MINING NEWS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1186, 21 November 1884, Page 3

MINING NEWS.

The two chief branches of the mining industry in ihis immediate neighbourhood, viz—dredging and quartz reefing arelooking up, and the prospects of the shareholders are brighter than th'y have heen for a long time. The Dnnedin Hold Dredging Company, with ttieir steam dredge, are on a good run of gold ; for the month of October they obtained 1424 ounces, and for the present mon hj, according to results yet obtained, that very handsome total will he materially increased. A few such months as these should go a long way towards making up for past lost time and the money expended in-purchasing experience. -To complete. a dredging plant- suitable to contend against the many difficulties to he met with in the Molynenx such for : nstanc • as a ten mile enrren - , an everlasting, flow of fine gravel (tailings), an uneven and hard bottom. and the patches of big boulders in the gravel, while a no easy task was a very exn°nsiwe one, and the gold hi herto obtained has been well n ; gh expended in reaching the stage of «fficienov thi- company’s plant has at length attained. The quantity of dirt dredged averages somewha about 100 tons daily, whi-e at times 150 tons has been reached. It accordingly must be seen at a glance that to lift this large quantity of gravel, and deal with it effectually so as to seoarate and aave the gold which is most remarkably fine, in fact only dust, the machinery must inn very smoothly, and the men employed must be well trained to the work. Excepting Sundays, the machinery is going night and day in three shifts of 8 hours each, an engine driver, aud two men co attend to the dredge buckets and wishing apparatus for each shift, in all 9 men. The old Eureka Dredge (current wheel) is also doing good and pavahle work under the management of Mr Ley on. This being a private company nothing transpires as to the gold getting, hut we understand it is now paying remarkably well, at any rate it is being worked on the most economical lines, one man o>dy being employed on each shift, who attends to both dredging and gold saving appara'us. Prospects on the Old Man Range reefs continue improving. Driving in White’s Company is being continued, the solid rich stone referred to previously continuing in the face. Nothing has as yet been arranged for the crushing of a sample of the 20 or 30 tons of stone at the Conroy’s batteiy, it being thought advisable to bring the matter before the meeting of shareholders to be held on Saturday evening next at Alex« andra. Regarding the objects of this meeting—increasing the monthly calls from 3dto 6d per share—opinions are pretty well divided. The majority of the local share* holders would be in favour of the increase if the management was local, but so long as it is in Dunedin they do not seem inclined to extend the powers of the Directors. However, the meeting will tell which way the cat is to jump, Mervyn and Gavan are pushing ahead with their low level tunnel. In the open cut they came across a vary likely seam of crushed stone. It was narrow, hut the foot and hanging walls are strong, and if followed should lead to something. The Union Company are abont putting in a Inw level tunnel into their claim. They will s'art some little distance in the Welcome Company's ground. Lithane and Gray a e still washing np A'! the other c’aims a>s resting on their cars awaiting the results of their neighbours labours, or perhaps the opening of the Waikaia Bush Road, which, hy the bye. may now he locked upon as an accomplished fact, the Con ty authorities having received ins'ructions from the Oovetoraent to proceed with the work. There is rather a gnnd joke over this work. Some people were get'ing very impatient at the delay, others were quite indignant, and wanted to know-yon-know, and had arranged to'flepnt.efiqnige the County Chairman and let him know-yon know, when just as they we e at boiling heat, they were quietly informed that the necessary machinery had all along heen wo.iking as smoothly as possihl-, and ihat on Saturday last the authority for the expenditure had b-'en received.