MINING NEWS.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 426, 23 June 1904, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

The river is falling steadily as a result of the frosts experienced duting the last week. The height at the Alexandra bridge last evening was sft 9in above the normal mark. Owing to the high state of the river, none of the gorge dredges have yet been able to resume work. Attempts are being made to reconstruct the Monte Chris'io Company, whose liabilities the directors, in a lately issued circular, state are £ll9 15s 7d, while the amount due under mortgage is £572 16s 3d, which amounts the company cannot meet. The proposed capital is £2,000, inclusive of paid-up shares to be offered to the mortgagees. The Inspector of Mines for the Southern Mining District has forwarded a circular to the owners of sluicing claims, pointing out that if explosives are used it will be necessary to post a copy of the general rules under sectien 206 of the Mining Act in the office or on some building or board in a conspicuous place. Printed copies of the rules can be obtained from the Government Printer, Wellington. Regarding the damage to Mr Lett's coal-pit at Alexandra, the "Mines Record " says:—" A creep, or sit, occurred on the 14th ultimo at Lett's coal-mine, Alexandra South, Otago, culminating in the collapse of an areaof about 2 acres of the workings to the south side of the main dip drive from the surface. The coal is 7ft* in thickness, dipping at an angle of about 1 in 6 to the westward. The drives were regularly driven 6ft. by 6ft., and not less than half a chain square, pillars being left in. The small drives and comparatively large pillars were necessary owing to the nature of the overlying material, which throughout its 100 ft. to 130 ft. in thickness is composed almost entirely of shingle from the terraces, with occasionally thin beds of fine sand running through the graveld, giving no binding, and being very liable to run in the event of a break occurringin the roof.Jln December last a heavy feeder of water suddenly broke into the mine on a line of fault which runs through the affected area, and the owner has since expended about £6OO in coping with the water, which had increased to about 75,000 gallons per diem. The water-race for supplying the Alexandra township runs over the affected area, and the water was turned oft in the race pending the erection of fluming, some 3 chains of which would be required to conduct the water over the broken ground, The " Cromwell Argus " says : Last Friday afternoon three local dredgers, Messrs D M'lntosh, S Cooper, and J M'Pherson left Cromwell en routs for West Africa. Quite a crowd gathered to see the in off and a cheer was raised as the trap drove away. We wish the departing dredgemen good luck and good health. The Molyneux Hydraulic dredge had to stop on Tuesday night owing to a slight accident to the lower tumbler. It was expected that the dredge would resume work last evening, DREDGING RETURNS. The following are the returns tor the week ending Saturday, June 18th, 1904 : oz dwfc grs Junction Electric No 1, Cromwell 50 10 0 Roxburgh Jubilee, Roxb'rgh, 139h 50 3 0 Sandy Point, Alexandra, ... 49 10 0 Riley's Beach, Ciomwtsll ... 42 H 0 Sneddon's Freehold, Waikaka ... 42 0 0 Bttrick, Roxburgh, ... 41 10 0 Rise and Shine, Up'er Clutba ... 41 0 0 Earnscleugh No 2, Alexandra 40 15 0 Hessey"s Waikaia ... ... 39 4 q Waikaka United No 1, Waikaka 33 9 0 Nugent Wood, Waikaia ... 31 18 0 Golden Run, Millers Flat ... 31 15 q Earnscleugh No 1, Alexandra, ... 31 12 0 Central Charlton, near Gore, 25 3 q Enterprise No I, Alexandra ... 24 16 0 Olrig, Manuherikia, 128hrs ... 24 8 0 Waimumu Queen 24 5 n Lady Roxburgh, Roxburgh ... 23 14 q Upper Waipori, Waipori, ... 23 9 q Taniwha, Tuapeka River ... 23 3 n Royal Waimumu, near Gore 23 2 0 Golden Treasure, Miller's Flat,... 22 10 q Molyneux Kohinoor, Roxburgh 22 8 0 Waikaka Queen, Waikaka ... 21 5 q Waikaka Syndicate, Waikaka ... 21 0 0 Mystery Flat, Waikaia, ... 20 14 q Happy Valley, Tuapeka. wk 20 1Q 0 Enfield, Waipori, ... ... 19 n q Waimumu, near Gore, ... 19 4 n Alpine No 2 Cromwell. 16 16 0 Garryowen, Waikaia .. ... 16 5 0 Gabriel, Tuapeka Flat... ... 16 1 0 Enterprise No 2, Alexandra ... 15 12 n Alexandra Lead, Alexandra, ... 15 12 0 Electric No. 2, Cromwell ... 15 10 n Island Block, Beaumont, ... 14 13 0 Waikaka, Waikaka, ... 14 6 n Caimtrodlie, Poolburn, ... 13 14 0 Molyneux Hydraulic, Alexandra 12 13 0 Inchdale, near Palmerston, ... 12 3 0 New Golden Beacb, Alexandra II 2 n Garden Gully, Waikaka 113 0 Central Mataura, Mataura, ... 10 12 0 Lawrence, Tuapeka Flat, ... 916 0 Otago, Miller's Flat, ._ 910 q Golden Gate. Millers Flat, ... 8 3 0 Chicago, Alexandra, .. 7 413 1 for Coughs Colds sever fails, la 64 I