THE PROSPECTS OF NEW GUINEA

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4297, 5 March 1901, Page 3

THE PROSPECTS OF NEW GUINEA

The possibilities of New Guinea as a remunerative field for gold-mining operations have of late aroused widespread interest (writes the “Sydney Daily Telegraph”). And it is not altogether a'case of “distance lends enchantment to tho view.” Tho deposits of gold which have been proved show that there is a genuine opening for investors. The difficulties and expense of transit, high rates of wages, and the heavy expenditure entailed generally Tiavo «» far proved almost insuperable obstacles, but these dtoibUitio-i. are being gradually overcome, A large amount of Sydney, Adelaide and, Qviwmskiwt capital'to already invested in mining properties iu the mainland of Bintisb Now Guinea and adjacent islands, Mr 11,I 1 , Bondeson, who has just returned to Sydney, after an eightmonths’ exploring and prospecting trip to these now fields, on behalf of the British Now Guinea Syndicate, Limited, Ss accumulated a fund of interesting and valuable information. Speaking to i reporter, ho explained that he had confined his attention chiefly to the north-east coast of British New Guinea. With a party or four white men and twenty native “hoys,” he explored the Mambarc, Gira, Samusa Rivers, Tomati Waters and surrounding country. “I was the first white man to trace thc.se rivers to their source. In the case of the (lira and Kaniusa, I followed them up for about eighty miles.” Mr Bondeson is inclined to think ligiitly of the ferocity of thc_ natives. “T would go anywhere/’ he said, "wilb a, coimlo of men. I experienced no difficulty‘with thorn ; in fact, they matenalIv assisted me iu every possible way, especially in finding native food for myself and ‘boys/ . .. “For a. good distance up from the coast, the country is beautifully flat. and tho river flanks form large side-lin-ing beaches of gravel and driit. Aftei a very careful inspection, and thorough-

lv prospecting, I took up over 200 acres for my principals for gold-dredging purposes. “At the head of these rivers I have mentioned there ore very rich "••ddfsems —Hie Gira and Ikori field-;, and several other ATcli patches of alluvial.

A short time ago there were nearly 202 white men on these fields. The difficulty of getting provisions so far up country is to great, however, that men will not work for anything less than an ounce of gold (the local currency) per day. /A good many of them even refused an ounce a day. Butter costs .Is per lb tin; flour, 2s per lb; and so on. Ihe carriage alone amounts to Is Gd to Is Del per lb to the field. If men could get good food at anythin" like reasonable "prices, tiie.se fields would support a great number of men, as the gold is undoubtedly there —a spleiidhl sample, of good value, and easily got. This country forms the uatershed of the Gira river, while other rich patches along the Ycdtla Valley, AlcLaugldan creek, and Hudson creek drain into the Alamharc river.

‘’The difficulty of getting provisions’ is now being remedied. Three launches are being put on the Ka-musa river, which will convey goods up as far as possible, from whence they will have to he ‘packed’ by natives about fifty miles to the Yodda Valley field, the only one of the group being worked at present. These fields are large enough and rich enough to support a'large mining population, with wages at joz to .loz per day, when the contemplated improved transit arrangement:-; have been completed The rainfall is very heavy, and this fact accounts for so much gold bo-, ing carried down in the drift to the■ lower portions of the river. I lie streams are ail very wide, with a current of from three to four knots. The steamer President- lias been put on to run regularly to the mouths of these rivers, so that’ better facilities will in future be available for reaching the fields.' There wa.s suck a rush for mining areas in December that some of them had to be balloted for. Up to 23rd December, when Mr Bondeson left, over .';000 acres had been granted by the Warden’s Court, presided over by Air Justice Winter.

The Suloga mine, (on Woodlark Island;, which is owned by a Sydney company, was also visited by Air Bondesou. The machinery had just arrived from Sydney, and was being erected. From his own observations ho formed the opinion that the property was all that it had been represented to he. All the mining country around the Woodlark Island Proprietary has also been taken up.

On the mainland largo areas have recently boon taken up for cultivation purposes. As to. the prospects of snob industries as growing c-offcm, sugar, rice, spices, coeoainits, and imliarnbber. Air Bondesou speaks enthusiastically. The Hon do* Aioloyns, a brother-in-law of Lord IJopctonn, has secured IT) square miles of country for plantation purnoses.