GRANITE GOLDFIELDS.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18805, 29 November 1932, Page 3

GRANITE GOLDFIELDS.

MANY PROSPECTORB ILL. A DESERT ADVENTURE. (From a Correspondent). ALICE SPRINGS, November 18. With a few meagre stores, little money, and trucks literally falling to pieces on the road, nearly fifty unemployed men are now camped, on the outskirts of Alice Springs. Although persistently warned that there were no Government rations and no system -of unemployed relief in the Territory', these men, led forth by the lure of gold, are now unable to go further, and 'face a desperate situation. Within the last few days several parties have returned from the goldfield and have reported that work was ’unobtainable. There were no opportunities for prospectors, owing to the widespread claim pegging. As yet there was no opening for independent miners. Broken-down conveyances are stiu arriving from the south, with adventurous travellers, who have spent weeks on the journey. They now find that their efforts have -been wasted. Lost Their Way. The latest, arrivals are two South Melbourne men, A. R. Dodson and R. A. Coad, who lost five days between New Crown Station and Horseshoe Bend. They were actually given up for dead. Owing to the similarity of landmarks they missed the main road. They lost practically all their petrol. They camped at Oorinburra well where the water was filthy with dead birds and rabbits. Each night they lit beacons, to attract attention and on the sixth day decided to get out at. all costs. They put a gallon and a half of kerosene in the petrol tank, and managed 58 miles at five miles an hour. Then the engine stopped, and all that was left for them was to walk. At Horseshoe Bend they experienced the kind hospitality of Mrs Elliott, and they met another unfortunate motorist who had walked in eight miles to obtain water. Warden Returns. Mining Warden Rogers returned late last night from The Granites field. He was unable to stand the strain any longer, owing to illness. He reports that within the last few days the population of the field has dwindled from 107 to 65. and that. 50 per cent of the men on the field are suffering-seriously from dysentery, due to bad water and flies. The temperatures are now 112 to 115 in the shade. Only two applications for leases were received in the last ten days, and niany existing parties were waiting opportunities to leave the field. One old man, scriofisly ill. with no money, offered his wrist watch —his only possession—for a passage with a party. Rut there was no room. The warden some time ago asked Darwin for the services or a doctor, and It is understood that Dr. McCann. or Katherine, Is proceeding to the field.