GOLD PROSPECTING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16327, 25 August 1913, Page 9

GOLD PROSPECTING.

GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGEMENT. A WORD ABOUT SPECULATORS. [Fnoji Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 23. In the courso of the discussion, on the general Estimates last night, the member for Ohinemuri askod the Hon W. Fraser what he was going to do to encourage the gold-mining industry this year. He further expressed the opinion that the neglect of this- important industry had been such of late years that the time had arrived for a Minister to give his whole attention to it, or that at all events the portfolio of Mines should be separatod from that of Public Works. Mining deserved greater encouragement, and he contended a Minister could not do it justice if ho also held the Public Works portfolio. “It is very easy to say mining deserves encouragement,” retorted the Minister, “but where are you going to give it encouragement? There is nothing in which you can waste more money than bv an indiscriminate encouragement of mining.” Mr Poland replied that both the present and the past Governments lind grossly neglected the mining industry during tho past four years. “I do not think tho honourable gentleman is correct in saying thnt of either tho present or the past Government,” said Mr Fraser, who contended that as Minister of Mines ho had given the industry very considerable help, especially in tho North Island. Last year ho gave £IOOO towards developing the deep levels at the Thames, and he had also sanctioned another sum to assist prospecting parties in the Coromandel Peninsula. “In every case whero prospecting parties can persuade me thnt they are genuinely at work I will give them every possible assistance,” he declared. He added, however, that he was not going to use Government money in order to assist mining companies to delude the public into tho belief that there must be gold in this or that locality because tho Government was helping. The Government would always be willing to help bona fide prospecting parties, but it was not going to be made use of in order to servo private and speculative interests.