Tauri Gold

Many Prospectors Attracted

Good Reports From

Field

From Our Papua Correspondent

Port Moresby. Feb. 10.

All eyes and all hopes seem to rest on the success of the Tauri and Tiveri gold finds and the plucky prospectors who have recently gone there so confident of success.

REPORTS are constantly arriving which, although rather conflicting in character, are, on the whole, dis tinctly optimistic.

Messrs. V. Hides and D. M. Johnston, two of the earliest venturers, report payable alluvial gold on Hides Creek, in the Tauri district, and have applied for claims, and since their return, ex ceedingly good reports—if rumours— have been received of yet better values.

Six parties have already gone out Another, known as “Mahony’s Gold Syndicate”—to whom the Government has granted a subsidy, under certain conditions—has made all arrangements and is also leaving.

Rough Country To Be Crossed

It is by no means an easy task for these ardent prospectors, for the pres ent landing to the latest find is 90 miles up the Lakekamu River, and from there a fiercesome trudge of five days through jungle and mountainous country, inhabited by the wily Kuku Kuku tribe, who unexpectedly harass the carriers and parties with a shower of arrows from all quarters—hardly a happy outlook for the average pros pector, unless the results prove worth while.

Mr. R. A. Goodyear, a leader of one of the parties, writes most eloquently on the hardships and the tremendous expenses entailed for the prospecting parties, and suggests and hopes it would be possible to find a track via the Tauri River, which would reduce the present five days’ journey from the river-head to three days.

He writes: “Those who know anything of Papua need scarcely be told that much money and energy can be wasted about the beach at Kukipi (near the mouth of Lakekamu) or in going up river, or in wandering blindly in an unne cessarily rough or circuitous route in to this find. Every pound saved to the prospectors in this dead incidental business means an additional pound to be used in actual pros pecting in the likely locality.”

He also makes suggestions which would prevent the delays and hard ships which the miners had to suffer in the early days of the Bulolo rush.

Government Awaits Definite

Information

The Government advises that it has been decided not to send a Warden to the field until some more definite in formation is received as to the finding of payable gold.

However, Patrol Officer C. S. Speedie will be sent in to the camp at the field, relieving Patrol Officer J. Hides. He will be accompanied by a medical as sistant, probably Mr. H. O. C. Little child.

Measure To Restrict

Prospectors

In the Executive Council on January 26, an Order-in-Council was passed providing that any person desirous of entering the Territory for the purpose of proceeding to the district known as the Tauri River goldfield, must satisfy the Collector of Customs that he has in his possession an amount of £200 in cash or approved credit before being allowed to proceed to the goldfield.

The Commonwealth Government has been advised of this measure and it no doubt will prevent a rush like the old Lakekamu one, when prospectors poured into the Territory, unequipped and unacquainted with the conditions of the country, and without money or means, with the result that many fell by the roadside.

The Government has also restricted anyone entering the Territory seeking employment, unless they can give ap proved security to the Collector of Customs for a sum of £50.