NEW GUINEA GOLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20924, 14 July 1931, Page 9

NEW GUINEA GOLD.

LARGE DREDGING ENTERPRISE TRANSPORT BY AEROPLANE. A largo gold-dredging enterprise, which, it is anticipated, will have an important effect on the development of New Guinea as a wholo, was discussed yesterday by Mr. W. A. Freeman, of Sydney, a through passenger from Vancouver by the Monowai. Mr. Freeman is chairman of direc- -

tors both of Placer Development, Limited, and of Bulolo Gold Dredging, Limited, and for the past six months has been abroad visiting London, New York, Vancouver and San Francisco on the business of these associated enterprises.

The property on which the Bulolo Company is commencing its operations, said Mr.Freeman, is in the Australian mandated territory of New Guinea on the Bulolo River, about 35 miles in a direct line from the port of Salamoa. It is toward the north-east of New Guinea. Hie strip of river flat which is now being opened up is 4 miles long and 2000 ft. wide, and the estimated depth of 22ft. of payable ground gives a total of approximately 40,000,000 cubic yards to work on. One of the first difficulties to be overcome was that of access and transport. The company was advised by an expert road engineer that a suitable road to the coast would require to bo about 90 miles in length and would tako two years to construct, at a cost of £225,000. It was therefore decided to adopt air transpoit, and although 2500 tons of machinery have to bo taken to the field, this up-to-date method is proving most satisfactory. According to' a message Mr. Freeman received a few days ago, the company s two all-metal Junker aeroplanes had by Julv 4 carried 377 tons of material in 153" flights. The flight from the coast to the dredging area takes only thnty minute, an* there » to,'emergency landing fields in between. Between 60 and 70 Europeans and more than 400 natives are now employed on the pmpertj. The m ? nag, D g-d.™<*>r «ftto Bulolo Company is Mr. C. A. Bank s formerly on the technical staff oi the Waihi Company, and brother, Mi\ K G. Banks, formerly superintendent of the Wailii mine, is also largely interested in the enterprise. It is proposed to put two 10 cubic feet dredges on the property, and the life of the workable area is estimated at about 12 years.