KAWARAU GOLD

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1932, Page 16

KAWARAU GOLD

TWO PROFITABLE CLAIMS. GOOD YIELDS TO DATE. Dunedin, Dec. 18. ‘ln an interview’ Mr. Percy Bell, of Cromwell, who, in partnership with Mr. W. Kilgour, opened up the tunnel on the banks of the Kawarau from which such rich returns of gold have recently been obtained, stated that the returns from the claim to date had been approximately 150 oz. The return last week totalled 18oz, those for the previous .two weeks being lOoz and 30oz respectively. Mr. Bell states that the tunnel has now been driven for a distance of 350 ft, 170 ft of this being through gold-bear-ing w’ash. The lower tunnel, in which Messrs. R. Bell and the Hooper Bros, are working, has been driven a total length of 460 ft, 200 ft of this being through wash. From this tunnel approximately 40oz of gold have been won and the wash is now becoming much richer, the returns averaging about- 12oz per week. The latter party’s claim, which has an extent of approximately 19 acres, has been granted by the ■ Minister of JWffies, while Messrs. Percy Bell and Kilgour’s claim, of an extent of about 18 acres, has been recommended to the Minister of Mines for his consent. Mr. Bell stated that he and his partner are now being assisted in the work of winning the gold by a third man. In the lower tunnel three additional men have been engaged, making a total of six men employed, and three shifts a day are being worked. It is not intended by either party to put in machinery to work- the'claim, each being content to drive out the wash and treat it by the present methods. Mr. Bell. stated that the wash in his brother’s tunnel is improving in character and the gold being recovered is of a coarser nature. In his own tunnel the value of the wash is practically on a par with , that which was encountered when the first good .returns were obtained. The wash was not of uniform richness and the gold . was generally found in patches. As an indication of the extent of the richness of these, he mentioned the . fact that on Monday of last week a patch • was struck of particularly rich-looking wash, and from a sugar bag full of the material, amounting to eight dishes, llioz of gold were obtained, including a nugget weighing loz. There were no indications yet in either tunnel that the lead was nearly crossed, and in his own drive the bottom Was commencing to • dip. Mr. Bell ■ confirmed the . report that an option had been given over the top claim to Mr. J. Roche, the .purchase price mentioned being £15,000, the vendors to receive 15 per cent, of the gold won. • It' was stated that no steps had yet been taken to exercise the option, as it was understood that the holder of the option was waiting till the sitting of the Warden’s Court in Cromwell in February,- i when it would be -kntfwn whether or not the claim had been granted by the Minister of ' Mines. Should the claim be granted and the option exercised, it is believed that if is the’ intention of the holder to float a company and develop the claim by means of up-to-date machinery.