from bright as the Dominion's outlook may generally he. one feature at least is hopeful. It is the continued recovery of the gold industry. No part of the country, moreover, may claim to have had a more genuine revival than the West Coast, where a majority of the new claims have justified themselves, and the proportion of “duffers” has so fai been less than in former “booms.” ft is eminently desirable that this relative improvement of the quality of ventures put on the market shall continue. ®ne reason, is that capital is going to be available, so it is pre-

dieted, to a very great ext< it for the exploitation of the Dot inion deposits. The, localities thei ifore, where already there is a good average of successful enter rises, will be the ones to which o ’side capital is most certain to at traded. The promoter i who would induce investors else (here to stake their money in too risky or unprospeeted claims isl the enemy of all those cngagel in the industry who are out il act fairly. The Government h:i| decided to encourage development on a larger scale by single Inits of capital, legislating to ;llow much bigger areas to lie taken up, and to be held more seel ely in anticipation of eventual exploitation. This, no doubt, i to a degree, advisable in view <>i lhe necessity to work ground ofrilr er lower grade than that v I ch formerly used to be worked by smaller units. But there is :ls, another side to the picture. loi this or any other gold beat'll" area Ihe greatest benefit must*" derived to the extent that rib dents share in the produce of tin industry. Consequently, every facility' and encouragement ought to be given for parlies of praeli cal miners to work claims of Iheli

own. It will, doubtless, be helpfijil j toward large scale operations if men are available to commence | the prospecting of new country', I or of old mining areas where 11/" I deeper levels have not been adequately tested. But the idea! where subsidised miners are eoncorned. should be to give them more than a mere witge or dole interest in whatever development that their efforts may brine-. In many cases the subsidy, is operating in that direction, and it is to be hoped that the results as a whole will more than justify this policy. It may be said'that for prospecting on any other lines, the pay should be a standard rate It is, of course, obvious ‘ha; in all of the larger undertakings more than mere prospecting is essential, and those promoters whose organisation of eapit; 1 ami development is prudent, eeo i >mi-

eal and expeditious, are playing an important part. The time may be at hand, if more capital is forthcoming, when enterp ise should be tempered with even greater prudence than hitherto, so that success shall be the more assured, ft can be said that initial results in West Coast claims have mostly denoted wise judgment, and there has been little sacrifice of steadiness to the merely spectacular. The dredging section has given every evidence of this fact. Sluicing, which is usually well adapted for parties of men, should as it is revived hav" an equally* good record to present. In some instances improved processes are available, such as elevating, and companies may find good scope in that direction. If additional capital is laid out. however, quartz milling ought to come in for much attention, there being scope for energetic prospecting in the back country, and oversea investors would be favourably disposed by the great extent of the reefing in other countries to exploit the possibilities here. Alluvial deposits, however. remain on the West Coast to justify very extensive working and the indications are that they will yet be fully’ exploited.