GOLD DREDGING.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 21 February 1901, Page 3

GOLD DREDGING.

Fourteen men are engaged at the Totara dredge lifting her to dry land in order to stop the leaks in the pontoons. The work is expected to lake two or three days.

The Keystone borer is now testing the depth of the wash in the Waimea Gold Dredging Company’s ground at Goldshorough. Private claims just below this property are doing very well and there seems to be a probability of the bottom being touched at about 34 feet. At the Premier dredge (Duller Diver) the framing of the pontoons is now ready for planking. Mr Freeman, the builder, is confident that he will have everything ready for launching in about a month from date. The machinery, which is coining from Wellington, should be landed in Westport during the next few days.

The Greenstone Junction dredge has been recaulked and the machinery is all but complete. The electric light plant is well forward. Mr Bsnnct the dredge master expects to have the dredge in full working order in 14 day?. Mr A. H. Waddell at the request of several of the Dunedin shareholders in West Coast dredging stock has during the past week paid a visit to the Grey River, Dobson No 2, Leviathan and Greenstone Junction dredge?, and has written a report on each in the Otago papers He also visited the Green tone and Teremakau pontoons which are under construction. A mishap occurred to the Island Creek Company’s dam at Westport which broke after a heavy thunderstorm, but nothing of a serious nature occurred, ns there is do current to syrak of, and as the water subsided the dredge settled down on the soft bottom. Mon have been put on to repair the dam which will be carried to the opposite terrace, thus giving a much lirger expanse of water, and assisting materially in opening np. The Rocklands dredge is now completed with tho exception of the erection of the tables. The company have decided to adopt Jones’ patent gold-saving tables, and are awaiting the arrival of the representative of the patentee, who will snperviss tho erection of same-

Since tho stranding and relaunching of tho Mokoia dredge, various improvements have been carried out under the supervision of Mr Crookston, the dredge master, in accordance with those in use on some of tho principal dredges in Otago. Active dredging is now being prosecuted under tho able direction of Mr Crookston, who has seen over 30 years’ experience on some of the principal dredges in Otago, and, as it is well known that at the time the recent accident occurred the dredge was on good ground, it may fairly be assumed that under tho present management favourable results will be attained.