RIVERTON DISTRICT MINING ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2242, 18 February 1897, Page 19

RIVERTON DISTRICT MINING ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of tha lliverton District Mining Association was held on Monday, Bth iust., the Provident, Mr V. R. Hackwovth, in the chair. At the annual meeting a motion was passed ibat the Government be written to requesting them to send an expert to report ou the goldbearing area of the Longwood, and the chairman intimated that a reply had been received to that co^iiauuicatioa to the efiect that if the Reolocist at piesent engaged in the Tbaraes-Hiuraki district were finished his wok there in time, he would visit tbis district early next Rpring. It was decided to thnnk thfi Government for their reply, and inform them that thn association would suspend prospectiDfC i. perations pending the visit and repn-t of the expert. Ross Robertson wiote stating that, having beeti in a particular part of the Longwood which bore no evidences of p-ospecting ev<-r having been c*rried on there, p.nd having found indications of gold and quartz recf^, he asked for assistance in order to enable him to lest the ground further. The writer having bei-n mvited to describe the locality did so. He said it was ou the b.ime elevation as the other parts of the Longwood which had been found to b« auriferous, and cont»ined some fine specimens of hard quartz. In the creeks, which contained plenty of black sand, he had got colour, the sold being fine. The locality was at tho back of the big shoulder of the hill, iv a north-westerly direction, and was six miles beyond the limit of the latt prospecting uone by thn association. After some fimne.r particulars, he offered to go out for £2 a week. The -chairman imid all the funds they had were £14, on which the Government would give £14 subsidy, making a total of jCCB That would not go f*r, and he thought it would be better to defer doing anything further uutil they had the report of the Government txpert. Mr Willetc meutioued that if only one luau were employed the subsidy would be 10s on £2, the ftgroeinent with the Government b'iing that they would give l(b per man. Mr Neave said he would like to sue Mr Robertson's offer accepted, but at the same time he thought it wiser that they should havo an expert's report before spending any m >re money. Once the export had located auriferous country then was the time to send out men, and nothing would bo lost, but everything would be gained, by deferring the matter uutil springtime. Mr Willst said it would be useful to noti the place referred to by Mr Robercson. and the expert could, among others, visit it. Mr M'Lwd thought they should expend the money they had in the way contemplated, but the association could only pay men who were iv a position to do with sufficient to keep them, and who would trust to any discovery to reward them for their labour. Mr Taylor Kaid Mr Robertson had evidently found country not prevhutly prospected, and he thought it would be a right move to assist him to prospect it. Ho moved that Mr Robertson be employed for one month at £2 a week. Considerable discussion ensued, aud as such a course would reduce the Government subsidy as well as diminish their funds, Mr Taylor withdrew his motion, and the following, proposed by Mr Neaye, seconded by Mr Taylor, was carried—" That in view of the promised visit of the Government expert to inspect aud report on the auriferous ground in the Lougwood, it is? desirable to delay procepdings uutil such time &i the report hto hand." It waa decided to inform Mr Robertson of the resolution arrived at, and silso that the association were favourably impressed with hij account of the new country. The matter of increased facilities for prospecting to the weit of the Waiau wa<j then discussed, the opinion being that the mining activity displayed .it the Waiau wan evidence that if there were facilities for prospecting the country in all P'obability good payable gold would be found. The best way to assist the prospecting of that particular part of the country, it wa3 thought, would be the cutting of a track from the west of the

Waiau to Wilson River. Mr Thomson moved— " That the attention of the Minister for Minos be drawn to the immediate necessity there is for a track to Wilson River in order to make the intervening country eai-y of access to prospectors ; that a copy of this resolution be sent to the member for the district to be forwarded to the Minister ; atd that the, member for the district be asked to co-operate, with the association in urgtug on the Minister the uecefcsity and desirableness of having such a track as that proposed cut without delay." The motion was seconded by Mr Willelt .<nd carried.— Western Star.