MINING IN WESTLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1924, Page 1

MINING IN WESTLAND.

FRO.M THE MINES REPORT.

Mr .1. I*. Downey (Inspector of Alines. in his annual report says: DR EDGES. I In* 11i inn ( fold-dredging Company's dredge tit liimu Flat, Hokitika, continues the suceesslul work carried out by it during 1!>22. This year it turned over I .*‘>77, 111 cubic yards of gravel l*»r a let urn of 12,832 oz. gold, lor which 2-i(i,IS9 lAs -Id was realised. 'lbis meant all increase in turnover inr • lie year ol nearly half a million cubic yards ol material as compared with P‘22. Toe amount nl gold recovered showed an ilierci-e ol 2.It'S;I and th • increase in value recovered was L' I I .33*. The value ol Ifie ground I rented w.i . j nl.il- ynril.

Ihe Awalcma dredge. alter ncing idle for smile months, was aliered to some extent, a larger area of tables being put in, also a grizzly for (lie removal of large stones, and once more put into commission towards the end of the year, since when il has recovered (i2(i oz. gold, valued al 22,121. AA"illi the improvements effected it is hoped that the dredge will now he aide to work profitably. ALLEYIAL .MINING. This branch of mining lias moved backward again during the year, there being fifty two less men employed at it, and the recovery and values of gold decreasing by lill oz. and (.’2,(100 respectively. Howard Diggings.— Returns show that only nine men were- employed, recovering 2*3 oz. of gold, worth (Mill. Al.tirchison. Throughout this district li'ii nil'll were employed, recovering S 3 oz 'if gold, valued al L’.Yifi. ('harlestciwn and Brighton.- Powell’s Claim aL Brown's Terrace was the only producing one worked. 9!! oz. of gold, worth 23*1, being won. Knirdown.—A number of sen-beach claims yielded gold valued at LTD.

Kumnrn.—On the Kumara, Greenstone, Callaghan's, and Stafford fields sixty men were employed, recovering 1,171 oz. of gold, valued at C 1.751. The nrineipal producers were Linklnters Sluicing Company (Stafford), A!) oz., valued at L‘23!); llavill Bros. 'Callaghan’s), 33A oz.. valued at 01,31 A; Hohc im Gold-sluicing Company (Greenstone), 110 <>z., valued at 01,2 AI ; Stubbs at Steel (Greenstone). 307 oz., valued at 01,2.30; Blackman Bros. (Stafford), ]!;*') oz., valued at 2(131; and MeLachlan’s (Payne’s Gully), Al!) oz., valued at 21,231. Hokitika.—ln this district 2IA nz.. of gold was recovered, valued at o*oo. Twelve men were employed. Reeilon. — In this district only ten men were employed, mining 112 oz.. valued at 0100.