A GREAT DREDGE

Evening Star, Issue 19793, 17 February 1928, Page 7

A GREAT DREDGE

£40,000 DOHEBIN CONTRACT GOLD-GETTING ON THE SHOTOVER The Golden Terrace Extended Gold Dredging Company has entered into a contract with the old-established dredge building firm of Joseph Sparrow and Sons to build an up-to-date dredge, the price round about £40,000. The company’s claim is on the Shotover River, about five miles from Queenstown. In 1878 this claim wan scraped over by an inadequate dredge with small buckets. This dredge was able to prospect for only a short time just under the surface, but she obtained £6,875 worth of gold in 275 days. The dredge now contracted for. which is to be completed at the end of the present year, will be the most up-to-date machine of its kind ever designed or built in New Zealand. The pontoons are to be of steel plating and steel frame. The buckets are to be of the close-connected type, each of eight cubic feet capacity, manufactured > of ebromo steel, and with reversable lips. The tumblers and driving gear cf cast steel. The screens and gold-saving appliances are of special design, and will consist of double tiers of tables on each side of the dredge, ensuring every particle of gold being saved. The elevator is to be of 3ft width, and an endless rubber belt will convey the washed material the required distance for treatment. This conveyor is to bo driven from the top end. There will be two sets of ladder-lifting gear, so that continuance of working is assured if one set fails. Two sets of winches are also provided for. The whole of the machinery will bo driven by electric power derived from V\ ye Creek, a few miles from the claim. It will develop 500 horse power, more than ample for all requirements. The dredge will bo capable of treating between 40,000 and 50,000 cubic yards of material per week. The company holds 405 acres of rich dredging ground, which has been not only bored, but check bored. This boring gives the same results as those obtained by the little did dredge, which produced an average return of 290 z per week. The new dredge is to be capable of treating nearly ten times the quantity of wash dirt that the old dredge put through, and, seeing that its working expenses will be very light, owing to having its own electric power, the directors confidently look forward to paying dividends immediately after the work starts.

The drawings and specifications have been prepared under the supervision of Mr George Pettigrew, the company’s supervisor, who has had lengthy experience in Otago and on the West Coast.

All the machinery will be controlled from the pilot house on the upper deck, near the bow, from which the operator will have an uninterrupted view of the whole claim. Watertight bulkheads will make tho_ pontoons unsinkable. Life-saving appliances are provided for, also an electric lighting system developed from the company’s own hydro station.