MINING NEWS.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 359, 26 March 1903, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

The height of the iiver at the Alexandra bridge last evening was 7ft 4in above the " normal" mark. Mr Gregor M'Donald has been appointed manager of the Davis Bend Ca's dredge, The Perseverance No 1 dredge,

'having worked up to her top boundary, has been dropped back to the lower -boundary (next the Chicago Co.'s claim), and from there will take another cat up tbe river. The Coronation Co.'s dredge is working away steadily, but has not yet had sufficient time to get her paddock properly opened out. So far, the returns obtained have not been made public. The return from the Molyneux Hydraulic dredge last week showed a substantial improvement. It is expected that better wash will be met with shortly. The Monte Christo dredge has been shut down until the river falls to a more favourable level. MrW. Kane, late of the Vincent dredge, has been appointed dredge- ' master of the Rising Sun Co.'s dredge. An alluvial find is reported at Black Range (Western Australia). Eighty men are on tbe ground, and all got payable gold the first day, 70oz being found, including 16oz of slug. The following items are from tbe "Cromwell Argus":—The Rise and Shine lost some time last week, owing to the headline carrying away while

tracking into the face. Her return, therefore, is folly tip to last weeks'.— Mr Donald is making good progress with the erection of the Rising Sun. • The deck caulking is well forward, and ' some o: the heavier pieces of machinery aboard, while the heavy framings are all in position. The Earnscleugh No. 3 dredge is ' 'working steadily, bat it will take some . little tune before bottom is reached. The time for receiving applications for snares in the New Donstan Dredg ing Company has been extended for a fortnight, that is until April 11th. We understand that something over 1000 shares have been applied for in the new company. The following circular from the Department of Labour has been received by the secretary of the Otago and Southland Dredgemen's "Union*— " You are respectfully asked to notify at once the head office of the Department of Labour of any dispute that may arise between your Union and Employers, giving a concise and clear report of same. We are desirous of

having such report as soon as possible ? after the dispute is declared, so that the Department may be fully acquainted with all matters connected with the dispute." An accident, which fortunately did not have a fatal termination, happened last Friday to the boat that was conveying material for the alterations on the River Molyneux dredge. The boat left the usual laading place in the . morning, after getting the assurance that all the lines were clear on the • First Chance dredge. It is alleged that the port stern line was too low, * and when the man on the look-out in , the boat saw the state of the line he immediately sang out to "shear for '; the shore"; but it was then too late to do anything, although an attempt t was made. The boat ran into the line, . and things were " anyhow " for about three or four seconds. When the boat ' righted, it was found that three men were hurt, but not seriously, although it may be a month before one of them is to resume work. - How the men escaped from a more serious catastrophe is difficult to conjecture. There is some talk of an* enquiry in regard to the accident.