MINING NEWS.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 429, 11 August 1904, Page 5

MINING NEWS.

Mr A E Inder, mining enginees, of Danedin, advertises in this issue for six dredge-winchmen for the Kelantan Gold Dredging Company, Malay. Misfortune has again overtaken the First Ohance dredge. About four o'clock on Sunday morning last the bucket-belt parted at the top tumbler and the buckets slipped into the river. As the machine was at the time dredging to a depth of 46 feet, all hope of recovering the lost buckets was immediately abandoned, as it was only a j question of a few minutes when they would have been silted up. The dredge was working very rough ground, and the strain on the pins and links was very great. At the time of the unfortunate accident, however, the ground being operated upon was carrying highly payable wash. We learn that the direetors, on hearing of the mishap, immediately purchased the New River Molyneux Company's dredge, and the buckets of this machine are now being transferred to the First Ohance dredga It is questionable, however, if the pins and links on this belt (which are lighter than, those which connected the lost buckets) will successfully stand the strain when set in motion on the First Chance Go's ground. The Bendigo dredge is working steadily, but it is found impossible to bottom over a portion of the cut. It is evident that a larger machine must be employed to successfully work this portion of the river, The New Golden River dredge, which has recently been removed to the upper end of the company's olaim, is at present stopped owing to difficulties in connection with coaling. The Fourteen-mile dredge had to itop on Thursday last, to await the arnva! of a belated consignment of bucket lips. Jt was expected that the dips would arrive in time to allow of the dredge resuming operations to-day. The Davis Bend dredge (in the gorge below Alexandra) commenced dredging at the beginning of the week. The dredge is in qharge of Mr D M-'Gregor, who may be depended upon to conduct dredging operations to the best possible advantage. The secretary of the Stafford-Wiamea Dredging Company has receiye.q' a wire stating that the company's dredge (whioh sunk recently) was successfully re-floated on Monday morning. The Molyneux Hydraulic dredge has been stopped for the past week, awaiting a supply of water from the Borough race ? whicb, is, at present frozen up. In consequence of the low state of the river, the water in the paddock has receded to an unworkable level, and it is necessary that a supplementary supply s-ould he forthcoming from the Borough race before dredging operations can be resumed. As a thaw has set in, it is expected that the dredge will be able to resume work within the next few days, UPPER OLUTHA,

(from our own correspondent).

The dredges on the Olutha are all getting payable returns, excepting one, and that is the New Eoyal Maori, which has started lately. This dredge took up a cut in the river near where it was built; but, although she got some fine gold from the top seams, the dredge failed to strike payable gold on the bottom —at least not, so far,, to a payable extent. It is intended to try the ground in the direction of where bore-holes were put down some time since, where a heavy seam of wash was found covering the pipe-clay bottom.

The Rising Sun ia now getting steady payable returns, and is proving the claim to be a valuable property. There is evidently a belt of dufter ground between the Rise and Shine No 1 and the Rising Sun, as the Rise and Shine 2 (working between them) is getting but poor returns ; and this probably accounts for the Royal Maori's failuie to strike payable wash where she is at present.