Bulolo Gold

Early in December, there was a most interesting rumour in circulation in Sydney, to the effect that recent investi gation had shown that the gold-bearing strata now being dredged on the Bulolo field do not end at the level supposed; and that there is another, and equally rich gold-bearing stratum immediately underneath, which will give equal profits from dredging.

If this is the case, it not only enhances the value of the Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd.’s property, but it alters the whole outlook for this field. It lengthens the life of the field, and enormously increases the importance of the industry that has been established there.

Also, according to the report, it cre ates a new problem for the Bulolo dir ectors. To reach the gold on the lower stratum, a bigger and heavier type of dredge will be needed. That can be built, of course; but can it be constructed, like the existing dredges, in sections small enough to be carried in by aero planes? Or will it be necessary to con sider again the question of building a road in from the coast to the goldfields?

Aeroplane transport has been so suc cessful, up to date, that the original idea of constructing a road, at a cost of £250,000, has been virtually abandoned, Air-freights, from one point of view, are heavy; but it is now recognised that, when they are balanced against the enor mous capital cost of a road, the cost of maintaining a road, and the great amount of time wasted in road transport, the advantage is rather with the aero

planes. The immediate success of the aeroplanes meant millions to New Guinea, because they allowed the mining com panies to get into production in time to secure the full advantage of the present phenomenally high price of gold. If they had had to await the completion of a road before bringing in their equipment, they would still be far from their pre sent stage of production, and might have missed the top of the gold market.

It will be possible to argue, on pre sent performances, that aerial transport can take care of any future development in the New Guinea goldfields. Further news of the reported discovery on the Bulolo flats will be awaited with interest.

A pile of gold ingots, made from gold dredged from the Morobe field by Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd.