OKARITO PROGRESS REPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1930, Page 2

OKARITO PROGRESS REPORT

The directors of the, Okarito Five Alile Beach Gold Dredging Company have issued tlie following progress report to shareholders of tlie company :

Since the annual report was issued, progress, though much retarded by the weather conditions prevailing until the end of January, has been substantial. The incessant rains and the continual storms on the Coast seriously impaired the condition of the sleigh road from the claim to Lake Alpine and the road round the Three Mile Bluff to tlie, claim and, as a result, transport was rendered difficult, tedious, and costly. Jt was found necessary, owing to the continued rains and, the soft nature of the ground across which the pipes every being sleighed, to corduroy with timber over two miles in length of the track and, for a distance of nearly 16 chains of the upper section, where it was not possible for the horses to travel, the. pipes were carried into position by the workmen. From the intake at the lake the pipes have been, laid through a tunnel piercing the spur on the northern side of the lake outlet, and have been jointed together for a distance of three-quarters of a mile towards the claim. The line has. therefore, been laid over the most difficult section of the country which it traverses, and the work of laying the remainder of the pipes will be comparatively easy. All transport difficulties have been successfully overcome, and the plant, with the exception of a few heavy parts of the dredge machinery, has been landed at ils destination.

It is anticipated that the work of laying the main pipe line will he completed by the end of March, after which sluicing operations at the claim will he commenced with the hydraulicelevating plant and continued until the dredge is ready to operate. At the company's sawmill the work of sawing the timber for the dredge pontoons has been interrupted owing to the impossibility, on aecounl of the wet weather, of hauling the logs to

the mill, but the conditions since the ’iog; : lining of February have improved and the work of sawing is now in full s.ving.

A commencement will he made with the building of the p 'iitoons as soon as a sufficient quantity of the timber necessary has been cut and seasoned. The carting of the dredge machinery from Okarito to the claim is now well u Ira need, a considerable portion of the heavy material having already been delivered on the site where the i i edge wiil be ■' .lilt. Favourable conditions are being awaited for ■ the transport of the remainder of the machinery, for which then' is no immediate hurry.

From now on the work will be of a more straightforward nature and should present few difficulties, and as there arc at present 17 men in the company’s employment, the final stages of the present works in hand should be brought to early completion.