From New Guinea

Upper Watut Alluvials N.L.

With the arrival of the constructional engineer of Upper Watut Gold Alluvials X.L. on the com pany’s field in New Guinea, good progress has been made on the construction work of the hydro-elec tric scheme. The European staff now numbers 16, about 230 natives are working on the race line, and more native labour is being engaged. A re cent report from the company’s officials on the field stated: Race line: Excavation of bench and catch drains for race line has been commenced by the contractors, and the section from surge tank site to the exit end of No. 1 tunnel is well under way and should be completed shortly. Tunnel; The portal at exit of No. 1 tunnel now being opened up, and seepage drain has been cut for a distance of approximately 200 ft. around and above portal to prevent slips interfering with the tunnel work. Survey: A contour survey of weir site has been made, also longtitudinal section of proposed syphon has been levelled. Sawmill: For the month of Jupe, 11,965 super feet of timber was cut.

Upper Sepik Gold N.L.

An option has been acquired by the representa tive and engineer of Upper Sepik Gold Syndicate N.L. over a property in the Morobe district. New Guinea. He reports having tested portion of the area, and that it is an alluvial ground sluicing pro position, estimated to contain 3,000,000 cubic yards.

The depth of the ground is 30 feet, the gold is coarse, and values are estimated at 20/ a yard.

Particulars are being forwarded by mail. He is also negotiating for a further large area in the same district.

Malinar (N.G.) Gold Ltd.

The representative of Malinar (New Guinea) Gold Ltd. advises that further assay tests conduct ed by Messrs. Spence and Smith, consulting engi neers, on the Kela property, New Guinea, disclose assay values averaging 10 dwt. 8 grs. a ton. They add that present development work proves that the formation extends over a large area. Pros pecting work is being continued by means of tun nelling and costeening.

Watut Dredging N.L.

Voluntary liquidation was deeded upon by W atut Dredging N.L. at an extraordinary meeting in July. Mr. J. J. Liston, who presided, said the report of Mr. J. M. Spence on the property on the Lower Watut, Wau, New Guinea, was not satis factory, and as the company was formed for a specific purpose the directors recommended the winding up. Contributing shareholders, it was expected, would receive £9/5/- for each £lO sub-

S Cnb Ed Equatorial Gold Syndicate

Equatorial Gold Exploration (New Guinea and New Britain) Syndicate N.L. has received the re port of Mr. J. M. Spence, of Messrs. Spence and D Smith, mining engineers, of his inspection ot the alluvial areas on the Ramu River for the leases

of which the company holds an option. Sum marised, the report states that leases Nos. 221 and 125, the upper area, comprise a valuable property.

His prospects, from the few pits that have bot tomed on surface wash only, gave satisfactory re sults, and 6n one occasion high results. Owing to the heavy nature of the gold in this area pits must be bottomed to estimate correct values. Lease No. 221, and part of lease No. 126, the lower area, appear to be an ideal dredging proposition if depth of wash and values are sufficiently attrac tive, and in his opinion the wash will be of con siderable depth. It cannot be tested by pits, and a drilling plant is essential. Mr. Spence advises that on the upper area one or two pits be sunk to bottom on each flat therein to prove correctly yardage and values, and that such area can be worked by gravel pumps or jet elevators. He re commends that at a later date the lower area be tested by drilling. Ample power for any plant required may be generated from the river, the normal flow of which is not under 50 cubic feet a second, with a big fall.

N. Guinea (Nth.) Development N.L.

Messrs. W. H. Smith, E. A. Wisdom, R. M. V.

Blakemore, R. M. Glasson, and R. J. P. Parer were elected directors, and Mr. R. W. Stringer, 422 Collins Street, Melbourne, legal manager, of New Guinea (North) Development N.L., at a pre liminary meeting of shareholders. The company has been formed with a nominal capital of £lO,OOO in 2000 shares of £5 each, to finance an expedition to investigate an extensive gold dredging area in New Guinea. For subscription, 1000 shares were offered at £2 each, 400 are in reserve, and 600, fully paid, will be allotted to Messrs. Glasson and Parer. The expedition will consist of Messrs. R.

S. Moody, Glasson, and Parer. Mr. Moody, who claims to be possessed of certain information re lating to the property, will receive three-eighths in number of the shares allotted and received by the syndicate in any subsidiary company regis tered to develop the property. In the event of a cash payment being made to the syndicate over and above the cost of investigating and suffi ciently proving the area for flotation into a work ing company, it has been agreed to pay Mr.

Moody three-eighths of the balance. The syndi cate will subscribe towards the cost of expenses of carrying on transport, boring, and pitting operations to the extent of £5O a week, only until such time as assistance is required, or when a lease or leases have to be applied for. The pros pectors will make available a motor-driven boat, aft aeroplane, boring plant, etc.

Guinea Gold N.L.

Development discontinued and work concentrated on plant erection. No. 1 winze off “B 3” shaft on main lode down 40ft, average 6dwt. No. 1 winze off No. 2 main shaft down 30ft, average Bdwt; north drive off No. 3 main shaft stopped at 63ft, average over last 35ft. Driving at 100 ft, level western lode off “B 7” shaft dis continued; for 90ft. average 15dw. This de velopment opens up new line of lode. Main lode at 200 ft level driven on for 75ft, average sdwt.

Development Of New Guinea N.L.

