DREDGING IN THE UPPER GREY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 6 March 1901, Page 4

DREDGING IN THE UPPER GREY.

( 'o the Editor.)

Sir, —In your issue of the 28th February you gave a partial account of what I stated before the Warden, I wish through your paper to state what I consider it to be of great interest to the Government, County Council, and the shareholders of the different dredging Companies who are interested in dredging in the channel of the river of Upper Grey. The experts from Dunedin gave us to understand, and also the Minister of Mines, that the dredges in working would not raise the bed of the river above its ordinary level. This the Waipuna dredge has shown to be false. It is at work at present throwing up the bed of the river from 8 to 10 feet above the banks of the river, and as they have something like a mile of river bed to work, it means that the whole bed of the river will be raised 8 to 10 feet above the sm-rounding land. The river must then lind another channel, and in doing so will sweep away all the road, road reserves as well as private lands and stock. If other dredges are allowed to get to work, then the bed of the river for seven to eight miles above the junction will bo raised 8 to 10 feet above the surrounding country, causing destruction to all public works and private property. I have been living in the Upper Grey for the last forty years and there is not a single piece of the channel of the river from the Junction to seven and eight miles above it but what has been washed away to the bare rock, the river has made a fresh channel and filled the old one up with fresh shingle therefore what the Dredging Coy have to wash is a loose shingle which contains little or no gold except in crevices in the rock that the dredges cannot touch the talk of leads crossing the river, is alright in theory, but the leads have all been washed out of the channel of the river centuries ago to the sea beach.

To show you that I am right in my statement we will take what the Waipuna dredge has done, she has been at work now about six months, and instead of paying dividends is in debt, with the bottom of the pontoon worked out, and which has been repaired patched up and will be unable to work much longer without a thorough overhaul. Tho rest of tho dredging ground applied for in the channel of Upper Grey River is of tho same formation and will give tho same returns as tire Waipuna dredge. As to tho prospects, they say they have got, I think the less said about them tho

better as they are apt to mislead, and when it comas to tho test of working they all disappear. I thiok it is quite time for the Government to interfere and prevent the destruction of both public and private property and a great loop to investors. Tho only ones to profit are the mining agents and company promoters. Hoping you will allow this to apear in your paper, I remain, etc S. M. Mackley. Waipuna, March 6. 1901.