DREDGING OPERATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1921, Page 2

DREDGING OPERATIONS

ACTUAL WORK COMM KNCKI). The Ilium Dmitri ng Company’s leviathan dredge at South Hokitika has now boon completed sufficiently to enable dredging operations to continence yesterday, when the whole plant was put in motion lor the first time with every success. The whole ot the

lunch I 1 lory and [limit was lotltid to moi'K' satislnetoiily and welt. Naturally «itli sm'li a largo undertaking there v,cio numerous small matters requiring adjusimeut before continuous operations would lie roinme»oed, lint those necessary adjustments weie at once made, and any rectifications attended to. The wliole of the machinery worked smoothly, and cave every satisfaction, the huge d retire he ini; under very cmjntlilc command, and working with a smoothness that must Ist seen to he apprecinted. Naturally the (hedge w not working yet with full power ahead ; such will not lie the order for some time yet. In the first place it will he necessary to deepen the present dam, ami at the outset- tin' lmiiiagcnient listvo to lace a very rocky lot ination, some lit to 20 feet deep that runs across the lace, which will have to he broken down and pierced before the claim tail . lie properly opened out. This will he steadily accomplished, the huge holder and buckets giving every promise of effectively decline, with the heavy “pebbles” known to exist in litis localit-V: The main portion of any yyddmining venture. is naturally that portion devoted to kite sating "I the go hi and the tables on the dredge are ns notable as the size of the dredge it'd!. There are two floor >paces devoted to this purpose, and the extensive liature of the tables, which flow to each side from the centre screen may he gntlici«.,l when it. is stated that the tables • over a space oi Id",!) s.[tutre feel, u hicli tan,he augmented to r »tHM square -feet if eoiirideted necessary by tin addition of further ripples on the tail of each sluice, as it empties at I fc, rear oi The dredge. dt‘e whole ol the woidminiHg tables are covered with ripnies. and the manageisiont. art' eontidviti ilitit they will he aide to save pic. vieallv every grain oi goto that goes through. The rough stuli brought , nit hv the dredge passes out over the end of the dietlge in a large tail wonted with an endless rubber he'd, some . three I'eci wide, which carries me debris well clear of the dam. depositing it. well to the rear. Vsterday , with the full strain of the working ■ operations, the electric. po'Ver witn which all o|>erations arc carried on, . was ample for the requirements, ami the operations went on smoothly and in a manner that holds out every hope ol . the success aimed at being attained. S Naturally every part of the machinery ! is to he thoroughly tried out In lore the actual steady operations <>t gold seckinw arc put iulo prut-ine. and with the t thoroughness t’uif the management has . ahvavs shown from the first prospect- . i„w "operations to the present time, they arc nut leaving '•dine tint,oiicd in I licit' aim t"> complete a ' s , Tl ,cture Mutt 'till l.c as perfect as - p -si M- for the Mreituotts ml vet " t will have in the futme. and «J it "'ll , l„. '.one tlnce or four weeks More the . „,,,ij, ;m .arv liials will lc sattslnctorily "cu„"l„ded and fv t.vder for full power , ahead will he given The cut to he made by the dtldgnu . operations will run to the south-west : and it will he from 1.0 t<> 2d(l toot - wide. The area in front of the died - has already been cleared ol trees and . stumps for a considerable distance, a the timber lari tig utilised for sawmill * purposes. The completion ol the ' dredge is a matter for congratulation s and the progress of the enterprise will V li,. followed with great interest by the o whole community, with the hope mat .1 the success that the enterprise deserve' , will he amply rewarded.