PROSPECTORS’ TRIALS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18025, 28 February 1933, Page 3

PROSPECTORS’ TRIALS

WILDS OF WEST COAST NOT ALL FUN AND TORTUNE Without plenty of stores to last out a good stay and good working clothes to stand up to the work and tlie weather, it is just foolish for gold prospectors to go into the back country of the West Coast, two Christchurch men who have just been away on a prospecting expedition told a Sun reporter last week. The two men went into country 15 miles back from Jackson’s to prospect territory which it was thought might justify the Routing of a company, but they said that tlie expense of winning gold there, unless a big strike was made, would be more than the yield would return. They have had previous experience in gold-winning, and one of them is a thoroughly practical man. They went from Christchurch to Jackson’s by train and then walked up to Taipp. Messrs. S. and H. Cunningham, settlers who have lived there all their lives, gave them a hut. :

The prospectors travelled by bush track to Seven. Mile Creek, but they say they were not very well received there by two other prospectors, who appeared to regard newcomers as dangerous competitors ou likely ground. Mr. 11. Wilkinson, who lives there with his wife, put them up and they prospected in territory there and examined thß wash left by the Taipo River, which had just been in high Hood. Only a color or two rewarded them.

The men tunnelled into a terrace and struck good-looking wash, but several pans returned hot as much as a color. The land in that locality is of very loose formation and tunnelling requires good props. Altogether the men spent three days in this locality trying for good pay dirt, but without success. “We came to the conclusion that it was not the sort of country for individual sluicing claims,” one of them said. “Wo would not like to put good money into that locality. This does not mean that there is no gold there, as gold has been found there for years, but we consider that more money would be spent getting it out titan the gold would fetch. Would-be prospectors should be chary about going into that country without plenty of money and I materials. The river shows that there must be a reef there somewhere, but 1 whether it will ever be located is finother matter. « ' • 1

“We brought back several specimens, but tlie gold content would be very low and how far it had travelled down the river it was impossible to say.' Prospectors going into that territory or into the back country at all should take all the stores they will want, for it is impossible to get any more once you qre