GOLD DREDGING NOTES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 9 January 1901, Page 4

GOLD DREDGING NOTES.

A pauty of men are prospecting Craig’s Freehold. They are equipped with a good outfit, and it will take them about two months to finish their work. Tire consulting engineers of tho Premier (Boiler) Gold Dredging Company report that the building of the pontoons at the company’s claim is in active progress. They anticipate the whole of the plant will be ready to be fitted up by about the end of February. The Grey River Consolidated had fifty tons of machinery for their dredge on board iha s.s. Moana for transhipment to Greymouth. The balance of the machinery is completed, and will be shipped by next steamer.

Tho Reeves Proprietary Dredge is at present hung up owing to the clutch breaking. On this accident occurring the plates were cleaned, resulting in a return of 8J- oas of gold for 50 hours’ work. The amount of gpld won during t^ e year just closed by the Otago dredges whose returns are made public was 62,27005! 14dvvt 20gr, which shows a considerable increase on the previous year, when tho amount won was 46,1520 z lOdwt 20gr, being an increase for the year of 16,1240 i! 4dwt. \ Tho Duller Junction Dredge, which has been completed for some time now and awaiting a rise in the river to bo floated down to its claim, is a sister ship to the Mokoia, but has the additional advantage of being lighted throughout by electricity. Shareholders who had expected the dredge to be at work and bringing in good returns by this time are greatly disappointed over the delay. Company promoters and others interested in claims on the Buller are also disappointed, as they feel confident that all that is required to increase the value of shares in the various claims is for a good dredge like like the Buller Junction or the Mokoia to got to work. It is to be hoped that the much looked for flood will not be long in eoming.

The average working cost of the Grey Eiver Cay’s dredge for the past 16 weeks is £47 lls 4J per week, and the average return for the same period about 39ozs per week, the average for the last 6.1 weeks being 88azs. It is understood that some alterations have been made in the working of the Leviathan dredge. Mr M'Oormack, from the Now Eiver dredge, succeeds Mr Magnus. The tables have been superseded by the erection of Jones’ Novelty Tables, which are also used on the Grey and Dobson No 2 dredges. Mr Druce, the local director, resigns his position on the Boardand will be succeeded by Mr Andrew M^Kay.