NEW GOLCONDA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14906, 3 February 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

NEW GOLCONDA.

12,000 DIAMOND-SEEKERS.. HOTELS HUGE PROFIT.

A few months ago diamonds were di*, covered at Bloemhoef, a farming district < on the bank? of the Vaal, just inside tho Transvaal border. The discovery was kept a secret for some time, but it gradually . became known, and as there is direct com. munication with the district from Cape-' town by way of Fourteen Streams, and from Johannesburg and Pretoria by way of Klerksdorp, prospectors have been enabled to reach Bloemhoef in thousands./* There is now a canvas town with a. population of 12,000. In a day or two the first 20,000 claims will be oilieially proclaimed, while it is expected that before the spring is over at least 550..000 claim* will have been staked out. A rough, temporary hotel has been erected in the new town, and its proprietor is reaping a harvest of at least £1400 a month profit, while some little eatin*. houses which have opened business *a?I making £300 a month. *" The usual mining camp stores have opened, and the enterprising owner is coming money. His prices are naturally fiffio takings are averaging The discoverer of an alluvial diecinz is entitled to select a block of 50 claim* and to hold them without paving license money. The owner then takes* 100 claims or three-tenths, whichever is the greater ' Then any white male person over the ago of 18 years may take out a license and peg off one claim. This lie can shift once a month till he finds a satisfactory place. J ' A claim is 150 ft square. The usual license money is £1 per claim per month' The tenant without mineral rights gets compensation for the cessation of his farm lease. The law is laid clown in the Transvaal Precious Stones Ordinance of .1903