PROSPECTING FOR GOLD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9595, 5 February 1910, Page 3

PROSPECTING FOR GOLD.

AWARD OF A GOVERNMENT BONUS.

A payment of £500 >vas authorised on Thursday by tie Government to be mads to the i'our lucky prospectors who located the rich Blackwater quartz reef, luaugahua district, about sixteen miles south of Keefton. This is the maximum reward payable for the discovery of a new goldfield, and the recipients are Messrs David Ross, William Meatos, Rubarfc Baunou aud Jame3 Mart n.

The discovery of the Black water reef demonstrates the valno of systematic prospecting subsidised by the Government. The men named commenced to prospect ou the Blackwater field iv October, 1005, helped by the Government subsidy. They discovered the payable reef less than a mile from a spot where a good dnal of money had beeu spent ivan unsuccessful attempt to roach payable quartz in a goldbearing reef at Suowy Creek. Their fiud was nearly six miles from the nearest payable reef—viz., the Big River—but its quality was so undoubted that the Consolidated Blackwater Mines Company spout £100,000 iv plaut aud labour to develop the reef, and siuce starting crushing in September, lilOS. lias obtained an average of over one thousand ounces of gold monthly. This fine yield was doubled last November. A claim for reward for discovery of a new goldfield in Marina district, Inaogalma County, has reached tho Minister of Mines from a prospector who is sending specimens of quartz to Wellington, aud states that they have been obtained many miles from a kuovu goldfield. The Hon. R. McKeuzie has instructed tho inspecting branch of the Mines Department to investigate ihe claim. About £5000 per annum is being spent by the Government in subsidising prospectiug parties ou the look-out for gold.—N.Z. Times.