Gold-Seekers

Disappointed

New NG Field Now Colled A "Washout"

LATEST advices from New Guinea in dicate that the so-called gold dis covery in Central New Guinea, near Wabag, is a complete “wash-out.”

Various persons interested, including the Leahy Brothers, are believed to have gone into the area from Mount Hagen in late March or in April, and have re turned with the report that the gold bearing area is small, and not rich.

One man has remained in there, work ing the known deposits, but he is faced with a serious problem of supply. He apparently will have to depend on sup plies parachuted from planes. It is said of him that “he will be lucky to make enough to pay costs.”

It was originally proposed that permits to enter the uncontrolled areas west ward of Mount Hagen should be issued on April 1. Then, for administrative reasons, this date was postponed to May 1 Meanwhile, it was reported, the pros- Thev rS were Imposed brnthei-JTTpnhv PP Mr d Tnhn Blink iwhn

resigned his position Ser

vice in order Pit i? follow up the gold discoveries P he and Tavlor made in g the TaX-Black^ewdittra S 1938), members of a Bulolo Gold Dredg ing party, and others.

It was also stated that the Director of Health, Dr. Gunther, and other officials directly interested in the wellbeing of the natives, were in the Ik Mint Hagen district, and were making careful in quines to ascertain what measures would be needed to protect the natives in the event of a gold rush.

Next development was the report, late in April, that some men had gone in without a permit and were deeply dis appointed at the poor prospects they found. The Administrator, Colonel J.

K. Murray, then stated publicly that the latest information did not bear out the report of a rich gold find.

THE Government Secre' self „ overn , nrf l^I vSl M p a /hPP &alationS ’ while no date had yet bee .fpy, -nnrtiHnn for the issue of permits t Economic de controlled area west of economic de New Guinea, in which iS have been found. At or!”

May 1 had been fixed i but had later been cance.T[URCD It is believed that th: 1 1c taken when it was found Department that there wr dysentery epidemic sprean . . area concerned, and when flOl tration realised that the A discovery was not supported l en, in what When he arrived in Sydney nea Timber the Administrator told the in Sydney that all the information hod to last not support the report of a before the field having been found west iot gulity Hagen.

The “wash-out” story is acc Port Moresby—but with reservati able by fact that Mr. Black, regarded as stories man of good judgment, resigned tP- Service in order to go back gold- breach to the region that he formerly ei. ble by requires some explanation. H itories disbelievers also say that person? are “on” to rich gold, and want t Nov courage a rush, will unhesitating!;- art reports of failure into circulation, nd will direct gold-seekers to the r, „n al area.

It is stated that the BGD party k rp pursuing Mr. Black’s elusive find, bu out on a general search for gold-bea country, not necessarily high-grade, as which the BGD dredges can be trache ferred when the Bulolo flats are worl-ee out. ?r