New Caledonia's Gold

Dr. Hills Investigating for Australian Interests

GOLD seekers are turning their eyes from Fiji to New Caledonia, where although there are nickel and chrome mines, no gold mine has yet been proved.

Several Australian mining men have re cently visited Noumea to examine supposed gold-bearing areas and in November Dr.

Loftus Hills left Melbourne for New Cale donia to investigate reported gold finds on the island on behalf of Sydney and Adelaide interests.

Concessions over large areas have been obtained from the French Government and Dr. Hills will look over the properties and report to the parties concerned. A prominent Victorian geologist, Dr. Hills was the first to affirm the possibilities of the Tavua field, Fiji. On his return from Noumea, he will depart for Suva, probably early in January.

In recent months three Australian com panies have been actively engaged in gold seeking in New Caledonia. They are: Diahot River Gold Dredging Syndicate N.L., of Adelaide, which holds an option over 12,000 acres on the Diahot River, north-east coast of New Caledonia. This company’s property was surface tested by Mr. J. Hay, who estimated values at more than 4/- a cubic yard. Later Dr. Jensen carried out a detailed examination.

Upper Diahot River Gold Dredging Syndicate N.L., formed in December, 1934, acquired from C. R. Donaldson an option over 3,000 acres on the Upper Diahot River.

Dr. Jensen scout bored the area, but did not find gold values beneath the surface.

Investigations are still being carried out on the property.

Caledo-Austral Gold Syndicate N.L., formed in Adelaide early this year, obtained an option over the Honfleur and Queyras mines. The syndicate also has an option over 9,000 acres of dredging leases on the Tende River, near Upper Diahot Gold Co.’s areas.