RELIEF EXPENDITURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20922, 11 July 1931, Page 12

RELIEF EXPENDITURE.

ANOTHER USEFUL AVENUE. THE SEARCH FOR GOLD. PROSPECTING AND TRIBUTING. VAST VIRGIN TERRITORY. No. 111. Another avenue for the expenditure of unemployment relief funds which might result in a very substantial return to tho country is that of prospecting for gold •and following up efforts of tho past. Gold production has played an important part in the development,of the Dominion and new discoveries or any work which might stimulate enterprise in regard to tho one product'which does not, change in.value would be of particular importance

"To look for gold." v said one man of a pessimistic cast of mind, "would be akin to buying an art union ticket to stave off creditors." But the comparison is, not sound. Sustenance for which some work must be performed has to be given to many thousands of men.' In many cases the work created for the purpose is of no permanent or reproductive value. Tho aim should be to find it.

Obviously, the development of land is tho surest way of making relief expenditure return a permanent asset, but, unfortunately, all the unemp'loyed cannot lie, so -absorbed, and the chance of a rich gold strike being made is sufficiently alluring io justify a substantial allocation from the fund. Proposed Prospecting at Thames. This matter has been receiving attention among the mining authorities at Thames and proposals have been submitted to tho Government both for tribute operations in mines now idle and for prospecting in the back country. In regard to tributing, it is suggested that the men should receive £2 -for a full week's work, tho Government to receive one-third of the gold won, tho tributers one-third and the owners of the mine, who would be required to keep all levels open, onethird.

If the owners were unwilling to do this, the usual 10 per cent, would be deducted from tlie 8 bullion won and the balance divided between, tho Government and the tributers. The same rate of wage is suggested for prospectors.

"I support these schemes," said an old prospector of wide experience in New Zealand, "but I would suggest that the work be definitely declared relief. The Mines Department could be responsible to tho Unemployment Board for the selection of men and their activities. There is no payer of tho unemployment levy who would not bo glad to know that some of the money was being devoted to work of such importance. A little of it has. been done. Tho sura of £2OOO was voted, by tho Unemployment Board to the Mines Department, which has sent out some prospectors, but this is only a bagatelle. Chance for the Inexperienced, "It might be assumed by people without any knowledge of the subject that only experienced miners and prospectors could be employed to any purpose in such a scheme. This is not so. Ono experienced man could lead a party of six and direct their operations, and, provided the team were composed of men used to rough country and of ordinary intelligence, there need be no useless expenditure of energy. "One of tho richest strikes on tho Thames field was made by an inexperienced member of a party. Tho leader's system was to send each man out in different directions, having already taught them what kind of indication to look _ _for. J>ut tho discovery really was accidental. One of tho men went to a moss-covered face, over which water was trickling, to get a drink, and in balancing' himself against the rock his-hand broke the moss and revealed the gleaming colour wluch meant a fortune. "I would suggest that meetings be called of all the old hands on each goldfield, who would form a committee to direct operations, of course, with the full consent of the Mines Department, Varying Conditions.

"Prospecting in New Zealand naturally falls into different classifications. Alluvial prospecting of ono typo would bo carried out in Otago and Southland, of another in Westland and Nelson, and of another on the Hauraki field. It may not bo generally known that thoro is alluvial gold in tiio Hauraki district, though it is so fine that it cannot be by tho methods followed where it is coarser. Then there aro the prospecting opportunities in tho reef systems of tho North and South Islands.

"In Otago and Southland tho prospector would search in actual stream beds or in old drifts and altered water-courses. There any intelligent man is useful, though some experience is required in finding 'bottom' and in judging the probable run of the gold. All' canons of faith arc upset at times, as I found out when .at a time my resources were almost ended I struck a pocket containing £B4O worth of gold in what hnd always been supposed to ho a glacial slide."

Tho old prospector, whose enthusiasm roso with tho return of memories, spoke of Gabriel's Gully, the Beaumont, Roxburgh, Clyde, Waitnhnna, Skippers, Cardrona and other Olago fields, where, he said, gold would bo found again. Few of the old hands would say that these areas had been exhausted. Of Westland ho had no personal knowledge, but it was hardly likely that the country had rendered up all its gold wealth. The same applied to Nelson, " with its "five definite mineral belts, ■ and >'to ■ Marlborough, with the Mahakipcuvfi .and other prospects. Vast Scope in Hauraki Peninsula.

Tho conditions in' the Hauraki Peninsula wero vastly l different. "Here.'* he said, "wo havo what,.in my; opinion, is ono of tho world's great mineral fields. Tho ore bodies extend from the Great Barrier to To Arolm. Part of their history is: already written in the records of gold production, but 1 endorse the common saving-of tho old-timers, that the 'surface is only* scratched.' Great base metal or sulphide oro bodies aro known. I<V>r Instance, there is tlia western leg of tho vast Tokatea at Coromandol, and the gigantic iron reef which shows up near Tairua, These deposits, however, would rctpiirc > enormous capital for their exploitation , and profit would accrue at. a small percentage per ton over great production, so that they, need pot bo discussed in relation to relief employment.

j'lt is gold wo Want to find, and from Thames to Cape Colville is an enormous field for the prospector. And the prospectors have not died out. They are as keen as' over they wore, and-there are 'sufficient .of them to lead many hundreds of active 'hard men from the ranks of the unemployed in the romantic search. They .would soon teach the A.B.C. of the craft. "Seeing that gold odcitrs'irt so many different classes of formation, iriuch of which in ;the-H'auraki js.'up on end,' the leader would take samples of all kiijds and indiciitie the most likely. There are. countless thousand's of littlo giillies and gorges which aro still virgin tenilory. A tree or a shrub may cover a rich prospect. It is only by pokihg with a pick into likely ground that its secrets can be disclosed—and some of those secrets might mean millions.".