GOLD MIRING AND SETTLEMENT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 14, 17 January 1912, Page 3

GOLD MIRING AND SETTLEMENT.

DEVELOPMENT IN THE WAKA-

MARINA

An interesting discussion arose at the Land Board's meeting yesterday ■out of a motion by Mr Reader "That nil the sections on the east side of the Wakamarina. River be withdrawn from selection."

Mr Reader urged that it was essential to tho recent gold-mining developments in the Wakamarina that the sections were traversed by the line of roef, and so promising were the mining operations that it would be a great mistake to hamper them. Ho reminded members that on a recent occasion he proved the worth of the mining industry by producing £50 worth of gold won from the locality in question. The Golden Bar mine was now employing 25 men, and a large sum of money was being spent on the erection of a battery. There was every prospect of the mining going ahead, and it would be wrong to ■put an obstacle in its way. Settlement would mean burning, and, as the mining ground, would have to be timbered all the way, the danger to the mining interests would be very great if> the land was allowed to be occupied. The block in question was of a compact description, and other settlement would not be interfered with.' Mr Boyd seconded the motion. He did not think the Board would be doing any great harm in withdrawing the sections, which could be easily reopened for settlement if the mining industry did not warrant their continued reservation. In any case the sections had gone a-begging for settlers. They had been available' for settlement for some time, and no one ; would take them up.

Mr Fulton strongly opposed the motion.--.They had- seen a lot of money spent on "wild-cat" schemes. He did not say that this reef, was going to be a failure; but he could not see why the mining should be given preference to settlement. As for saying that the land was no good for settlement, there- were men who had a, better acquaintance with it than had either himself or Mr. Reader, and they said that it was better than it was supposed to be, especially at the top* end. \Mr JE. Hart; who had taken up a section in that locality, "said that people who talked lightly about that land did not know -what; good land was.. Mr Hart described his place as better than the property he held in the Kaituna. It would be a great mistake to shut settlement oi.it. The whole trouble was that the public did not know the country for what it was really worth. The mining "interests would not cut the place up very m.uch apart from the waterways and tramway, and settlement should be allowed to proceed. To deliver the ground over to the mining interests would simply mean that the place would become a i propagating ground for noxious weeds, which Would spread abroad. At Mahakipawa they did not knov/ what noxious weeds were before the mining started. Now they knew all about them. Mr McCallum said h3 had an open mind' on the matter; but, in view of the facts that the land had been open for settlement for some considerable time and no one come forward except the mining people, who objected to its occupation, he would support the motion. Everything pointed to the success, of the mining industry, and he thought that the mining should be given a fair, chance. The Board could easily re-open the land if it were found advisable to do so. If the mining industry advanced it would1 be generally beneficial to the district. ......

The Commissioner said it. was certainly true that no applications had been made for-the sections by intending settlers. It was his first exneri- | ence of a mining district, and he j found that miners' and settlers did not } go. together very_ well. His sympathy was not with mining where it made a mess of the land to the detriment of settlement; but, on the other hand, if the operations at the WakaI marina were going to be a success, he did not think any harm would be done by protecting it to the extent desired. Mr Fulton, referring to Mr Reader's remarks, said! that he had seen men holding gold which had came from claims not worth twopence.

Mr Reader said that Mr Fulton had referred to "wild-cat" schemes, but such remarks could refer only to river-dredging. A lob of gold had been won from the local livers, but operations had not proved payable. This was the first time, however, that that district had been tested by a battery; and the test had turned out better" than was expected. Twentyfive men had been employed at the battery for nine or twelve months; and so satisfied were the interested parties that they were putting in up-to-date machinery. He had seen a report from . the mine manager in which the opinion was expressed that the ground was quite equal to, if not better than, the Waihi country. If the developments continued there might be 200 or 300 working at the mine. If the venture proved a failure the Board could re-open the land for settlement in one month. The particular section referred to by Mr Fulton was on the other side, where gold had never been "discovered, in any quantity. Mr Nees's milling area opposite the battery would make very good settlement land when it had been cut out. Even if the sections he proposed should be withdrawn were let with the back country a good deal of expense would have to be incurred in roading them. As for noxious weeds, they were found for the most part on diggers' camping grounds, and the camps and the weeds would be there even if the sections were let.. He thought that in the great interests of the district the mining should be given a fair trial. ~,,_., The/motion was carried, Mr 1< ulton dissenting.

How many missing men of the We -s Coast goldfields during the early sixties of whom there is no record it is impossible to form an estimate (remarks an exchange). Again, not a few whose bodies Imve been found in those ea.r-ly days wore interred without any means of tracing their identity. In one instance a miner passed sway at Deadman's Creek, RosstoAvn, name unknown, and the remains found «, resting place a few chains above the Reefton bridge en the south bank of the river, but were later exhumed and laid in the Reefton cemetery. About tlie same time a miner died, name also unknown, and was buried at the foot of Devil's Creek. In Iris case, shortly before death', he and his mats unearthed! a 370z. nugget, but even th© mate was uivible to fnive his name. The remains still lie at the foot of Devil's Creek.