Fiji Now Confident Of

Industry’S Future

From Our Own Correspondent.

SUVA, August 7.

THE search for gold continues in Fiji, A but the first wild thrills have calmed down.

Curiously enough, very little is known in Suva of the activities of the various companies. More is known in Australia than here since the various managers all report by cable and by letter to their directors without divulging the contents of these reports locally. So that, more often than not, the first news of good assay results or providing new finds comes from a jump in the share quota tions.

We are at least in daily touch with the share market, through the activities of a well-known local firm, in whose office is a ooard upon which the daily quotations are marked up and through whom shares are bought and sold daily.

Mt. Kasi have commenced production under their new manager, Mr. Spiers, and are actually winning gold. The famous Emperor continues to produce gold in regular quantities and the plant is now being extended. Loloma, Koroere and Aloha Central are carrying on vigorous prospecting work and getting encouraging results. Mineral Developments and Tavua Gold Developments have diamond drilling plants arriving, which get into action in August.

Nasivi have caused a sensation with their new find at Raki Raki, about 30 miles away from the Tavua field and their assay reports mark the find as one of considerable importance. Aloha Alluvials caused a sensation of a different sort through the ejnphatically adverse report of the expert sent to test the Waimanu river proposition.

“Kalgoorlie,” said Dr. Loftus Hills, the other day, “was discovered in 1893, but it was not in full swing until 1898 —five years later.” It will be much the same in the development of the Tavua field. It was discovered in December, 1933, and it will certainly not be before December, 1938, that mines such as the Emperor.

Koroere, Loloma, and Aloha Central will be running to their full capacity.

The effect, therefore, upon the economic life of Fiji is not likely to be quite so immediate as is generally thought, but there is by now a degree of certainty as to the future that was lacking some short six months ago.

Rev. E. A. Codd, principal of the Mela nesian Mission’s training school at Vureas, Banks Group, 100 miles north of the New Hebrides, is at present spending furlough with friends in South Australia, where he was formerly curate of St.

Augustine’s Church of England at Unley.

On the completion of his leave, Mr. Codd will sail for Norfolk Island to relieve Rev. E. Lawton. Later he will journey to the Solomon Islands to take charge of the Teachers’ Training College at Siota.