GOLD DREDGING.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 13 March 1901, Page 4

GOLD DREDGING.

The Buller Junction machinery is working splendidly and scarcely a hitch has taken place since the dredge coin- | rnonoed work live vveek ago. 'lhe vet-urns so far are extremoiy satisfactory to the fortunate shareholders. -Last ,vjok' e'.-i .yi 2j ya..i!os was all made up o£ very due gold, most of the previous week's gold was of a coarse nature. It is considered that this dredge has a long and prosperous life before it, and ALr Smeaton is to be congratulated on his maiden efforts as a dredgemastcr.

Tho Mokoia adjoining the Buller June-1 tion is a most unfortunate machine, on Monday, March sth, Mr Crookston, the dredgemastcr, left the dredge that evening with a very happy looking smile on hia face. At the time the machinery was working smoothly, good gold was showing on tho tables, and the prospects of a good week's roturns looked assured, however, on Tuesday at midnight, the bolts securing tho baaringa for tho elevators sprung out throwing the bearings back, and injuring the elevators. lne result of this unfortunate accident means a delay of quifco 10 days; and Monday next should see this dredge again at work and we trust their will be no farther delays.

On tho Bailor Eiver the Welcome pontoons aro well advanced as also the Premier, the former should be at work in ab .ut three months and tho latter in about three weeks from date. Above the river and at tho mouth of the Inangahua tho Welcome should come into good solid returns, llio lower part of her claim is practically unworkable. There is however, sufficient ground to give many years work

foe the dredge. Tho Eeeves Proprietary is a very steady 10 ounces producer—which, by the way, is slightly under working expenses. It was stated that with grabs on the ladder that better roturns could be looked lor. This has beon done, but strange to say, the returns have gone down. We trust the company may soon meet with better l«ck. The A. I. adjoining tho Beeves, will be completed in about live woeks from date. The ground has been thoroughly prospected and it u believed good returns will bo secured. The Bocklands dredge, commanded by Mr Murroll, should commence work on her own ground by Monday next. This dredge was constructed on the Eldorada claim, and a few days would bo losi dredging to their own ground. Good returns aro expected, the dredge is constructed on up-to dato lines and reflects credit to the engineer. Mr J. Bishop, of this town.

The Buller Consolidated, purchased by the Old Digging?, is at present undergoing extensive repairs. She is situated near the Molcoia and is waiting a favourable opportunity to float down to her claim, where the alterations to the dredge will be completed. The Old Diggings U thought well of by old residents along its banks, but it possibly would have been to the advantage of the shareholders had they ordered an up-to-date dredge. The Nelson Creek Dredge piloted by Mr Edmonds is a model machine, both in construction and cleanliness. One can venture to say without fear of conradiction that a better kept machine does not exist in New Zealand. The returns to date are quite up to expectations. The ground it worked from side to side on a face, and as part of the ground is missed, some big returns may be looked for from this dredge. On Saturday last, the ground being worked was very shallow, and thought to be poor, but any information on the latter the Dredgemaster is adamant, as any news about this dredge can only be got through Ihe newspapers. Considerable annoyance has been caused Mr Edmonds through visitors making false statements about the doings of the dredge, with a result that strangers are not allowed aboard withouta special permit from (lie "Boss" in charge.

The Pactolus under the command of Mr Cowan is doing real good work, doing hor 11 full buckets per minute, the machinery is running smoothly and a tremendous heap of tailings at the back of the dredge is the beßt evidence of the quantity of work that a modern dredge can do in such a short time. Mr Cowan is dredging a sufficient depth in order to rench a part of the claim where it is stated "something that will astonish you" will be found. Tho Trafalgar pontoons are fairly well advanced and tho middle of next month should see them in tho water.

The Pactolus No 2 aro having the plans of a dredgo prepared, and at an early date the contracts should bo let. The Leviathan returns, which lately havo been poor, we are told have been caused through tho ground worked being old tailings. On Tuesday last the dredge started on solid ground, and it is hoped from this out that the returns will improve, tho stuff boing treated this week appears to be chiefly mud and sand, and their appears to bo an absence of gravelly wash, which, however, may improve as tho dredge gets further into the ground. The New Eivor dredge is working about a quarter of a milo above tho bridge. Very nice gold was showing on tho tables* on Friday last, on which day a sunken log was struck, and so far tho buckets havo failed to remove it. Buried timber is a serious drawback to river dredging, and more so for this dredge which by the way has no hooks on the ladder, which is of great assistance in the removal of logsard heavy bouldors.