GOLD DREDGING

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 12 February 1901, Page 4

GOLD DREDGING

la the Upper Grey Yalley.

(OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Your correspondent’s periodical visit to dredges built, or being built, above the big Grey Bridge was, on Saturday, rather depressing. In the first place the huge pontoons of The Great Lead. arc still sitting, like the skeleton of some enormous antediluvian bird, in the position they wore left, some months ago, by the contractor. Knowing that on two occasions tenders had been called for excavating a p ace into which the pontoons might be launched, I naturally expected to see that work completed, or in course of completion. Nothing of the sort, however, was to bo seen. The sdence of desolation is abou: and around the place ; no signs of life are to be seen except the übiquitous weka or Maori hen, poking about the debris, or quizically cocking its head at our approach. The same weka (or was it another biped, without feathers, that wo afterwards met ?)informed us that the cost of excavation had proved too big a pill for the Company’s engineer to swallow, and that the present idea was to launch the pontoons outward, into the river, during a flood. This course is not agreeable to the contractor, who refuses to take the responsibility. And there the matters rest. Meanwhile the Company, which has no soul to save or body to kick, is doubtless banking its capital, part of which should long ago have been circulating in the district. About a mile beyond the Great Lead, we get a good sight of that hitherto consistant little plugger. The Waipuna,

with her bows high and dry and her stern dipping towards the water. On approaching her, we find that she too is deserted, although the banked fires in her boiler give evidence that such neglect is only temporary. Cliser inspection discovers that the rough, bumpy bottom on which she has lately been working has worn away the corner timbers of her bows, considerably, and that plates of iron are being put to protect them in the future- This will not take long, but as it will be necessary, or at least expedient, to wait for a flood to relaunch the vessel, there need be, for some weeks, no anxiety as to tho returns from the Waipuna. Wo were somewhat at a loss to account for tho absence of the officers and crow, but some hours afterwards came across a “forkd radish with head fantastically carved” who informed us that Mr Fache had ceased to be dredge-master, and that several of the hands, out of a feeling of loyalty to a master for whom they have the greatest respect, had also humped thtir blueys. Without any disparagement of Mr Peering, who returns from Greymouth as director —dredgemaster—engineer combined, your correspondent must say that the Waipuna Company has lost a most experienced and capable man in their late dredge-master. As the eating of it proves the pudding, so docs the work done by tho dredge during the past months prove that Mr Fache knows his work. Of course a dredgemaster cannot get gold if it is not in tho ground to get, but, as an Otogo man lately remarked, “If Sydney Fache can’t make a dredge pay no one can.” Before leaving the subject of this dredge your correspondent might mention that the bottom on the south side of the river, where the gold is best, was found to bo so full of boulders as to bo almost undredgeable, the buckets continually coming up minus their proper quantum of wash. Tho next claim above the Waipuna is The Golden Banner.

Time would not permit of our paying a vi-utto the site of the dredge, but, from the terrace above, we could see Mr Dillon and his men at work on the pontoons, which appeared abait half finished. The boat is being built on an island in the river, just opposite Mr Mackley’s house, and no difficulty will be experienced in the launching. A little excavating and a small bank as a dam are all that will be required in preparation. After a pleasant ride of a mile and a half through Mr Mackley’s station, during which our Retriever dog literally verified the Italian proverb “ Who chases two hares, loaves one and loses the other; we came to The Grey Consolidated, where we find Mr Weaver, foreman for Mr Jay, looking like Robinson Crusoe “ monarch of all bo surveys,” the men having been all paid off as the pontoons are finished. Our first glance at the vessel impresses on us the unusal depth of the hull—7 feet—and the strength of the superstructure, especially the gantry, which is very strongly braced. Climbing on board under the courteous guidance of the foreman, we soon discover that strength has been a leading idea with the designer, Mr Roberts; in fact the whole design appeals to the favourable judgment of your reporter, who though not a professional, has inspected nearly every dredge between Hokitika and Beefton. Three largo beams pass right athwart the ship in'tbe aft part, and the diagonal braces are of great strength, being composed of bluegum plankalOin. by 7in. in measurement. The bed, or wood frame, for carrying the screen is on a different principle to that of most dredges, consisting as it docs of two parallel timbers firmly attached to the tumbler-frame and extending right to the stern. The pontoons are fairly large ones, measuring 84ft. by 80ft, with an extra 2ft. platform braketed on to the starboard side. The building site is the finest natural one on the Coast, a broad deep pond lying between the vessel and the terrace above, which forms the southern boundary of the claim. The launch is expected to take place in about a fortnight. The machinery, which comes from Victoria, is now being put on the ground and tenders are called for its erection. Future Inspection. After leaving the Consolidated, your correspondent and party cantered across country to Nobler, hoping to have time to inspect such claims as Mosquito, Waipuna Creek, Ferret’s Reward etc., but after partaking of the hospitality of, and having a pleasant chat with Mrs and Miss Perrett of fiat Ilk, we found our time exhausted and left that pleasant task for a future occasion.

The Debson No 2 dredge for 87 hours dredging during the week ended February 2nd got eleven ounces. According to the Investor’s Guide 29 new dredges commence working this month in the colony, while next month 33 more will start operations. The Keystone borer having finished with th i Commissioners’ Reward claim is now engaged baring the Shenandoah claims on Tucker Fiat. A dredge ro'sing 80 tons per hour, working V--e Asf»s a dvv for five days -will pr diier- 20 zi weekly upon an average yield of one grain per ton. The Buffer Junction is working away steadily, and is putting through a fair amount of stuff.

Messrs Graham Bros started work last week on the Waiho Company’s claim. The Woodstock Gold Dredging Company have purchased the Nil Desperandum races, water rights, etc. It is understood that -the price paid to Spence, Gaylor and Party is £1,200. The company is to ba congratulated on having acquired such valuable rights,

The Four lliver Plain dredge is working away trying to cut her way through what is new ground. The river changed course some years ago, and it is not expected that anything of a paying nature will be got till the older channel is reached, when it will be found fair returns will be got. The directors of the Kohinoor Extended Company have received a report from Mr D. Bringans on the company’s claim. It is estimated that there is quite 50 acres of dredgablo ground and arrangements are being made to have a bore put down by the Keystone Boring Company to test the property.

The shaft being put down in the Waimangaroa Westport claim is down about nine feet. Toe dimensions arc Bft x 4ft, which should test the wash pretty well. As the depth increases it is expected the water will bo very difficult to deal with, and an engine and centrifugal pump are to bo used. Fins gold was got at nine feet, but above that nothing worth testing. At a meeting of shareholders in the Island Cie k, it was decided to increase the slittica by another issue of 1,000. The company previous was a 4,000, and even with the additional number is still a small company. No word of balance of machinery coming to hand yet. The new manager of the Mokoia dredge (Mr William Crookston) has taken over the charge of the dredge, and is superintending the replacing of the buckets and elevator trap, which were removed in order to facilitate relaunching. That work will take about a week, after which the dredge will again bo ready for work. She is on the old spot, where good gold was previously obtained, so shares should speedily rise in value.