MAORI QUEEN GOLD DREDGING COMPANY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 27 August 1901, Page 2

MAORI QUEEN GOLD DREDGING COMPANY.

The following circular has been issued by the directors of the Maori Queen Gold Dredging Company:—

Since issuing the circular convening meet, ing of shareholders for 29th. inst we have visited the claim to investigate reason*

for small returns obtained to date and we find that the area worked on aotual measurement is even less than at first estimated, the superficial area being equal to one acre and one tenth. Wo took oareful soundings across the paddock and find the mean depth from surface of ground to bottom to be 17 feet, not 24 as originally estimated.

This gives a not result of 18f cubic yards per hour for time dredge has been at work, while the bucket capacity of the dredge ia equal to 80 cubic yards per hour, or a working average of say 60 yards per hour. It will thus be seen how very far short of the capacity of the dredge the output has been. Nor is this shortage due to want of power so much as to want of appliances suitable for dealing with the tight compact wash met with. On our last visit the inefficiency of the ordinary grab hooks supplied with the &edge and the impossibility of the bucket lips dealing with the hard wash was lacognised, and we determined to give the hitherto untried Davies ttrrab a trial. This from its peculiar construction gave promise of producing better results, and we are glad to say our anticipations have been realised, as from 4 to 5 buckets following the Davis grab come up full, after which the buckets are practically empty till the grab comes round again. This of course refers to the tight portion of the wash and readily explains the great loss of time and small amount of work done. "We consider that a set of these grabs should be introduced about every fifth or sixth bucket, i.e., that six moi-e sets should be ordered. This, we are confident, will at once produce a return of payable gold. In order to make some experiments in shattering the tight bottom wash, we took with us a supply of dynamite, but found that the cost of getting down to the surface of the tight wash was prohibitive. In pursuing this idea, Mr Cowan, the dredgemaster, considers the better plan ,would be to dredge off the looser top wash down to the hard surface, and that then a charge of dynamite exploded on the hard surface will so tend to shatter it that the grabs and buckets will be abla to do their work with ease. This seems a sound practicle and inexpensive method of dealing with the difficulty, reducing wear and tear and risk of breakages, and when put in operation will we feel sura give satisfaction to shareholders and all concerned.

The face now opened extends across the lower end of the claim and has proved the gold to he evenly distributed throughout the whole face.

The weekly average return of 11£ ozs tends to prove on the small amount worked the richness of the auriferous wash. No defined lead or patoh has yet been struck, although such may be met with at any moment, being characteristic of the locality. It will be recognised that with the increased output by the means suggested the dredge should at once give good payable returns, particularly as she is working towards the contracted portion of the olaim. where it is reasonable to expect the gold will be more concentrated. The dredge is in good working order, showing very little sign of wear or damage to machinery, such as we might expect in considering the difficult nature of the work done. When the improvements we have suggested are carried out they will, while increasing the output, material decrease the strain and liability to damage that now exists.

We have every confidence in asking the shareholders to support us in carrying out these .proposals, believing it to be in their own interest,