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latter company was not successful in its operations, and portion of the plant has since been disposed . of to the Oirig Gold-dredging Company, Alexandra, for use in the erection of a plant to drive the dredge by O'Brien's application of water-power to dredges. Buchanan's Sluicing Claim, below Beaumont. —This claim is situated on a terrace composed of river gravels. The water-supply is poor, but the owner has improved the plant. Dredging. —The New Paul's Beach dredge, situated seven miles below Beaumont, and owned by Mr. William Adams, Dunedin, is the only one in the district. Owing to the unfavourable state of the river during the past year dredging has been intermittent. Island Block. Island Block Gold-dredging and Sluicing Company, Island Block (D. Weir, Manager). —Hydraulic sluicing and elevating operations have been steadily conducted during the year. Dredging operations have not been resumed. The company employed an average of fourteen men during the year. Tallaburn Hydraulic Sluicing Company, Curries Flat, Tallaburn (John Whelan, manager).—There is nothing fresh to report concerning this company's extensive operations. A large area of ground has been sluiced away with good results. Seven men employed. Cooper and Party's Hydraulic Sluicing Claim, Horseshoe Bend. —This party continue to operate on their claim with by-wash water from the Island Block Claim. Two men employed. Gunton's Beach Hydraulic Sluicing Claim (Madden and Myers, owners). —This claim has been proved to be rich, but the great drawback is the want of a suitable water-supply. Dredging. —The Otago No. 2 dredge continued working during the year with good results. Johns and party's dredge started work early in the year, but with indifferent results. Jones and party purchased Pringle and party's No. 1 dredge, and shifted it to the foot of Gunton's Beach, but operations have not been very successful. Miller's Flat. Golden Run Hydraulic Sluicing and Dredging Claim. —This company's large dredge is now working in the flat clear away from the river, and depends upon the water from the pipe-line for paddock water. Portion of this water is also used for stripping off the great overburden of loam ahead of the dredge. This company employs an average of thirteen men. Dredging. —In this district nine dredges continue in operation on the Clutha River. With two exceptions these dredges are large up-to-date machines, capable of treating an enormous quantity of material. Six of the dredges are working into the bank portions of their claims, and proving the existence of payable wash. Kelso. Duntulm Hydraulic Sluicing and Elevating Claim, Pomahaka River. —This claim was worked for several months in the early part of the year with fair results. Owing to the altitude work cannot be carried on during a few weeks of the winter, while the lengthened spell of dry weather hindered sluicing operations towards the end of the year. Rise and Shine Claim, Pomahaka River. —The difficulty presented by this claim, and which the various attempts made failed to overcome, was the successful bringing-up of a long deep tail-race through a rocky gorge, so that ground-sluicing operations might be carried on. The flat is known to be rich, but, being difficult to work, no serious attempt has been made of late years to open up the ground. Dredging. —Unfortunately, the Kelso dredge, which started operations during the year, did not meet with success, and has been sold for removal. The Ardmore, a private concern, continued to operate successfully on Ardmore Estate. Campbell's Gully. Campbell's, Potter's, and the Upper Waikaia River districts, embracing gullies, creeks, and terraces on the slopes of the Old Man and Whitecombe Ranges, within the watershed of the Waikaia River, are localities which have yielded a large amount of alluvial gold to the miners. Increased attention is being given to these places for hydraulic sluicing, and with good water-power and plenty of ground available this field should yet yield quantities of gold. Campbell's Flat is an extensive deep wet flat so far unprospeeted, but with good prospects, insomuch as Campbell's Gully is famous for its past richness. Water-rights are held in this locality by John Bennetts and Parker Bros., Roxburgh. Dumbarton. Anderson's Flat. —A Dunedin syndicate are testing this flat by systematic boring, with the intention of ultimately working the ground by hydraulic sluicing and elevating. For this purpose the watersupply hitherto in use on the Hercules Claim, Roxburgh, will be used. The results from several bores put down are said to have been favourable. There is an extensive area of ground here, presumably containing an ancient course of the Clutha River, with outlet at Ettrick and Miller's Flat districts, which have proved and are proving highly auriferous. Roxburgh. Roxburgh Amalgamated Mining, and Sluicing Company {Limited) (J. H. Waigth, manager).—This is the largest hydraulic-sluicing claim in the district. Operations are carried out systematically and successfully, due regard being given to the safety of the employees. Fourteen men employed during the year.

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