George Wall Lowes died in New Zealand on 14th October, 1959, at the age of 75.
Though born in England, Mr. Lowes spent almost the whole of his life in New Zealand. He received his technical training first at Reefton School of Mines between 1915 and 1920, obtaining a first-class certificate in 1917 under the New Zealand Mining Act and continuing his studies while working as assistant surveyor at Blackwater mines. He was mine manager at Keep-it-Dark mine, Reefton, from 1919 to 1920 and then entered Westport School of Mines to take the three-year course for colliery managers, gaining his first-class certificate in 1923. During this period he worked as an employee of Stockton-Westport Coal Co.
Mr. Lowes was appointed manager of New Scotia mine on West Coast, South Island, in 1923, and later left to manage Energetic mine of Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand, Ltd. From July, 1926, to May, 1930, he had full control of the alluvial deep lead mine of Mahakipawa Goldfields, Ltd., in Marlborough Province, and then managed Golden Progress mine, Otago, for over a year.
He entered New Zealand Government service in April, 1932, as Inspector of Mines first for Otago and Southland and later for West Coast Inspection District. When in 1938 the office of Inspector of Metal Mines, Reefton, was transferred to Greymouth and combined with the office of the Inspectors of Coal Mines, Mr. Lowes remained Inspector of Metal Mines and Quarries for the West Coast District, which included Reefton, Nelson and Marlborough, until his retirement on 31st December, 1953.
In 1939 the Gold Scheme of subsidized mining administered by the Mining Branch of the Labour Department was taken over by the Mines Department and this involved considerable additional work for Mr. Lowes who was the only Metalliferous Inspector for the district for many years. In 1942 when the war was at its height and men were not available the Gold Scheme was abandoned. After this gold mining gradually diminished over the years and by 1951 the large Blackwater quartz mine closed down.
Mr. Lowes continued to live at Greymouth after his retirement. He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1928 and a Member in 1937.
Vol. 69, Trans IMM 1959-60, p.723
