THE RED JACKS GOLD DREDGING COMPANY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 22 January 1901, Page 4

THE RED JACKS GOLD DREDGING COMPANY.

Extension of the Claim.

A telegram has been received by the Secretary, at Dunedin, of the Red Jacks Gold Dredging Company, confirming the purchase of an additional area to their claim. The purchase has been in prospect for some months past. The bottom boundary of the company’s property was in the gorge of a stream, and was a difficult and unfavourable spot to erect the pontoons, and as there was no high ground suitable for building the pontoons fears were held that any flood would carry off the timber. It was said that the dams would be extremely difficult to construct, and to maintain, until the dredge started. The only plan seemed to be to build at the mouth of the gorge, but to do this it would be necessary to cut through part of an adjoining, claim, worked by a party of Chinese. As early as last July it was strongly recommended to buy these Chinese out. The Mongolians numbered a dozen, and owned ten to twelve acres situated just below the Red Jacks property. They were working a face about three chains wide, and twelve to sixteen feet deep, and, in July last, had shifted ahead about thirty feet in eleven weeks. Only one of the twelve was shovelling goldbearing wash into a six-foot box. The rest were engaged in forking tailings and wheeling away the silt and gravel, which they did not work, although it contained a proportion of fine gold, easily saved by treating in quantify. The rough cubic contents of stuff shifted by them, so the company was informed, amounted to about 2860 yards, but as they only treated the bottom layer, say, four feet, this gave 715 yards of gold-bearing wash treated by them in eleven weeks. They appeared to bo earning about 80s a week a-piece, which gave a return of 5s 8d per cubic yard treated. Towards the mouth of the gorge the ground was expected to improve, and much of it had never been worked. The advantages of buying this property were thus made evident. The ground was accordingly tested carefully and prospects were taken in several places which showed excellent results. Negotiations for purchase were begun, and the Chinamen asked £1,600. The demand was subsequently lowered to £7OO, and the company are now in possession.

The necessary machinery is nearly all finished, and the screen and elevator have arrived from Sydney. About 50,000 feet of timber is on the ground, and the erection of pontoons is about to be commenced Mr W. M’Lusky, the successful tenderer for these, expects to have his work comp'eted in ten or twelve weeks from now. By the acquisition of the area referred to above the company will not run the risk of straining the pontoons when being launched, which has happened recently to the pontoons of several companies. The Red Jacks Company will be able to clear a site for the erection of their pontoons on the recently acquired area, and by lotting the water in when they are finished will be able to float them with ease.