With a nominal capital of £20,000, in 4000 shares of £5 each, Development of New Guinea N.L. has been formed. For subscription, 2500 shares were offered at £3 on application and allotment; the vendors and promoters will receive 700 fully paid and also have an option for six months to take up an additional 300, and 500 are in reserve. The directors are Messrs. W. H. Smith, P. S. Cody, J. Wren, A. G. Campbell and A. R. Dodson, and the legal manager, Mr. H. S. Archdall, 422 Collins

Street, Melbourne. The company has three pro perties. No. 1 is on the Upper Watut River, ad joining on the north-east the Nauti property of Enterprise of New Guinea N.L. No. 2 is at Sur prise Creek, Upper Watut, adjoining the Waigaud area of Enterprise of New Guinea N.L., and in close proximity to the Iroa lease of Mount Law son Prospecting and Option Syndicate N.L. No. 3 area is adjoining and contiguous to No. 1 area.

Shareholders in Watut Options N.L. will be en titled to receive one fully-paid share for each two shares at present held, and they also had priority of application for one share for each share held.

Enterprise Of New Guinea

Enterprise of New Guinea N.L. has been advised by its general manager in New Guinea (Mr. H.

Taylour) that preparations for sluicing on the Surprise Creek and Watut River areas are well advanced. He expects a trial run-off shortly.

Mr. Taylour states that he is shortly resuming sluicing on the new area.

Morobe Alluvials N.L.

Directors of New Morobe Gold N.L. have ac quired a dredging area, “Guinea Scarfe,” on the Little Wau Creek, adjoining the property of New Guinea Goldfields Ltd. A company has been form ed, to be known as Morobe Alluvials N.L., to work the area. Nominal capital is £75,000, in 150,000 shares of 10/- each, of which shareholders had the right to apply for 120,000 shares, in the proportion of 50 shares for each share held, at 5/- a share, application and allotment. A report on the pro perty by Mr. J. M. Spence, mining engineer, of Wau, New Guinea, states that in no case has bot tom been reached, and to a shallow depth approxi mately 18,580 cubic yards have been treated for a

return of 1892 oz. 16 dwt., which return has been confirmed by the Department of Mines, Wau. Mr.

Spence has been endeavouring to calculate the yardage of the gold-bearing gravels, and in a radiogram received recently he stated: “Ander son’s Lease: Terraces, 1,800,000; creek bed, 400,000; river flats, 800,000; total, 3,000,000 cubic yards.

Depth of wash only estimated at 9 feet below creek bed, and as no bottom is showing on lease, boring will undoubtedly increase figures consider ably.” In a later report, Mr. Spence affirmed that he had no hesitation in stating that the property was a valuable one. Due to the formation of the ground to be worked, gold production can be com menced forthwith, and will be carried on during the period necessary for the installation of further plant and electricity. The length of the lease is 80 chains, and width, including the creek, 10 chains. Very little of the lease has been worked.

At present, a face of approximately 45 feet, is being worked at a depth of 7 feet, by crude boxing methods. Directors of the new company are Messrs. E. A. Wisdom, W. H. Smith, T. R. Vic tor, R. Blackmore, A. D. Douglas, and W. G.

Digby, and the manager, Mr. R. W. Stringer (Stringer and Phillips Ltd.), 422 Collins Street, Melbourne.

Sandy Creek Sluicing

Sandy Creek Gold Sluicing Ltd. (New Guinea), whose Sydney office is at Warwick Building, Ham ilton Street, reported as follows early in August; The order for the No. 1 hydraulic sluicing and elevating plant has been placed, and as delivery of such plant is promised for an earlier date than expected, and as good progress upon the construc tion of the company’s water race is reported from the mine, it is now anticipated that hydraulic

sluicing operations on the company’s property will be in full swing well before the end of the present calendar year, possibly by about the end of October.

It will be of interest to shareholders to know that this No. 1 plant will have a capacity of ap proximately 11,000 cubic yards of gravel per month and that, as it is expected the water available from the company’s race will be more than suffi cient for No. 1 plant, it is intended after the race has been constructed to utilise the surplus water to ground sluice the adjacent slopes (below the race) of the Midlothian Gravel Deposit. This lat ter proposal should not only supplement gold re coveries but be a first step towards proving the values in such deposit.

New Guinea Goldfields Ltd.

Monthly returns of production and estimated profits otiN.G. Goldfields Jse'»s follows;:— ■

Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd.

May. *June.

July.

Cubic yds. treated (4 dredges) 890,000.. 930,000 968,000 Bullion, oz 15,059 13,021 15,647 Containing fine gold, oz 10,377 9,061 10,847 Value of production £92,096 £79,284 £94,911 IWorking profit .. £63,882 £52,045 £66.894 {Based on gold at £8 15/- (Australian) an oz. *Nc. 2 dredge, worked nine days practically without revenue, preparing pond for deep-digging dredge now being designed, and in inis period dredged 69,000 cubic yards of tailings.

Alluvial— May. June. July.

Fine gold, oz 1,525 1,561 1,599 Fine silver, oz 1,208 1,180 1,251 Mill (Golden Ridge), tons 3,717 3,541 — Fine gold, oz 1,455 1,331 1,525 Fine silver, oz 776 885 1,095 Estimated profit— April. May. June.

Alluvial £6,871 £8,012 £9.000 Mill 8,090 7.214 5,989