DISCOVERY OF GOLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21986, 22 June 1933, Page 8

DISCOVERY OF GOLD

LEAD AT TUAPEKA MOUTH PROMISING PROSPECTS DISCLOSED What is regarded as a distinctly promising discovery of gold has been made by a party of prospectors, working on the lower reaches of the Molyneux River at Tuapeka Mouth. While as yet it ia too early to state definitely that the gold content of the wash which has been laid bare is large, it is reported that a dish prospect from the top levels reveals an average return of 12s per cubic yard, and that in one shaft, which has been “bottomed,” the gold can be seen gleaming in the gravel. The successful prospectors are Messrs J. Williamson, M. MTver and R. Walker. The first named has been engaged for 37 years mining and prospecting, and the party has until recently been prospecting on the Lammerlaw Mountains and at Waipori. As the returns which they obtained were not sufficient to warrant further work being carried out, a few weeks ago they transferred their operations to Tuapeka Mouth, where some mining was done in former years. Success has attended their new venture, and it is believed that they have discovered the old bed of the Tuapeka creek, which at the present time enters the Molyneux about one mile, above the site of the new claim. The prospectors’ belief is that the creek formerly flowed parallel with the river for a distance of approximately one mile, and that their shafts have laid bare the upper levels of the old bed close to the spot at which the creek then joined the main stream.

The prospecting work which has so far been carried out reveals that this old creek or “ lend ” is somewhere about five chains in width. As is usually the case when such leads are* uncovered, a good deal of water has been encountered, and It will, therefore, not be possible to open out the wash until a fully equipped plant has been installed. Such work us has been done, however, indicates that the wash is decidedly promising. In the absence of suitable plant for coping with the water it has not been possible to tost the depth or the value of the wash along the remainder of the lead, but it is presumed that further work in this direc tion will reveal that the find is one which will well repay exploitation. It will be recalled that the Tuapeka Mouth Gold Mining Company has recently been obtaining some very rich returns, and the opinion has been expressed that the new lead is a continuation from that company's claim. The party has now applied for mining rights over 1,7 acres, comprising a special claim of 12 acres in favour of Messrs Williamson and M‘Tver and one of five acres in favour of Mr Walker. The land on which the find has been made is Crown land, at present held by Mr O. Lucas, who has pegged out the entire road frontage as far as the Crookburn Creek. The result is that practically the whole area in that vicinity, if not the whole, is either covered by existing rights or has been pegged out and applied for. It is understood that the members of the party who have made the find have received, several offers of assistance in forming a company to develop the claim, but these have been declined. It is the intention of the prospectors' to work the lead by means of a hydraulic pumping plant, and they have the necessary capital to enable them to undertake this project.