BACK FROM PROSPECTING.

Otaki Mail, 3 July 1933, Page 2

BACK FROM PROSPECTING.

LEVIN PAETY'S EXPBBLENCES IN STUECHISON COtTNTKY. SATISFACTOBY RESULTS OBTAINED. A trio of Levin young men have come away from the West Coast for the time being, after spending an interesting if .strenuous time there, gaining experience in gold prospecting. They are Stanley IM.udgv.ay and AViiiiam Malcolm, who have returned to Levin, and Harry Channings, jun.. who had to break his return journey at Wellington ou'ing to a slight illness, but who is expected to bo home shortly. Although their sojourn in the ilurehison district involved a good deal of '" roughing it," and in the last month the coTd was intense, they learnt the ins and outs of placer ruining, and only left it when water became too scarce for these operations, owing to the amount of freezing which takes place in the winter at the high altitude .where they were working, the territory being among the spurs of the Speneer Eange. It it their intention to return to that district in the summer. To qualify for the prospecting tub- : sidy, the- party had to work on county roads for two mouths, ■ receiving 15s each for a three-day week. Afterwards they went on the prospecting "field and obtained the Government subsidy of Iss a week iier inan, whieh is paid subject to a royalty to the State of 10 per cent, of the gold won. "Colour" was soon obtained, and the young men made a satisfactory living. The gold is of first quality, and there are thousands of a»-res as yet untouched in this prospecting country, about forty miles from Jiurchison. It is in the Howard district, where some three hundred men have been gold seeking thi* year. Married men are allowed to earn 35s a week on the roads, aud when they go on the field their eubsidy is 30s, subject to the same royalty as in the ease of the single .-..-.:.. - The country is rough, necessitating the use of but prospeetore have accustomed themselves to.it; slab hats, as well as tents, have been put tip, and there even are families living on the field.