GOLD PROSPECTING

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1931, Page 7

GOLD PROSPECTING

DISGOURAGING REPLY.

MINES DEPARTMENT ADVICE.

Some young Christchurch men who took the" precaution of writing to the Mines Department for advice regarding gold prospecting are now looking for other means of making a livelihood, consequent on the receipt of the following letter from the Under-Secretary of Mines (Mr. A. H. Kimbell), dated June 4:—• t

In replying to your letter of the 28th ultimo, I have to advice that the chances of locating gold-bearing areas on the West Coast whereon a good living can be made are remote. All known rich ground has long been worked out, and with poor country only remaining the prospects for those with limited capital to make even the barest living by exploiting same cannot be described as bright. The old diggers—many of tlrcm_ expert miners—traversed this district from rather thorough manner and found Collingwood down to Bruce Bay in a practically nothing as regards accessible or valuable alluvial, country. It is. of course, possible that certain areas, then left behind, may yet be discovered and worked, but exploitation of same would be required to take place on a largo scale to show profits, as it appears almost inevitable that their non-location to date is due to low values, which position is unsatisfactory looked at from the ordinary miner’s point of view. Gold quartz reefs might also be found, but such discoveries are not likely to occur outside isolated places. It is admitted that several unexplored areas in the Karamea and Westland Counties contain possibilities beyond those described above, but the districts mentioned are very hard to work, and should be approached by none but experienced and vigorous prospectors. Regarding the matter of prospect-

ing assistance, I have to advise that subsidies are being confined at present as far as possible to bona fide married miners, who are out of employment.