WEST COAST NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3419, 26 September 1919, Page 28

WEST COAST NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) GREYMOUTH, September 17. Gold Mining.— One of the most promising gold mining enterprises on the Coast is what is known as the Hochstettcr Goldheids {Ltd.). lhe district to be operated is in the vicinity ot Ahaura, about Halfway between Grey mouth and Reefton, and a tew miles east ot the railway iino The whole of this neighbourhood is apparently rich in alluvial deposits. Some 35 years ago a Government scheme for working an adjacent area was initiated, but subsequently abandoned. Seven years ago the late Mr W. A. Rundle, whose knowledge of the field gave him confidence in its possibilities, floated the present company with a capital of £IOO,OOO in Sydney, where the bulk of the capital was originally subscribed. The project, however, immediately commended itself to local investors, and the interests of the company are at present evenly divided between them and the Australian shareholders. _ The reservoir for power for sluicing operations is Lake Hochstetter, a sheet of water about three and a-half miles by two and a-half miles. The company has secured rights over 80 heads of water from this lake, ana this will be conveyed to the Ahaura field through five and a-half miles of tunnels measuring 6ft'6in in height and sft 6in wide, capable of carrying the full body of water. In addition to this tunnelling, the conduit is continued through half a mile of large piping measuring 22in in diameter to the summit of a hill, whence it is conveyed in smaller pipes to giant nozzles l?.ft long, using sin cups, and sluicing for the time being 30 heads of water. The pressure w.ill be 350 ft. When the tail race is completed it is expected that from four to six "faces 'of rich bearing wash will bo opened up for sluicing. Instead of a tunnel iail race to these faces (a distance of 1000 ft) •jwi open cut is being sluiced. As indicating the prospects of gold, it may be mentioned that the material from this cut recently washed up 90oz of coarse gold only, the fine gold (in which form the main deposit is considered to exist) not being in these preparatory operations recoverable. The tail race is sft wide, and there is a fall for tailings of 250 ft to the river flat. It is intended to build a large expanse of goldsaving tables for the recovery of the finer gold. , , . The ground is easy to work, there being no heavy stones, and the strata are goldbearing 'throughout. The area commanded by the company's water supply is estimated to give a life of 150 years. § The all-essenCial water supply is, of course, abundant. The lake is tapped 13ft below its normal surface, and the water thus available would, without replenishing, keep the sluices working night and day for 280 days. ' , . , ... The claim is fully equipped, having its own sawmill, with abundance of timber and blocks for sluice boxes. It has also an up-to-date power-house, and the whole of the works will be lighted by electricity. Great difficulties have had to be overcome involving heavy expenditure and the lapse of years, but the company appears now to be on the eve of coming into its own. In the course of the next two months preparations for sluicing will be complete, when work will be commenced, and continued night and day. In the early days as much of the ground as could be worked w<ith the meagre water supply available was sluiced by individual miners with very rich returns. The present undertaking therefore, with the resources of capital and science at its back, should be proportionately greater.

New Coal Mine.—

A new State coal mine is to be opened at Nine Mile, a few miles north of Grey, mouth. The survey of a branch line to connect with the existing coal line to this port has been recently completed. When the plans, which have been forwarded to Wellington for approval, have been sanctioned, it is expected that the laying of the line will be immediately proceeded with.

Hydro-electric Power. — A proposal was laid before the last meeting of tne Grevmouth isoiough Council by the Kameri Power Company to provide electric lighting for tins town. .The company is supplying Mokitika with electricity, and the current is to be brought as tar as Kumara, which is halfway between Hoititika and Greymouth, for mining purposes. in would, thcreiore, not "he a great undertaking to extend it to Greymouth. It was mentioned in the council that hydro-electric power might be obtained near iiarrytown, within 12 miles of Greymouth, which would be double that supplied by the Lako Coleridge scheme in Canterbury. ,An expert report on this latter source declares it to be one of the finest in the Dominion. The Chamber of Commerce, in discussing the subject, considered that it was the duty of the Government to establish an electric Kcheme for the whole district, and passed a resolution asking the Minister of Publio Works to fulfil a promise he- had made last June to send an expert to the Coast to report on its hydro-electric possibilities. No action was taken by the Borough Council, the matter being left in abeyance pending receipt of fuller information. An electric scheme would be a boon to this town. There is no place in the Dominion where coal is cheaper or gas dearer. Nelson Mail Service.

An effort is being made by the local Chamber of Commerce to secure a mail service from the Coast through to Nelson in one clay. At present from all places south of Reef ton it takes. parts of two days to reach Nelson. The support of other Chambers is being enlisted to make representations to the Government on the subject. Such a through service would be of special value at the present juncture while tho railway restrictions are making communication with Canterbury so irregular. Lyttelton Steamer Service*.—

A suggestion was recently made by. the Chamber of Commerce that more frequent steamer communication bo established between this port and Lyttelton. The Lyttelton Chamber has replied in a rather unsympathetic tone, adversely commenting upon tho"Greymouth shipping facilities, lias attitude was strongly deprecated by tho local body, and it was pointed out that for four years past every vessel for Lyttelton had left without delay and fully laden, while the bar had only to a negligible extent interfered with shipping. In favour of a more frequent service it may be stated that our two chief articles of export are coal and timber. Of the former Canterbury is badly in need, and of the latter there is always a surplus here awaiting shipment.

Land Sale. — Farms on the West Coast are becoming increasingly popular with Canterbury investors, ine difference in climatic condition between Canterbury and Westland makes it very advantageous to a Canterbury pastoralist to have a section on this side of the Alps and near the railway line, to which he may transfer stock during periods of drought. Farms have frequently been sold lately to Canterbury buyers. Last week the largest transaction of this kind in the history of the Coast was negotiated by one of the local firms, when an area of over 92,000 acres, about 20 miles north of Greymouth, was sold to Messrs Drayton and Son, of Cliristchurch. This run contains some excellent country for fattening stock.

Hokitika Chamber of Commerce. —

At the Hokitika Chamber of Commerce the necessity was discussed for cool storage, a local dairy factory, and a bacon factory. For the last-named there is a splendid opportunity on the- Coast for an enterprising company, as the district is almost entirely dependent for its supplies upon the outside market.

In view of the fact that the last sessions of the Supreme Court were held in Greymouth, although the majority of the cases heard were from Hokitika, the Borough Council at the latter place entered a strong protest against the unnecessary inconvenience and expense, and considered that an injustice had been done to the town. It called the attention of the Minister of Justice to the fact, and requested that in future Hokitika be regarded as the head of the district. Westland Presbytery.— At a meeting of the Westland Presbytery, held last week, Rev. P. B. Eraser, of Hokitika, was appointed Moderator, and also nominated as Moderator of the General Assembly for 1920. Gales. — Exceptionally heavy gales raged here last week.' Considerable minor damage was done in the towns, and in several parts of the district bush fires were started. At Awatuna, in the southern part of the district, a State school was thus completely destroyed.