SEARCH FOR GOLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21245, 27 July 1932, Page 12

SEARCH FOR GOLD

COROMANDEL AND THAMES* PROSPECTORS AND TRIBUTERS ENCOURAGING OPERATIONS [by telegraph own correspondent] THAMES, Tuesday A* survey of gold prospecting opera- . • u "kt*• T\V Smith, overseer tions given by Mr. J. ami , under the Unemployment Board s No. 5A scheme, shows that about 100 are engaged under- the scheme. Before the scheme started last November very little gold was being produced at Thames, but between November and Christmas a considerable amount was obtained. Sinc V^" st ™ a * the men have produced just on £SOO worth of gold and will receive on that a bonu when the bank returns are received from A One party of prospectors, working in Mata Creek, below Tapu, had been prospecting for several months without success, but during the. last week they struck some very rough gold in a small creek. Some could bo classed as nuggets, and if was undoubtedly gold shed from some rich lode which has yet to be discovered. In the Tapu Creek there are six parties engaged, and two have very encouraging prospects. _ _ u At Puhoi Creek, near the Mount Zeehan mine, a party of prospectors crushed eight tons of ore for a return .of gold valued at £BB, on which they have yet lo get the bonus. At Tararu Creek, north of the old Eclipse mine, several parties have exposed reefs, but it is too early yet to give anything definite as to. the value. In regard to tributing operations,, j.a party in the old Waiatahi mine has been meeting with very encouraging results. Several parties in the Lucky Shot at Moanataiari Creek have had as high as lOoz. to the ton. A party in the old Moanataiari tunnel had a crushing of ono ton of ore, which returned 9oz. of gold. They are now sinking to get a larger block opened up on that area. A party in Te Papa Gully, at the back of Una Hill, had several crushings which reached over 3oz. to the ton. Reviewing the operations under No. 5 scheme, Mr. Smith said some of the parties had quite long distances to drive before intersecting various reefs. Even if they did not strike it right, the little gold won was a great help to the industry and the tefwn.' A factor against the prospector was that the back country in the Coromandel Peninsula was very rough, and at this time of year both wet and cold. Ihe men have had to build their own camps and put up with severe hardships before they get their camps built. They had to carry all their goods and necessities out on their backs. - A lot of the men had done marvellous work and deserved every encouragement, said Mr. Smith. . Now that the days were lengthening there should be a big difference, concluded Mr. Smith, for the men would be able to prospect further afield from their base camps. Taken all round, prospects for a revival in the mining industry were very encouraging. SHOTOVER RIVER CLAIM 80OZ. OF GOLD IN FOUR WEEKS [by telegraph—press association] ... ... DUNEDIN, - Tuesday A Dunedin resident' who has just returned from the Shotover* River states I there are six members in the Invercargill syndicate which is reported to have struck a rich gold find on the Shotover. i The leader is Mr. Ned Oxenbridge, who, t with his son and other members of the ! family, has worked the Shotover for 10 S years. The claim is eight miles from Queenstown in very rough country. The estimate of 5000oz. of gold in the deposit is based on a return of 20oz. weekly which the paddock has yielded during the past four weeks. The successful mining of the claim depends on the vagaries of the river, which is noted for sudden rises. At present the syndicate's wing dams are 2ft. above the water level, hut a rapid thaw in the back country would cause a suspension of operations. The visitor states that there is no surface gold there for the amateur miner. Some years ago the same syndicate obtained £25,000 less than a milo below the present claim. Most of this was expended in machinery and gear.