SEARCH FOR GOLD

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 123, 19 May 1932, Page 6

SEARCH FOR GOLD

ACTIVITY IN BULLER

REFUGE FOR UNEMPLOYED

As a result of further experience on the West Coast and particularly in the headwaters of the Buller River Mr C. Lawrence, Avonhead Road, Chrishchurch, is convinced that goldmining is the solution of the unemployment problem, as far as Christchurch is concerned at least. Mr Lawrence said that if the Government engaged prospectors to seek payable claims, there would be no difficulty about placing the men. The trouble was that there was no private capital to pay the prospectors who were essential to the success of any such enterprise. Himself an old prospector, Mr Lawrence took a party of twelve from Christchurch about two months ago. They travelled by lorry first to Lake Rotoiti and camped between the Dividing Range and Mount Robertson. “We had no blankets, and at nights we sat round the fire in our overcoats” he said. This venture was unsuccessful, and the party went down to the Howard River. “This is all gold-bearing country, and I went up the New Creek where I prospected, seventeen years ago,” continued Mr Lawrence. “A mate and I pegged out what we believe to be a payable claim. Four others went to the Maude Creek nearby, and there are two more with claims. Four others came to the end of their resources, and I brought them back.” Mr Lawrence said he was willing to take four or five men when he returned to the field at the end of the week. They would need £5 or £6 to buy food and other necessities. They could not expect to walk in among the gold and shovel it up. He was quite willing to put them on the track of success. He would show how to find gold and where to find it, but he was not looking for partners.

Any man who was willing to work and had had any pick and shovel experience at all, could make at least a living wage, Mr Lawrence said. It was impossible to say what the men over on the Coast at present were making, but two members of his own party had sent down for a ton of supplies to last them through the winter, so it was evident they were making something considerable.