GREY RIVER CONSOLIDATED DREDGE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 11 October 1901, Page 4

GREY RIVER CONSOLIDATED DREDGE.

(To tin Editor.)

Sir, —In your issue of Saturday October 6th there appears a copy of report sent to Dunedin directors by the Ahaura shareholders of this dredge. They stated that in Mr Kyles report he said : “The dredge should advance with a narrow cut, at the rate of two chains a week but they, the Ahaura shrreholders stated in their letter that nothing like this wai being done, hence poorness of returns.'' Now for the benefit of shareholders and in justice to all connected with the working of the dredge. I may state that they are making statements that they know to be utterly untrue, if they have followed the working of the dredge as closely as they say they have. Of the Ahaura shareholders I only know of two that have visited the claim since Mr Kyle. One paid one visit and said that no one could find fault with the working of the ground so the other must be responsible for the false statements. This shareholder has been here three times and his three visits would not be much over an hour altogether, and he was not on the dredge. Now, with regard to the amount of work done by the dredge, I say that the dredge ia advancing at a greater rate than Mr Kyle said it would go, when the width of cut is taken into consideration then it was 1 chain 3 yards, now it is 2 chains 7 yards. It is a pity that thase. following the dredge so closely did not notice that the cut was wider. It is very easy for the Ahaura shareholders to measure the work done by the dredge since Mr Kyle’s visit, and see what the dredge is doing for themselves, instead of listening to false statements by a man with an axe to grind. Do the shareholders know anything about the number of large stones the dredge has been bucking against and cannot get up, and the number broughtup, taken off, and bumped over the side ? I think not. Working a claim is not as easy as what it looks from horseback. Will the Ahaura shareholders name two dredges working the same kind of ground that this dredge is working. lam led to believe that many of the local shareholders are under the impression that this is the first dredge I have worked. For their benefit I state that I was at one time engineer of the Edina, Electric No 2, (now Junction Electric) and the Hartley and Riley dredges, and for 18 months previous to this dredge was manager and engineer of the Earnscleugh No. 2 dredge. Of the crew the winohmen has from to 2£ years dredging experience, and four certificates are held among the lot so they are not so unexperienced many are led to believe. Now without the Ahaura shareholders admit their state monts to bo untrue, or try to prove mine so, I will have to give the reason why this shareholder, who spread the false statements, should do so. lam etc.. —

Donald Marshall, Manager and Engineer, Grey River Consolidated.