Lakekamu

Progress And Activity On Papuan Goldfield

From Our Own Correspondent.

Pt. Moresby, Feb. 25.

THE Lakekamu goldfield, which was reopened by the Administration in 1930, appears to be going ahead rapidly.

New areas are being taken up, and the population on the field is increasing each month as new men arrive by the Southern steamers. Latest arrivals at Lakekamu are Messrs. W. Brewster, A. Timberly, and M. P. Curtain. More engineers and prospectors are expected by the Montoro and by the March Macdhui.

The light dredge erected by Tiveri Gold Dredging Co. is still running successfully, and the company is doing very well.

About £15,000 worth of gold per annum, it is estimated, is being produced by the small dredge.

Five dredging claims in the Twisty area of Lakekamu have been taken up by a newly formed company, the Lake kamu Goldfields (Papua) Development N.L. This company, with a nominal capital of £20,000, includes among its directors the former Administrator of New Guinea, Brigadier-General A. E.

Wisdom, and his co-directors are men reputed on Collins Street for their fore sight and shrewd-headedness.

The vendor of the Twisty area is Tiveri Gold Dredging Co., and it is rumoured that their principal share holders. have large interests in the new company. Lakekamu Development Com

pany’s engineers will arrive by fche Montoro on February 28. They will proceed immediately to the field to test the leases and report to their headquar ters in Melbourne.

A small staff of engineers and tech nicians are still carrying out investiga tions with drills and bores on behalf of Guinea Gold N.L. Mr. J. Nason Jones, who has been prospecting and exploring around Lakekamu for Guinea Gold, is expected here shortly after re porting to his directors in Adelaide the results of his recent months of activity, which culminated in the pegging out of 7,000 acres in the Lakekamu district.

Beri Beri Sickness

An outbreak of Beri Beri sickness among the native labourers on Lakekamu field received prompt attention by the Administration. Dr. Eric Giblin, Govern ment Medical Officer, flew over to the field from Port Moresby on February 25 in a Guinea Airways Moth piloted by Mr. Orme Denny.

After investigations Dr. Giblin diag nosed the sickness as a mild outbreak of Beri Beri, which nowadays is easily remedied by corrections in diet. Beri Beri was once a dreaded disease, but the march of medical science has robbed it of most of its terrors.

It was extremely fortunate for the goldfields people that they were able to secure so promptly the services of a medical man, experienced in the endemic conditions of the district.

In 1910 Dr. Giblin was stationed on the old Lakekamu goldfield as medical officer when, after the discovery of gold by the Pryke Brothers in 1909, miners poured into the field and sickness broke out among their 600 labourers.

Astrolabe Copper Field

Some interest has been awakened in the Astrolabe mineral field by the appli cation of Mr. Alexander Christie, a well known miner and trader, for leases pre viously held for the mining of copper.

Mr. Christie, it is understood, intends to work these leases for copper and other minerals, including gold and silver.

Between 1920 and 1927 the Astrolabe copper field was a hive of industry.

After many delays New Guinea Copper- Mines, Ltd., established smelting plant, seven miles of railway from the Dubuna mine, and three miles of aerial tramway from the Laloki mine to the sintering plant. The company then commenced producing a steady output of blister cop per. In 1927, however, the price of copper declined sharply, causing the company to suspend operations, and 100 white men and 1,000 native labourers were thrown out of employment.