Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1901. A YEAR’S DREDGING.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 28 December 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star, AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1901. A YEAR’S DREDGING.

The year's gold dredging for practical purposes of comparison may be said to have closed on the second Saturday in December, and on the year ending on that date we may make a few remarks. The term has'been a trying one for a new industry that had to contend with weak and defective machinery, with imperfect and sometimes misleading and false prospecting. Yet the year closes on an industry that has been able to withstand all this, and emerges therefrom in a far better state than the most sanguine anticipated some six months ago, when things looked black and the slump was heavy upon us. Like the preceding year, this term closes upon us with the cry of " salted claims" ringing in our ears. We fear there is as much reason for believing that there are unfair practices now, as was the ease when the Foley's salters were brought to justice. It is to be hoped that if " salting " has been done at the Fairdown claims, the swindlers will be even more severely dealt with than was the case in the Foley claim. Hasty and imperfect prospecting, and badly constructed dredges are quite enough of a drawback without premeditated and deliberate swindles being tacked on to what, notwithstanding all, has even now proved a solid and lucrative investment. The past year's record affords fairly convincing proof of the bona fide nature of gold dredging, and indicates that the incoming year will see the youthful industry develop into a strong and lusty source of incom'e. The annexed table gives some idea of the year's transactions: —

A glance suffices to show the enormous waste of time caused through breakages —mainly the result of defective and weak machinery. The total number of weeks worked was 525, showing that the machines had 213 idle weeks, during which not only was there no income but the expenditure was large owing to cost of repairs. In nearly all cases where castings gave way the new parts put in were much strengthened, so that the loss of time during 1902, although it will be considerable, can be reduced by one-half, while the new machines are being built with a greater regard for strength and will not be so liable to stoppages from the above cause. The total value of the gold won is £48,108. As £45 per week is reckoned to clear all working expenses, and as the value of gold won per week per dredge was £9O 10s, a, profit of £45 10s per dredge is shown.'

In this calculation, however, only working weeks are taken into account, so that if the whole time is calculated the return would be reduced to about £6B; still, however, showing a weekly profit of £23 per week per dredge. This result, it must be remembered, is while the greater number of the dredges were engaged in opening up and testing the claims. The present is not the time perhaps that folks care to scrutinise and deal with figures, so that we have placed the fact as briefly as possible before our readers, that during the year under trying circumstances and while the industry was but in its first stage gold dredging has paid. The last two months' returns lead us to expect much better yields during 1902.

Last night tho Muldoon's Picnic Party again played to a large audience and meet with excellent reception. The juggling was particularly clever, while coon songs were good, aud acrobatic feats somewhat of a marvel. Owing to illness Mr Olark the head of tho company was unable to appear on either night's, and this was a very serious handicap indeed. We have beon requested to again draw attention to tho vandalism that takes place in the Branner cemetery. Nqthing is held sacred with some. Tombstones are destroyed, and when wreaths are placed on graves ribbons and other articles are stolen. If the culprits are children, then the parents must be awaro of it, and if adults* steps should be taken to make an example of them. It is to be hoped the guilty ones will be discovered. During the holidays one of the most pleasing attractions for the young has been the |merry-go-round, so thoroughly arrayed and lit up with electric light by Messrs Schaef and Sons. Erected on a most appropriate spot in Boundary street, it soon commands the attention of the public, and is regularly besieged by applicants for a ride on the sensational galloping horsas. Since 'Xraas Eve the machine has been kept going, and a brisk business was done by the enterprising promoters. Excellent music is provided We commend the amusement to our readers, and feel sure that they will receive every attention for their enjoyment from tho enterprising proprietors.

Yesterday Mr Matheson wired to the Premier intimating that the Greymouth and Hokitika contingent had sailed for Nelson and expressing satisfaction at the action of the Ministry in sending an eighth contingent to South Africa. In reply Mr Matheson received the following :—"I have been absent for a couple of days from Wellington. I feel Bure that the West Coast Contingent will do your town and district credit, and I am sure that they will appreciate the hearty West Coast send-off. The action of myself and colleagues in offering an eighth contingent was in accordance Jwith the wishes of the people- of the colony, My West Coast friends would have blamed me for not doing my duty had we done otherwise. Your kind season's greetings are heartily reciprocated. Wishing Greymouth and yourself a guid New Year— E. J. Seddon."

