GOLD DREDGING.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 26 August 1901, Page 2

GOLD DREDGING.

The past week has so foe as the sum* ber of actual hours of dredging are eon* corned, shown an improvment of its predecessary; but the delays through breakages and other causes appear to be increasing. In point of fast it is about four days work and two of stoppages. Possibly we will get out of this in time, but at present it is very detrimental to the industry, We have no high returns, but wc have no dredge that did not clear expenses; and as we have pretty well got clear of the gambling element we are settling down to a conviction that if we are not going to have 60% or 80% per annum, in outlay wo have sufficient before u°, where companies are not too deep in debt, to give us from 15% to 30%. A 1-31 ounces 11 dwt for 130 hours, U working on pretty uniform material, the wash being easily treated. Greenstone.Thb.ee Mile--29 ounces for 96 hours shows that the dirt is improving, for although the return is seven ounces less than last week, the number of working hours is al?o much lesti,

Bolus Junction—2l ounces 10 dwta In getting into improving ground, and may be depended on to give inoreased ntami. Factoids—2o ounces for 116 hours is an improvement, but not up to average. The dredge turned off at an angle last week to get rid of timber, which is still a little trouble. Ahausa with 17 ounces 7 dwts Bhow s an advance. This dredge is now in capital dredging country and the local director anticipates much better returnsMr Hargreaves informs us that Mr Norman Sligo took charge this morning. KocxiiANDS obtained Slozs and 12dwt of amalgam for 130 hours. A new set of tables has been added. The machine was thoroughly overhauled and is now working perfectly. It is about 60yds from the daifp: and should reach it in about a month. The wash is improving. They are working three shifts. Greenstone Junction—l 3 ounces 15 dwts is an increase on the previous week, and bears out the contention that the machine is approaching a rich run of gold that crosses the stream just ahead of where the dredge is now working. Maobi Queen—l 4 ounces for 124 hours was the surprise of the week. The dirt continues ha)d, and the quantity treated was even less ihan previously. This ground is all right ; pity the same cannot be said abosithe dredge. Foed's Cbewe—l3 ounces Bdwts for 119 hours. 3ir Wickes informs us that the dredge which is now working out in *ie GreyKiver near Shrives' Treasury with a depth of 34 feet of wash only got on to the gold bearing wash on Thursday.

Leviathan—l2 ounces Id dwts for 78 hours is not up to what was expected, although as she. only dredged half the week the return indicates payable wash, if it continues.

Gbiy Eivbb—9 ounces 10 dwts was the disappointment of the week. Certainly the river was high for a couple of days, but the machine got on bottom for a time and something better was expected. Of course if a machine sufficiently powerful and with a ladder capacity was on the claim, much better results would be obtained, but there is a growing opinion that the ground is very patchy. Kohinoor—Work on the Eohinoor Dredging Company's pontoons is making rapid progress. It ia expected that they will be finished in about a fortnight's time. Pbince *of Wales—At the Prince of Wales Company's dredge building matten an well ahead, so much that Robinson's Creek has been turned into the claim to float the pontoons..

Boss Day Daw*—The dam wall of the Boss Day Dawa Company's claim will be completed early this weak, and it is quite likely that next Wednesday will see the pontoons floated. A shed is beiog erected on the claim for the accomodation of the engines, which were landed in Oreymouth early last week. Thi Nobth Bbach dredge is now on wash and gold is showing on the tables. • Since last week a considerable clearing of timber and undergrowth has been affected, which will enable the dredge to work on a good face. Next week it is anticipated that a return will be forthcoming. Of this Company's ground it is computed that • large percentage of gold was lost by the primitive and costly methods adopted by Mr Taylor in former years, owing to the spread of tables being too great in proportion to the flow of water, and the blankets thereby becoming silted up. However if this defeot is remedied and the fine gold can be saved on the present dredge there is reason to believe that a promising future is in store for shareholders. Ahauha Bivbb.—The annual report to be presented by the directors of the Ahaura Biver Company states that the dredge commenced operations about June 16th, and up to August the 3rd the ground worked was found to have a depth of 16ft tcafcßp-, with the result that during that pev bd a return of 28oz Bdwt 14gr was obtained. Since then the depth of the ground has increased, and the dredgemaster reports dredging on August 16th, to 14ft in depth on one side of the face, wite a depth of 85ft on the other side, Since deeper ground has been met with the returns have increased (August 10th) to 19oz Bdwt for six days' dredging, snd (August 17th) to 16oz 2dwt 20gr, also for six days' dredging, which is more promising. Only a portion of the new issue of shares having been taken up by shareholders, it has been found necessary to arrange to finance the company. The appeal made to the shareholders for guarantee has been fairly well responded to, and the directors have made arrangements with the bank for an overdrat of £IOOO. Tai Hau Hau Creek dredge is reported to be working very excellently. Last week's return is said to be about 25ozs and there is every indications of the wash improving. ' Pibby's Bbwabd dredge washed up on Saturday, the result being 2£ ozs for 150 hours dredging. The dredgemaster reports that owing to the heavy nature of the ground, it is estimated only between two and three hundred yards of dirt were treated, the present wash consisting mostly of boulders. Wcodsiock.—The dam for this company whicn has been a work of more than ordinary magnitude, owing to the soft nature of the ground, has been completed by Mr Pearson. Th» Pbospkctinq dredge recently sent toO karito by a Wellington syndicate has been completed by air McKenzie, the syndicate's represestatlve, and will start prospecting operations on the lagoon immediately, She has been fitted with a stem wheel, which enables the dredge to be shifted very easily. Old Diggikgs—The dredgemaster re-

porta that the cpaning out of a paddock into the beach is still in progress. Work has been carried on for one shift of twelve „ hours, and owing to the freah in the river lut week progress was hampered through the tailings being washed away. At present, until the dredge is well clear of the current, a shallow cut is being taken up for floating room only. It is anticipated that after another weeks' work three shifts can be employed, and cut deepened lathe bottom. #, 1h» |Republic Sluicing Company, situated at) Healay's Gully, washed up on Saturday last for 49ozs of gold for 260 hoursß'uicing. The shareholders artlio be congratulated on this return, which shows th<yarenow operating on the same rich wash as they did some time past. The claim has'an area of 50 acres, so there are many yean of profitabl work before the company. *