Papua's Gold

Activity on Various Fields

From Our Own Correspondent,

Port Moresby, Sept. 25.

DURING the 50 years since payable gold was first discovered at Misima Island, Eastern Papua, approximately £2,000,000 worth of gold has been produced in the Territory. For 1937-38 the total output was 41.308 oz. valued at £108.141 an increase of 7,728 oz and £21,138 over 1936-37. The following interesting sum marv shows what was done during the year on the various fields: —

Woodlark Island

Seven Europeans and 90 natives were employed during 1937-38, and the total production amounted to 1,468 oz. worth •

£7,552. Individual natives won 87 oz. val ued at £520. Experts predict a good fut ure for Woodlark Island mining, and op erations are being extended on practically all existing claims.

Misima Island

At present this field is the main scene of activity 77 Europeans and 1,100 nat ives being employed by the major com panies. Output of Cuthbert’s Misima Goldmine, Ltd., was 30,697 oz. valued at £72,031. With their plant operating only for broken periods over six months, Gold Mines of Papua, Ltd., produced 4,689 oz. worth £3.538. Better results are expected during the 1938-39 period, when its new plant is running to full capacity.

Misima natives won only a little more gold than was necessary to pay their tax money.

Milne Bay

At Milne Bay, at the extreme eastern

end of the mainland, four Europeans and 56 natives were employed. The yield of gold was 910 oz, worth £5,944 from 2,279 tons of ore treated. There are 12 mining claims in this district.

Lakekamu

Tiveri Gold Dredging, Limited’s returns show that 471 oz. of gold were won from 120,100 yards of wash, five Europeans and 50 natives being employed. Two individ ual miners on the Lakekamu field are re ported to be doing well—Mr. A. E. Bethune (assisted by 12 natives) and Mr. H. Gar butt (with a European assistant and 40 Papuans). The total output form this field during the year was 630 oz. Gold seeking activity at Lakekamu is seriously handicap ped by the freight charge of £l2/10/- per ton for supplies.

Yodda Goldfield

On the Yodda goldfield in the Northern Division, the Yodda Prospecting Syndicate treated 16,020 yards of wash for a return of 450 oz. of gold, which realized £3,180. The other company. Yodda Goldfield, Limi ted produced gold to the value of £4,300, being 561 oz. from 24,130 yards of wash.

Other Fields

Three claims were worked at Gira (Northern Division) during 1937-38, but the results were not startling.

At Astrolabe, near Port Moresby, Man dated Alluvials N.L. from April 12 to June 30 treated " 1,130 tons of oxide? ore and 546 tons of sulphide ore for a recovery of 570 oz. of gold. 1,434 oz. of silver, and 16.9 tons of copper. The plant since June has been running intermittently, but with periodical adjustments has shown improved return' Mr. English at his mine in the Rigo district. Central Division, produced 100 tons of manganese in the period.

THE captain and the engineer of a trad ing schooner in the Central Pacific got to arguing one day about which one had the easiest job. Finally, to settle the wrangling, they agreed to change places.

Twenty minutes later, the captain, sweating and greasy, bellowed up through the hatchway: “I give up. I can’t make these engines go any more.”

The engineer, at the wheel, yelled back: ‘‘You don’t have to —! She’s up on the beach, now!”