The Annual Field Day in connection with the Salvation Army will be held on the usual gound at Cobden on New Year's Day Contingents from Rcefton, Blackball, Brunnerton and Hokitika will arrive by the morning trains, including the officers and a large number of bandmen. A procession formed of Salvationists will then march to the grounds where tea will be provided free. Frienls are cordially invited. The sequel to the charge heard in our local court some two months ago, full particulars of which were reported in our columns, was finally adjudicated on in the Courthouse, Groymouth, on Boxing Day. It will be remembered that a man named Anderson was brought up charged with the thieft of two £5 notes. The evidence then seemed to indicate that he was perfectly innocent, and that a man named John Hampden was the culprit. Hampden was brought from Christchurch on remand and pleaded 'guilty,' asking for the clemency of the Bench and promising reform. He completely exonerated Anderson from complicity. Inspector M'Donnell stated that the Police were perfectly'.satisfied with Anderson's innocence. The Bench decided to take Hampden at his word and ordered him to pay M'Lellan 10s amount due, and fined him 10s or '"fdays imprisonment. The Greymouth Swimming Club entertained the visitors competitors at a smoke concert at the Gilmer Hotel last night, Mr Duncan Campbell in thoJ ,ohair. A capital repast was provided by Mr Oxenham. A very enjoyable evening was passed, songs being contributed by Messrs W. Cocks, M. Phillips, Williams, Howartb, Skoglund, Modows, and Hamilton. In responding to the toast of "The Visitors" Mr Calvert said that they had thoroughly eDJoycd themselves, and would induce others to come over next yoar. During the evening the chairman presented the prizes won at the recent meeting. The singing of "Auld Lang Syne" brought a very pleasant gathering to a close. It is often debated as to what is the last known article to sooth the nerves, and revive exhausted nature when it becomes thoroughly tired and worn out. Sleep has been termed nature's great doctor, and when sleep can be got he is undoubtedly the great healing master. But sleep does not always come to exhausted nature and then the trouble becomes serious. In such cases various narcotics are brought into requisition. But these are not always at hand, and when at hand require great care in administration. What therefore is wanted, is an article both palatable and refreshing that will aid in the restoration of exhaustion. Spirits have been tried with doubtful effect; coffee is said to have a rallying effect, but the best authorities agree that tea far surpasses all stimulants, and possesses, provided it is a good sample, wonderfully recouperative and soothing powers. Of course there are teas that are worthless in this respect, as there are brands that stand prominently to the front. A good cup of tea apart from what may be termed its medicinal qualities, is a delightful and palatable beverage, but the inferior or badly blended article is bitter and nauseous. It is in knowing and realising this fact thai has brought, in different countries, several names prominently before the public. Thus in New Zealand the name of Nelson Moat and Co is well known on account of their admirablo blonds of tea, that stand in advance of all othors, and are by common consent placed first, and accorded the premier place in publio opinion. Mrs Cain who has for several years so successfully run the Stewards' Luncheon Booms on the Groymouth Racecourse again has charge this year. Visitors can rely upon a good luncheon or a refreshing cup of tea as may be desired at the forth-coming meeting.

The Railway Department advertise in our columns the time-table in connection with the forth-coming trotting and racing meetings. According to to-day's weather report the tides along the West Coast are high with moderate seas. The warmest place in the Colony was Clyde with 73 degrees in the shade. Tho temperature of Greymouth at 9 o'clock was 59 degrees.

The iron—tho remains of tho ill-fated steamer Hesketh —is being brought over from the Cobden tiphead and is being shipped by the barque Petolas which proceeds to Melbourne shortly,

The survey party under Mr Stuart who are making the survey of the HokitikaRoss railway have completed the survey and plans of the] bridge over the Hokitika Eiver, and are now well started on their task.

Messrs Hilderbrand and Co have got into their new aDd handsome premises in Boundary Street. Of course the workmen are all over the establishment and a detailed account is not yet available, but of this we are assured that the establishment is quite up to the requirements of any city in the Colonios and is a-credit to tho town of Greymouth. The shop is very similar to that recently erected by tho wealthy Gear Meat Company on Lambton Quay Wellington.

The Bruce Herald Understands that several influential farmers in the Tokomarino district have under consideration the establishment of a twine factory for the manufacture of binding twine. All coarse wool will be utilised in the production of the material, and it is claimed that the woollen article is more serviceable and cheaper than the flaxen thread, while the farmer is directly benefitting himself by the use of his own products.

A conference of leaders of capital and labor in New York have elected a committee, with Senator Mark Hanna as chairman, to try and harmonise interests and avert strikes. There will be a resort to arbitration when both sides are agreeable.

