AFRICAN GOLD MINES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23320, 13 April 1939, Page 13

AFRICAN GOLD MINES

VISIT OF ENGINEER A FLOURISHING INDUSTRY PROBLEM OF VENTILATION Life as a gold mining engineer in South Africa for 31) years has held many experiences for Air. F. G. Peckham, of Johannesburg, who arrived by the Roggeveen yesterday, accompanied by Mrs. Peckham. As an associate of a group of mining interests, Mr. Peckham has engagements with several mines, and one of Ibis great joys has been to watch the great development of Johannesburg from its earliest beginnings.

South African miming was entirely different from that done in New Zealand, he said. There were no dredges, but deep shafts had to be sunk to extract the ore. Many mines were located about 5000 ft. or 6000 ft. down, while one of the mines with which he was associated was 8500 ft. below the 6urface. -<■■■•

"Ventilation is our greatest problem," said Mr. Peckham. "Enormous fans, each capablo of creating a draught of 500,000 cubic feet a minute, are employed to sierve the mines, where large gangs of native labour are engaged in eight-hour shifts. Most of the work is done during the day. but there are many mines that work right through the night. The industry 6till flourishes, although the country has experienced something of a lull after the great boom of recent years." Mr. and Mrs. Peckham will leave the Roggevcen at Wellington, and travel to London by the Rangitane in about threo weeks,.