Gold in N.-West

New Guinea Dredging Leases Pegged in Aitape District

From a Special Correspondent.

AITAPE, August 7.

NOTHING of a startling nature regard ing gold-mining has occurred recently in the North-west section of New Guinea, though many areas have been undergoing thorough treatment by both boxes and dishes. The position at present may be summarised briefly.

Mr. Galet, in the interests of a local company, has taken up extensive dredg ing leases in the far West section, about six days behind Aitape township, at the headwaters of the Yellow River and what is known locally as the Wapi area. After his arrival in the district, Mr. Goff, a local recruiter, induced Mr. Galet to in spect an area which he thought carried good gold. A large section of country was pegged out, and a base established at which an aerodrome site has been made. Another site has been cleared near Aitape township. Mr. Galet will proceed South later to raise more monev to carry on with what he considers to be an ex cellent proposition.

Further down the coast at Wewak steady prospecting proceeds, but with no new developments.

The Sepik patches on the headwaters of the Yuat River to which Messrs. Glas son, Belfleld and Schultze returned, were not up to expectations, so the party dis banded and returned to their base, leav ing Mr. Schultze on the field. This area, some two weeks inland, showed varied amounts to a dish, but the distance com bined with its inaccessibility and lack of native foods made it almost impossible to work. An assay taken by the Bulolo Gold Dredging Co. of specimens sent by Mr.

Schultze from this area showed a 95 per cent, pure gold, 3 per cent, silver, 2 per cent, dirt—a record for the Territory.

The Yuat River Alluvial Company is following up the river on the left hand side where other good prospects have been found.

Another new company entered the field of operations by re-opening the Dugumor area, some seventy miles from Madang, where gold and platinum prospects have been found. This area has been visited by a geologist and several of the local experienced men, but in every case the result has been negative.

Messrs. Crookshanks, Forrester, and Cook are still out across the Ramu River in the Bismarcks towards Mount Hagen, but up to the present have not reported any find.

Dr. Schnelizing, a German geologist, who is working in the interests of a British company, has returned after an absence of 32 years from the Territory in search of certain minerals he has con fidence in finding. He has set down a base for an aerodrome some twenty miles from Madang on the Coast, from whence he will work inland towards the aero dromes on the Ramu River.