Advices from tbe Philippines state that the Americans are actively conducting the campaign against the guerillas, and harrying Samar Island in retaliation for the recent massacre of a company of United States infantry. They have also captured the insurgents' ammunition factory. At tho Invercargill show last week two young ladies of the same name, and apparently sisters, put up a record in the matter of " dead heats." They were equal first in two classes of fresh butter and equal third in powdered butter. Tho facts are such as to indicate that the exhibits were of butter made at the same churning from cream skimmed from milk drawn from the same cows, It so, the judging that declared it impossible to seperate the exhibits of the two competitors was remarkably good. The first theosphical funeral servioe conducted in Dunedin was held on Tuesday last. The service included reading from several Scriptures, amongst them part of the second discourse of the Bhagavad Oiia:—"'These bodies as the embodied One, who is eternal, indestruetable, and boundless, are known as finite. . , i As a man, casting off wornout garments, taketh new ones, as the dweller in the body, casting off worn-out bodies, entereth into others that are new," etc A funny incident is reported to have happened in a little church in Tasmania recently. The parish olerk was a great cricket enthusiast, as well as a notable umpire. One hot Sunday he was dozing in bis official desk at church, dreaming doubtless of the great match to be played next daj. At the close of the sermon, when tho time came for him to pronounco his customary "Amen,'' he astonished the minister, and highly delighted the congregation by shouting in stentorian tones, "Over."

There was one mattir over which the late Queen and her eldest son differed and that was in their respect for John Brown. The King has now abolished tho brass plate commemorating John Brown from all the rooms he occupied at Balmoral, and thrown the rooms, which were kept closed during Vntoria's lifetime, open to general use. He has aho removed tho enormous statue of John Brown from tho grounds at Balmoral, whoro it occupied a prominent position. There is no doubt the Queen's natural kindness induced her to make too much of her faithful servant, and the King's action finds favour amongst visitors and sightseers at Balmoral.

Tho New Zealand Herald coaaludos an article, from the text of the cable about the ironsand mission of Messrs Cadman and Smitli, in these words : "It is not a mere dream to anticipate that our West Coast will some day bo studded with thriving manufacturing towns and that instead of seeking outside markotsfor our agricultural produce we shall be ourselves consuming the bulk of our own foodstuffs and shipping iron and steel in innumerable forms to less bounteously endowed countries."

Two Scottish drovers were sleeping beneath a tent by the side of che sheep they were overlanding, when one suddenly awoke with a heart-rending cry. "What's the matter, Donald ?" called his startled companion. "Are ye hairfc ?" "Ob, rnon,' 1 explained Donald. "Oh've just had an awfu' dream—it was just terrible." "Did ye dream the tent had fallen in?" asksd Sandy. "Worse than that," replied Donald. "Did ye think we'd lost the sheep?" "Worse than that." Did ye think ydur guidwifo and your bairns were deid ?" " Worse than that, Sandy, explained Donald, wiping his fevered brow with cold tea from tho billy. "Ah dreamt wo were back in Scoatland agen."—'Australasian.' The Premier stated at the Canterbury Society's dinner recently that Drs Heine and Anhausen had arrived in Wellington from Swiizerland, whence they had come to visit tho New Zealand Alps, and report on the natural history and geology of the colony, on behalf of scientific societies of which they are members. The Premier said he had asked Mr Malcolm Boss to render them assistance, and he had cheerfully consented to do so.

The Dunedin Btar reports "that last week a quantity of water from the Dunedin city supply was placed in a bottle, and forwarded to Dc Ogstoo, the local health officer, for examination. The water contained a number of particles reports Dr Ogston, of an animal nature, the ahimals being crayfish, crabs and periwinkles.

Pickpockets in Melbourne are pastmasters of the art. Recently a miner from the west was standing on the Post Office steps, when a gentlemanly indlvual trod heavily upon his toes. Then stopping up to the minor, he placed a hand upon his shoulder, and sympathetically apologised for his clumsiness/ The apology was willingly accepted, bul some little time later, the miner found that the polite apologist h»d relieved him of a pocket book containing 15 sovereigns and other jvaluables.

A very pleasing evont oaeurred in Hokitika on Christmas Day on which a worthy and much respected couple in the town may be congratulated. Wo refer to Mr and Mrs Dabenham who last Christmas Day celebrated their golden wedding they having been married in london on Christmas Day 1851. In 1854 they emigrated to Adolaido «nd arrived in Hokitika where they havo resided ever since, in 1865. On Wednesday they wore surrounded by thoir family and friends and received many hearty congratulations on having attained their golden jubilee.

A telegram from Invercargill states that tho Rev. D. C. Bates and a friend made the ascent of Mount Anglem, Stewart Islanl, last week, occupying two days in the task, The mountain is not very high but the tob is difficult to access owing to belts of snnd, timber ard scrub. The climbers found a crater on thejtop filled by a lake eight hundred by throe hundred yards.

The Rocklands dredge has now reached ground previously prospected with gdod results, and heavier gold has been show ing on the tables. Muoh better returns than those previously obtained are expeoted as the dredge continues to work ahead.

