GOLD DREDGING.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 25 July 1901, Page 4

GOLD DREDGING.

The Island Creek dredge lias suspended operations pending several additions and alterations that arc to bo effected in the way of lengthening the bidder by Bft, erecting tables, etc. The dredge was working on good wash but was only saving about a third of the gold. The lengthening of the ladder to enable the dredge to bottom and the adding to the sluice-boxes to tables should give the dredge a better opportunity of proving the richness of the Westport g;ound, Mr Popplcwcll, dredgomastea left by the Haupiri on Monday on the way to Dunedin. At a meeting of the shareholders of the Company, held at Dunedin, it was decided, inter a ilia, to increase the capital of the Company to GOOD shares by the creation of 1000 shares at LI.

I The directors, of the Tucker Flat Com- ! pany have issued a circular to shareholders asking for guidance in the company’s affairs. Some time ago a proposal to increase the capital of the company to £5,000 fell through and the present capital is not considered sufficient to place a suitable dredge on Ihe claim. Tha Largest Dredga in tha Colony. The largest dredge yet built in New Zealand for the searching out of gold from hidden places is nearing completion in Messrs S. Luke and Sons’ foundry of Wellington) under orders from the Kohinoor Gold Dredging Company. The work has been in baud for nearly six months, and has been carried on with as much activity as possible. Large quantities of parts have already arrived on the West Coast, and in a month the remainder will have reached its destination, and the work of erection will be commenced. The dredge has been made exceptionally strong, in view of the rough wrok which it will be called upon to perform. The screen is Oft Oin in diameter, the ladder and elevator 67ft long, and the buckets arc large and heavily built. The winch is the largest and most powerful which the foundry has turned out, and manganese steel bars have been used to lessen the wear and tear on the tumbler by the falling of sand and shingle from the buckets. Two other dredges—the British Lion and the Lioness were recently constructed by- Messrs Luke and Sons, and have been sent to the Coast. Yet another dredge for the Golden Mile claim is practically completed, and will be shipped shortly for the West Coast.

Davis’ Patent Grao Hooka. No doubt it will be interesting to shareholders of dredging companies to learn something of the effects of the use of patent extending grab hooks on the Maori Queen dredge. Ore pair of patent grab hooks were placed on the dredge about the middle of the week (the previous week’s return being 7ozs of gold for 128 hours’ dredging with ordinary grab hooks) when the week’s return was increased to Bozs ISdwts for 130 hours’ dredging. In the middle of the following week a second pair of patent grab hooks was added, after which the returns were still further increased to lOozs lOdwts for 130'hours’ work. The two patent grab books were kept working on the dredge, and at the next wash up llozs was won for 107 hours’ work. It will thus be seen that returns are considerably increased, when Davis’ patent grab hooks ape in use.