A RICH STRIKE

Southland Times, Issue 21856, 5 November 1932, Page 5

A RICH STRIKE

GOLD AT BEAUMONT PROMISING INDICATIONS RUSH TO STAKE CLAIMS (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, November 4. From Beaumont comes news of a rich strike of gold by James Bell, a farmer of the district, and Leonard Mason, who is in his employ. For the past 14 months Bell and Mason have in their spare time been prospecting on the property of Harold Paterson, but they met with indifferent success until about a week ago when they commenced to strike some good prospects which increased in value with each successive pan and which appeared to indicate that rich yields would be forthcoming when proper plant for working the ground was obtained. The spot on which the prospectors made the lucky find is about a mile and a half below Beaumont township towards the Chinaman’s flat. Old residents of the district and others well acquainted with the locality consider that Bell and Mason have hit on an old river bed. Gold seekers are of the opinion that if sufficient pressure of water can be obtained, the ground will be easily sluiced, more, easily than that on Cromwell flat, but as they have not yet struck bottom, their prospects are naturally not so rich as Cromwell. They are in hopes that with proper machinery they will be able to reach the bottom and when this is achieved, they will commence exploiting the field in real earnest. The report of the discovery caused a considerable stir in the township and already there has been a rush to peg off claims adjacent to that of Bell and Mason, who have lodged their application for registration with the mining registrar at Lawrence.