GOLD MINING

Grey River Argus, 22 August 1934, Page 8

GOLD MINING

Yesterday’s quotations were: Stafford Sluicing Is 2|d, Is 6d; Waihi 31s 6d, 32s 6d; Waitahu —, ss; Worksop Extended Is 74d, Is 9d; Argo Dredging 4d, 41d; Moonlight-Nelson Creek —, fid; Mossy Creek Is Id, Is 6d; Nevis Diesel —, 4d; Okarito Bs, 8s 3d; Skippers 74d, 8d; Addison’s Flat —, 2s 4d; Alexander 17s, 19s 6d; Alexander (13s 6d paid) 14s 6d, 14s 9d; Bell Hill Is, 2s 6d; Bell-Hooper sd, 6d; Bell-Kilgour —, sd; Goldfields Dredging Is 2Ad, Is 3ld; Lawson’s Flat —, sd; Maerewhenua —, 64d; Mahaki pawa 10jd, lid; Mahakipawa (pref.) Is 21d, Is 4d; Mataki 2s, —; Big River 9d, 114 d; Brian Boru Is 3d, Is 34 d; Consolidated —, 19s 6d; Deep

Lead Is 9d, 2s; Gillespie’s Is lid, 2s; Glenroy Is lid, Is 24d; Golden Point 2d, 3d Mataki Gold Dredging Company’s official return st ales the yie’d ’Of <>G ounces of gold last week tor 13/ hours was obtained from 14 000 yards of material.

The half yearly report of the Mahakipawa Company to June 30 states that for the six months proceeds of gold won, realised, and accrued at £9459. Wages and salaries totalled £3289, mining materials £863, electric power £742, cartage and freight £66, insurance £122, and general expenses £27, leaving a gross profit of £4350. From this are deducted general expenses, including travelling and legal expenses and fees, £334, and the net balancetransferred to the appropriation account is £4OlB.

The following information has been cabled to the London office of the Waihi Gold Mining Company, Ltd:— For the period ended August 4, comprising twenty-two crushing days, 18,566 tons of ore were handled, and 1075 fine ounces of gold and 30,179 ounces of silver. This includes 1583 tons mined from the Grand Junction area, which yielded 426 fine ounces of gold and 1075 fine ounces of silver. Development work for the month was as follows:—-No. 4 level, north branch of Martha lode: The winze is now branch sunk at 130 ft. West No. 5 level Martha lode: At 800 ft west the crosscus has been commenced northwest, and is out 34ft. No. 6 level, north branch of Martha lode: Driving west the next 35ft is ore of good grade. The lode is about 14ft.. wide. Grand Junction: No. 6 level, royal lode in intermediate level of 40ft (up—No. 10 rise 44ft) has been driven east. The assay value is 41/9 a ton. The width of the lode varies from 3ft to a width greater than the drive. Sixty-eight feet has also been driven west. The assay value is 28/9 a ton, and the width of the lode varies from 2ft to sft. The Moanataiari battery, the last big mining structure loft at Thames, has been sold, according to a report made by Mr. C. A. Wilkin, liquidator for Moanataiari-Kuranui Consolidated Ltd., but the buyer’s name has not yet been disclosed. NEW MINING LEGISLATION. DUNEDIN, August 21. A meeting of interested bodies, comprising the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, the Otago Farmers’ Union, the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association, lhe Otago Agricultural and Past'oral Society, the Stock and Station. Agents’ Association, and the Otago Expansion League, was held to discuss the provisions of the Mining Amendment Bid new before the House of Representatives. The following resolution was carried :—■ “That in the opinion of firs meeting. the destruction of good arable land by sluicing, etc., is a national loss. “That this meeting is unanimously of the opinion that perm’ssion for mining, sluicing, etc., of good arable land be granted only in cases where it has been proved that the land is rich enough to warrant its being despoiled for all time. “That where any land is made available for mining, full compensation be paid the amount of such compensation to be settled by arbitration. and to take into account the value of the area despoiled in relation to the whole property. “That where the land is of agricultural va’ue, provision should oe made for replacement of soil.” It was decided that each body appoint a delegate to a sub-committee to consider steps for the production of evidence before the Mines Committee of the House.

NEW GUINEA GOLD. AUCKLAND August 20. The ronrintie development of fli? Bulolo goldfield, in the heart of New Guinea, was described bv Mr Hambridge, chai: man of New Guinea Goldfields. I/m'ted, who is passing rhrcugli Auckland on the Aorangi on a business trip to Canada, New York and 'England. The wonderful auriferous deposits in the Bu’olo valley were discovered by one or two hardv prospectors wb n braved the dangers o r the vast jung’e with its cannibal tribes to find t~‘‘‘ upland valleys that are now regarded as one of the richest prospects of the world. To-day a magnificent fleet -• aeroplanes enables passengers and freight to reach the same d : stance in 35 minutes from one coast, or one and a half hours from the other. This transport service alone constitutes one of the marvels of modern travel. During the last five years, more than 20,000 tons of freight have been carried over wild, precipitous country. Dredges and mil’s in lions have been safely landed at the mines. Fresh food is delivered from ••old storage at Palamana, and even ciicket teams are carried to their matches from time to time.

The. younger children at Bulolo know- of no other means of travel than by aeroplane. Thirty ae oplancs •ire in constant use transporting pas««ngers, mining gear, and food, and carrying out the gold won in the mines. Within a few years th’e field has progressed from the stage when a few pioneers were living in constant danger among hostile tribes to

that of to-day with huge dredges each handing 250 000 yards of mater •a] a month, with an average return about 3s a yard.