GOLD DREDGING.
The return for four weeks ending August 30th of the Virgin Flat Gold Mining Company is 70ozs Idwt lOgr amalgam for 411 hours' sluicing. At a meeting of directors of the Britannia G. M. Company, held at Westport, a dividend of fourpenoe per share was declared, and £lO7 carried forward. Mr Smith, the Mine Manager, is now working on a good face of stone. The Thompson’s Bullock Greek Gold Dredging Company, having acquired a new claim in the Grey River district, has altered its name to the Kangaroo Creek Gold Dredging Company. The Company expects to be able to start dredging early in the new year. As showing the richness of the Fairdown claim, it may be mentioned that an old paddock worked out yielded 4350zs of retorted gold. The drodgemaster on being asked how long the dredge would take to put through a similar paddock, said when the dredge is in good running three weeks, which proves there is a good time for the Co. The machinery, we believe, will shortly be shipped; some has already come to hand. The Island Creek dredge, which worked for a short time without tables dnd an insufficient ladder, has been undergoing a series of alterations. The shoot has to be altered and underneath it a spread of tables measuring over 200 feet, besides other improvements to save the gold. The ladder has been lowered and will now dredge 8 feet deeper. The Wareatea dredge, which has been completed for several days, and which will have a trial run as soon as the engineer takes her over, is well housed in. The elevator stacks 20 feet. The inside is very well fitted up. Both engine and boiler are Marshalls and the engine-room is all lined, having a cleanly look everywhere. The tables are extended over the side of the dredge and a box from the screen carries the waste to them. The claim is . highly thought of and good returns are expected three weeks after starting. It will take that time to open up. Mr Mitohel is the drodgemaster and has every confidence in both dredge and claim.
The pontoons for the Mosquito Company were successfully landed on Monday. A large proportion of the machinery is on the building site, and some on its way down the Coast. The machinery which is to be erected by day labor should all be in position in about two mouths.
The Maori Gully pontoons were successfully launched this afternoon in the presence of a large number of people. The machinery is nearly completed by the Despatch Foundry. A start should be made by the end of November. The directors of Perry’s Reward Gold Dredging Company have issued a report which states that the oementy nature of the wash has prevented the dredge from lifting sufficient to enable any sytisfactory returns to be obtained, but daring the last two or three days’ dredging, the gold won indicated that the material treated averaged about five grains to the yard. Mr Duncan M’Gregor, the dredgemaster, was compelled to resign through illness, and Mr John W. Cox has been appointed to the position, bis first report being as followsAs instructed by your Directors, I took over your Company’s dredge on Monday, 2nd September, and since then I have been employed in effecting a few necessary repairs. I started dredging on the 10th in an open face, at an average depth of 27ft. The wash and gravel deposit arc of a hard oemeaty nature, and are beyond the power of the dredge to work to advantage. The prospects are sufficient to pay working expenses under favorable conditions, but under present circumstances it is impossible to treat the quantity of wash required. In my opinion this cemented material is merelj a bar, of. which several have been known to exist in , the locality, and I will now take a light cut and forgo • ahead where better dredging ground
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Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 18 September 1901, Page 2
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658GOLD DREDGING. Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 18 September 1901, Page 2
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