[?]Iewed Interest In

Mangaia Manganese

EW ZEALAND’S search for means of improving the prosperity and financial solvency ;he Cooks has lead to Govern it interest in the manganese de ts on Mangaia Island, le existence of the deposits, and fact that at least a part are high-grade material, has been vn for many years, but the ex of the field has never been ed, and the Government has t shown any active interest in exploitation. is believed that the present in st is a direct result of the recent omic report made to the gov tient by Professor H. Belshaw Mr. V. D. Stace. geologist of the Department of itific and Industrial Research, Horace E. Fyfe, travelled to gaia from New Zealand per the ia special voyage in November, t three weeks on the island, and ned to Auckland per Viti in December. •. Fyfe was not prepared to make comment. He said that noth would be known of the field’s it or value until samples £ht back had been assayed. He d make a report to his Depart is believed in Mangaia that Mr. did not consider the deposits extensive. vate interest in the Mangaia sits has always been blocked by jaian opposition and land rship complications. Should tfangaians decide to work the ;its on their own behalf they i be faced with the major em of shipping the ore from island which possesses no )urs or sheltered anchorages has notoriously bad reef ges. It would be uneconomic :empt to load ore into an over ship at Mangaia without some n of mechanical delivery by [ever arm to lighters outside reef, and even then work I be slow and costly, h-grade Fiji manganese is at nt worth about £l2 per ton f.o.b.

William Mcßirney, long-time ;nt of Rarotonga, has shown ;st in Managaia’s manganese e past years. In November, a ' notice was posted through tie Cook Islands advising that ative Company known as aian Minerals Co. was to be d up by order of the High This was apparently the isation with which Mr. mey was associated.

K. J. B. Simpson will arrive ji in February to take up an atment as a medical officer in outh Pacific Health Service.