Inquiry by Australian Syndicate

Solomons Gold

FUR young men, John Grover, Arthur Moore, Roy Hudson and Terence Conolley the latter a well-known geologist arrived in Sydney by Trans oceanic flying-boat on March 24 with samples of gold-bearing rock, which they had gathered in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, and which were to be assayed.

Mr. Hudson said he held an option over the area concerned, which was about 20 miles inland from Honiara. The area had been inspected on behalf of an Australian gold syndicate.

It will be remembered that Theodore interests (Emperor Goldmines, Fiji) were prospecting Guadalcanal gold indications before the war; that operations were suspended during hostilities; that they were resumed in 1946; but were promptly and completely discontinued when it was learned that the Socialist Government of Britain had introduced new laws which reserved to the Crown a substan tial and disproportionate share in any new gold-mine enterprise. It was pointed out in this journal, at the time, that the heavy cost and risk of gold pros pecting, in a place like the Solomons, is simply not worth while, under such regulations. , , , The position has not been changed.

Any BSI gold-find would have to be ex traordinarily rich to justify developm r