SEARCH FOR GOLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19832, 30 December 1927, Page 7

SEARCH FOR GOLD.

EFFORTS IN AUSTRALIA.

GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY METHODS.

A definite attempt to discover further gold-beariqg ore deposits in. Australia is to be carried out next year. °-ofessor Sir T. W. Edgeworth David, who was interviewed in Sydney recently, referred to the value of geophysical methods in the location of sulphide ore bodies. In regard to the selection of Australia as a special part- of the Empire in which to make experiments on the most- up-to-date methods of discovering concealed ore deposits by "geophysical survey, he said that one of the greatest objectives at the present moment, more particularly for the Commonwealth), in regard to metalliferous ore deposits, was to discover more gold. Hitherto, said Professor David, no geophysical method had been invented which would reveal the prospects of gold-bearing quartz, but the particular method to be applied in the first case in Australia, which was the .electrical method, was capable of locating with great precision the position of sulphide ore deposits, such as sulphides of iron, magnetic pyrites, copper pyrites, sulphide of lead, and most vaneties of sulphides of zinc. "Without in any way* intending to anticipate the deliberations of the committee of scientists which has been appointed under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, and which is to assemble on January 13 at Hobart to advise about the best possible Sites for the commencement of the geophysical survey," declared Professor David, "it seems obvious vhat the most important type of sulphide ore deposits to locate will be on either of gold-bearing character or one which consists largely oi sulphide of lead, possibly also carrying silver. At the .same time, provided sulphide bodies of a, character such as copper pyrites or sulphide of zinc are proved to occur in large masses, even if they are not, in addition, gold-bearing, it may be possible to exploit them profitably., "One must not forget, however, that in view of the vast and cheaply-worked copper deposits of Katanga, in the Belgian Congo, it has been found impossible of late for Mount Morgan, in Queensland, to compete, and even at the Mount Lyell copper mine in Tasmania, with its excellent scheme of hydro-electric power, it is difficult to carry on with advantage on account of that competition. On the whole, therefore, it would seem most desirable, if a suitable field'can be found in Australia, to search by geophysical methods ior concealed deposits of gold-bearing sul phide, ores or silver-bearing sulphides of lead.

"The conference in Hobart on the subject of suitable areas for the geophysical survey will be held immediately preceding the gathering there of a large number of scientists from Australia and New Zealand, who are to attend the biennial congress of the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science."

Professor David pointed out that two experts, Mr. Broughton Edge, who had been experimenting abroad, and Mr. A. N. Lewis, of Melbourne University, who had been sent to Great Britain to learn the intricacies of torsion balance surveying, would carry out the geophysical survey. The former will arrive in Australia in March to begin the survey for ore bodies in the locality decided upon.

PROFITS IN A CAPITAL. LAND VALUES? IN CANBERRA. [from our own correspondent.] SYDNEY, Dec. 22, Purely as an investment, Canberra seems to be paying the Commonwealth. Land in the city area, for example, cost the Commonwealth £5 an acre. One site, when disposed of, realised £II,OOO. The lowest sales have been at the rate of £3OO an acre, which means that the territory will have paid for itself before many years. Grazing leases return to the Commonwealth in the capital area the sum of nearly £39,000 a year; ground rents in the city area, close on £IB,OOO, and house rents, the best part of £29,000 a year,

OIL FROM ROMA FIELD. PURCHASE OF 180 GALLONS. The first lot of Roma oil sold for commercial use, amounting to 180 gallons, was recently purchased by the Queensland Government Analyst, Mr. J. B. Henderson, on behalf of his two sons who are farming near Dulacca. Roma oil has been already used successfully in motorcars, but ihe 180 gallons purchased by Mr. Henderson will be used as fuel for a farm tractor. Mr. Henderson is deeply interested scientifically in oil development in Queensland, and by the purchase on behalf of his sons, he will be in a satisfactory position to observe the Queensland produced oil being put to practical test in farm work. *

AUSTRALIAN TIMBER DUTIES. MASTER BUILDERS' PROTEST. Addressing members of the Master Builders'. Association in Sydney recently the president, Mr. A. Howie, said that the new customs tariff on timber imported into Australia was nothing short of a scandal. It would not assist the local mills. Indeed, the local milla had themselves to blame for their condition. They were of the backyard type and incompetently conducted. Oregon could be bought free on board at British Columbia for 6s 5d a 72in. section, but in Sydney, it cost 27s to land, and of that amount 8s was paid in duty. The tariff, said Mr. Howie, meant that the consumer would be called upon to pay £1,100,000 on duties, and the extra cost of a workman's house would amount to £24. The Director of Forests had told him that the tariff would make no difference in the amount of timber cut in this State next year. Other speakers supported Mr. Howie and it was decided to protest against the recent duties to the allied' associations in other The increases in the duties were trenchantly criticised by Sir David Gordon; chairman of directors, at the half-yearly meeting to-day of Reid Brothers, Ltd., at Adelaide. Sir David said that there would be serious increases in the cost of building houses, which he estimated at approximately £25 for every workman's house", and at correspondingly higher figures for larger houses. Ad valorem duties on timber, he said, were now higher than any other ad valorem duties in the customs schedule, with the exception of spirits and cigars. On a quantity of Oregon, f.o.b. Seattle, costing £3 Is Bd, the duty amounted to £5 10s. The fixed duty on Baltic dressed timber represented more than 100 per cent. Consequently the new duties were a heavy tax upon the community. There was no substitute in Australia for the bulk of the timber affected by those duties and, even with higher rates, it was doubtful whether any of the States would benefit to any great extent.