MINING DEVELOPMENTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1918, Page 3

MINING DEVELOPMENTS.

ALLUVIAL PROPOSITION, NEAR LAKE KANIERI.

It was announced during the week that the well-known Humphreys Gully water race had been purchased with view to taking the water on to the new goldfield prospected by the Westland Gold Mining Syndicate near Lake Kanieri. The Humphreys’ race was constructed many years ago at a cost of about £130,000 to work alluvial ground at Humphreys Gully, Arahura Valley. The water was taken from the upper reaches of the Arahura river, and brought on to the field where it was utilised for several years. After being worked for a period on tribute,

mining operations ceased, but the right to the valuable water race wan still kept intact. Naturally, however, the race has fall into considerable disrepair.

The Westland Mining Syndicate of which Mr T). Ziinan of Wellington is the principal director has been prospecting for some months past in the • region between Kanieri Forks and Lake Kanieri. Those prospecting operations were directed by Mr Bassett of the Nelson district. In all, about £3OOO were spent in this work, and the enterprise has been rewarded by an important gold discovery in the vicinity of Lake Kanieri. It is understood that, the run of gold Inis' been proved for some distance, and as water was essential for working [the • ground, it was determined to acquire the Humphreys race which commands the new field.

As to tile prospects of the new field the discovery, of gold has boon sufficient evidently, to warrant a substantial figure being’ paid for the water race. The cash price for the race is understood to be. G 12.500 with some paid up interest in shares in the new company. -With repairs and extension of the race to the row field an estimated cost of an additional £17,500 is involved, so that the total eost of bringing water to the field, a distance of some eighteen! miles, will run into about £OO,OOO. The repairs and extension will require the employment of a large body 'of labour, and for a time as many men as ran he got, will be placed on the works. The utilisation ' of this water right does not affect any natural asset of public value, as the water is to be taken bv gravitation from the sources of supply in the Upper waters of the Arnhura, to the new

goldfield. , . It is intended to ereot a sawmill (already .acquired) in the vicinity of tin l gold find, to provide the .hp&terial for race construction, mining l'nents and building material for the sheds, works and hutments in connection with the operations. For this purpose a branch road about two miles in length will require to he constructed, including a bridge over the Kanieri River. The route of the road will he determined next week, but will branch off the main road to Lake Kanieri on the town side of the Hatchery reservation, and strike into the higher country across the river, which flows past the Hatchery property. A sawmilling area of 400 acres has been taken up, with four additional reservations. As soon ns the service road can he provided, the milling plant will he transported to the field and set np. when active operations will he pushed on. It will he seen that a very considerable enterprise is involved in the large proposition, which must give the district a great- fillip. It should be mentioned that this undertaking represents only one phase of the Syndicates’ activities, as dredging is to be carried on. also in the Arahnra Valley, where some 100 acres of well prospected ground have been acquired, and the best available dredge in the Dominoiu is to be nut on the area as fast a-s the labour can he got to perform the transfer. It only remains to wish the projects all success which we do heartily. Tlie success attending the outnost prospecting is particularly gratifying for it bears out the contention that on alluvial fields are far from exhausted, and givos warrantry for faith hi an extended life for gold-mining in Westland.