The prospects of the Stoney Creek Quartz Crushing Company are exeptionally good, one good crushing being ex« pected to clear all expenses and leave something in hand.

A cricket match took place on Cass Square Hokitika on Boxing Day, between the Greymouth Druids and the Hokitika Club. Tho Druids scored 30 and 44; Fraser 10 and Walton 18 being the highest scorers. Hokitika put up 105 ; Currie 33, Dale, not out, 16, Bonar 14, and Borton 13, getting double figures, thus winning by an innings and 31 runs.

It is stated that March 3rd will probably be the date of the opening of tho New Zealand Fire Brigades' Conference at Hokitika.

The flaxmills in the lower part of the' Eangitikei district are now working day and night to take advantage of the steady demand.

The Motueka Star says it is estimated there will be fully 300 tons of raspberries grown in Motueka and adjacent distriots this year. It is the intention of the Lands and Survey Department to open for selection by about the middle of January 12,000 acres of land in the Patea Valley, Tho Berlin papers announced on Oe« tober 21st that ex-Pre&ident Eruger had received from England a sum of £BO,OOO and a letter in which it is stated that the money is to be used for supplying freah ammunition to the Boers.

A black snake measuring over 10ft was killed near the Temora cemetery, New South Wales. When opened it was found to have swallowed a full-sized rabbit. Snakes have been very numerous in the Temora district this season.

During a visit to the South which he will shortly take, the Chief Health Officer will give further attention to the question of the establishment of sanatoria for consumptives.—" New Zealand Times." James Meridy, at Barbourville (U. S. k,) last month married his fourteenth wife, an hour after being divorced from his thirteenth. He is forty years old, four of his wives are dead, nine have been divorced, and the fourteenth was a widow.

The showrooms and ladies' depart, ments of Messrs Tymons and Co.'s drapery establishment, have been placed under the immediate personal charge of Miss McWilliams, who has oome from Australia under special engagement to the firm. Miss McWilliams has a professional status unsurpassed in the Oolonia. world, and at Messrs Buckley and Nunn's and Roberts and Moffatt's huge establishments in Melbourne, and Horderns, and Palmer's colossal fashionable Sydney warehouses, the departments under her direction were the special and most attractive features, At Messrs Tymons and Oo.'s warehouse the latest, host and most fashionable styles can therefore be relied upon, and all information concerning the perfeotion'of dress and personal decoration will be cheerfully given.—Advt. The superior qualities of the Ceylon Teas, are rapidly supplanting the inferior Chinese products in all the markets of western civilization. The teas grown in the virgin lands of the Sinhalese, pos-'-sesses greater strength, richer aromgfv and an infinitely larger percentage of the Alkaloid Theine, (the active principle and stimulating property of the plant) than do the teas grown by artificial cultivation on exhausted soil of China. Hence bulk for bulk, the' Ceylon Teas are cheaper, purer, more stimulating, and possess a rare fragrance, wanting in those of the Celestial Empire. Of all the brands of Ceylon Teas, the " Kiosk " stands eminently supreme and without rival. Messrs Harley and Co, the wellknown auctioneers and general agents, are the sole agents for Westland of this incomparable brand, and sell it to the general public in full chests, and 51b packages. If a trial is made of the Kiosk tea, no other will again be used and knowing that "once a customer a customer for ever." Messrs Harley and Co, are offering it for the presont at prices that no other firm can compete against. All large consumers, and heads or households, would do well to give the " Kiosk " tea a trial. There is quality, economy, and monev in it.—Advt-

Some of the highest living medical authorities attribute the great growth of physical and mental disease which has characterised the last few decades, to the universality of adulturation. They affirm that the taking into the system continually by human beings as food, substances which are chemically foreign and not only incapable of sustaining healthy life, but constitute a perpetual danger to it, is largely responsible for the new and complex diseases that baffle their curative skill. Therefore be wise in time, eat only

K Jam and avoid these dangers. Absolute purity guaranteed—Advt.

S) u « Average •o a 9T3 CD <y lotal yield per Month O £ per month dredge per week January 5 12 294 7 12 24 10 15 February 8 18 4C4 2 9 25 15 16 March 11 22 377 11 9 17 3 6 April 16 39 889 11 0 22 16 4 May 1C 47 955 14 0 20 6 16 Juno 19 43 854 6 0 19 17 18 July 17 56 1071 11 16 19 2 17 August 17 54 1088 18 4 20 3 7 Sept'ber 17 51 1093 14 16 21 8 20 October 20 61 1746 8 18 28 12 13 Novembr 22 83 2351 16 0 28 5 II Decemb'r 2 week:! 20 39 III0 12 4 28 2 7 525 12,305 13 12