SHOTOVER GOLD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17952, 2 December 1932, Page 5

SHOTOVER GOLD

MINER’S RICH RETURN WON FROM SMALL AREA It has been known for some time that one or two mining parties have been operating successfully on the Shotover River near Queenstown, and that good returns have been won. Lust week probably the largest amount of gold secured for many years by any one miner was taken to the Bank of New Zealand m Dunedin by Mr. A. E. Smith, of Skippers, and Mr. Les Murray, of Dunedin. J he gold, which was won by Mr. Smith from two small paddocks in his famous Maori Point claim on tho Shotover diver, totalled 4170 z. 2dwt., and was valued at about £2600. His last paddock from which he took 22005. measured only 67ft. by 30ft. Claims held by Mr. Smith and the one held by Mr. L. Murray and Mr. i\ H. Uobcrtson at Skippers have recently been amalgamated, and will shortly bo floated as a public company, when modern methods of securing the gold will bo used. The two, claims comprise about lour miles of the Shotover River extending rom the mouth of the famous Skipper’s Creek to just below what is known as Maori Point. They are overhung for a great part of their entire length by the Terrace claims from which large quantities of gold were recovered by the early miners. One of these claims, Aspinall’s, yielded some £ICO.CGO worth of gold. The Terrace claims discharged their tailings into tho Shotover River and so prevented the riverbed from being worked successfully. It is considered, however, that a modern dredge should have no difficulty in dealing with these tailings, which are of an average depth of about 20ft. •

The results will bo watched with a good deal of interest, as these two claims are recognised as being the richest in the Lakes district. At present Mr. Smith is using a hydraulic clevaior and will continue to use this for the benefit of the company until a dredge is completed. In some of the paddocks recently worked Mr. Smith lias secured as much as 4j)oz. to the dish, and washes of an ounce to the dish have been common. Mr. Los Murray is ov.lightweight boxng champion of the Dominion.