DOBSON NO. 2 RETURNS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 8 February 1901, Page 3

DOBSON NO. 2 RETURNS.

Mr Hoisted, Secretary of Dobson No 2 gives the following explanation to the Dunedin Star regarding the inaccuracy of a recent return. “In your mining column of last night’s issue you make reference concerning the return from this dredge as published last Monday, and I crave permission to offer mj explanation. First of all, as you may have noticed, the matter of an error in transmission of the wire is now under investigation by the Telegraph Department, and I have no doubt will bo •cleared up in due course ; but in the meantime, in justice to the company and myUelf, I now quote the exact words of the telegram as received, viz.: “Twenty-seven for 125 hours’ dredging.” This appears to me perfectly plain English, and as I know by previous advice that 105 hours would bo the approximate number which the dredge had worked during the week, there could be no suspicion in my mind regarding the correctness of the wire. Futhermore, the 9oz, obtained the previous Saturday was for three days’ dredging during that week ; therefore, the assumption that the 9oz was included in the twenty-seven would evidently bo incorrect, as the dredging time would have been 180 and not 105 hours, and I had the Bank’s receipt for 9oz in my pocket when Saturday’s returns were wired me ; consequently the dredge-master would not be likely to include it again. I explained this to Mr B. E. Smith, chairman of the Dunedin Stock Exchange, when he made inquiries, showing him the original wire. The dredgemaster wired yesterday that the return as published was [a mistake, that he had wired the return in code numerals, and th'ofc an error had been made by the Telegraph Department. I immediately acquainted the Chairman of the Stock Exchange with this, showing him the wire, and also made it public. The simple faots of the case are that one numeral of the code had been omitted in the transmission of Jthe wire, which omission made the wire read as an ordinary wire instead of a code. Whose fault this is I arn not prepared to say as yet, but it is merely justice to say that the manager of the Telegraph Department hero is equally as anxious as myself that tha error should be traced to its proper source. In conclusion, I wish to add this; that your reporter did not see mo wheu he called at the office, and I feel certain he will acknowledge that ho did not ohtam any information from me or * personally about this matter, w’ n > ;P * j mo ceedingly regret, as I should ’> 7 ® x " most pleased to show him /, and correspondence re oeourrencef and will do R f 8 ™ fo . r . tuna ; te may appoint. ' BO at tlme he