THE SEARCH FOR GOLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23669, 29 November 1938, Page 5

THE SEARCH FOR GOLD

TO THE EDITOR Sir.—l, note in the Daily Times of Saturday a special report by your own correspondent dealing with a State effort to locate reefs, apparently in the back country of Westland. If the conditions as described in this report are correct, surely someone could adyist: the Mines Department that its time would be better spent elsewhere. It is very clear that this reef has suffered severe displacement in whole or in part by internal disruption or.a land slide—probably by both. No sane man or company would touch a reef like that with a view to operating. Where there is one reef, there are others, but there is not the slightest necessity to go back into inaccessible country; there are plenty of good reefs quite near home. In respect to any such effort in Otago, it would be unnecessary to go outside the city of Dunedin. Many will have noticed a considerable excavation at Dowling street corner last week. How many experienced men took notice of the stone disclosed close to the footpath? I have a piece of that stone. It belongs to the peninsula series of reefs, and would assay about 17dwt to the ton.

It would be very nice for the ratepayers to have the prospect of being free of rates in 10 or 15 years by operating a number of our local reefs in suitable places such as the Town Bell and down at the Leith Such operation would in ho way disfigure the Belt, as it would or could be all shaft work, and the stone could be removed for crushing. What do vou think of the idea? —I am. etc.. Geo. Livingston. 149 Moray place.