Goldfields, N.G.

Warden’s Report for Morobe Goldfields, N.G.

THE following report was made by the Warden of the Morobe Goldfields, New Guinea, to the Administration, on January 2; — The gold and silver exported during December, 1935, was 11,8400 z., valued at £A67,026/6/8.

Four survey parties were in operation during the month. Good progress has been made in the traverse of the Lower Watut River.

Accidents: There was one fatal accident during December, a native being electrocuted at Golden Ridges. A piece of wire had become lodged on one of the high power transmission lines and was carried into contact with an iron standard by a heavy wind. The weather was wet, and apparently the conductivity of the ground is very low as the native, walking by the post, was electrocuted.

The iron standard is sunk 3ft. in the ground, and has an “itambu” sign on it, and it appears that nothing more can be done in the way of safe guards.

A native was injured by a falling tree on Misery Creek. This appears to be an accident inseparable from falling timber.

Mining Tenements: With the close of the year and rent becoming due, some large areas were abandoned. The more important were six mining leases by Day Dawn South N.L.; three dredgmg claims by New Guinea Goldfields Ltd. on the Bitoi; four dredging claims in the Upper Watut area by Enterprise of New Guinea N.L.; and four dredging claims by Sunshine Gold Develop ment Ltd., on the Ono River.

Morobe Alluvials N.L.: Alluvial mining and testing were carried on during this month, and 85oz. sdwt. of gold was recovered from 3236 cubic yards of ground treated. Testing shafts are being put down along the lower boundary of the lease to determine values, to see if the installation of a larger plant is warranted.

Bulolo Gold Deposits Ltd.: Production opera tions have given place to general race repairs and removal of main pipe line to meet requirements.

Sluicing was re-commenced on December 27 — two to three nozzles are in operation. Two con tractors with 45 natives are engaged construct ing the Co.’s main water race to Bulolo-Koranga Junction, in preparation for sluicing operations in that area.

Sunshine Gold Development Ltd.: Consolidated Watut Claims —Baiune water race construction con sisted of ditching, and the construction of bye washes. The water has been running in the race for a distance of over two miles. Baiune Inverted Syphon—The rivetting and laying of this pipe line was under way and a length of 2600 ft. is connected up. Ditching was in progress also on the western side of the Baiune Valley. Erection of the telephone line to the intake of the water race was under way.

Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd.: The Co.’s aircraft made 81 trips, delivering 235 short tons of freight from Lae to the Co.’s aerodromes at Bulwa and Bulolo. The Co.’s No. 2 dredge was tem porarily shut down during the month. The other three dredges mined 607,000 cubic yards, which yielded 9216 unrefined oz. gf gold. The hydraulic elevator and boxing operations at the upper end of the property handled 12,771 cubic yards, which yielded 4 82oz. of unrefined gold.