PRELIMINARY TRY-OUTS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 1 September 1926, Page 5

PRELIMINARY TRY-OUTS

ACTIVITY ON THE KAWARAU.

WATER. STEADILY FALLING

(by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

DUNEDIN, Aug. 31. Reports show a varying fab of the Kawarau River from four feet in some spots to eleven feet at the Cromwell Development Company’s weir. To-day was one of great activity on the Kawarau River. Claim holders are anxiously awaiting the subsidence of the waters. Yesterday the tributary rivers were running fairly high, and no great fail was recorded. To-day, however, on the upper reaches there was a marked decrease in the quantity of water running, and men have been busy along the banks with tin dishes trying out the prospects from newly uncovered banks. These are reported to have been.entirely satisfactory, and that each dish of material washed had shown returns of nice flaky gold. Tlie drop in the depth of water varies considerably ; in some places it is as much as eleven feet. The engineers are making surveys and in other ways preparing for the time when the waters will be closed up for a longer period. The machinery to be employed has yet, of course, to be decided! on. On the lower reaches of the river the decrease in tlie volume of water lias not been so marked, and claim-holders here are naturally disappointed, though the drop in the river has enabled prospecting, which has shown satisfactory results, and returns from washing by tin dish are very 4500 c!. In the gorges there has been as yet no chance to ascertain the because the banks apparently drop sheer down to the water’s edge. Tlie Shotover is evidently the cause of the flow of water, as it is carrying beyond its usual capacity. There has been some melting of snow on the hills, but a heavy frost- lastnight- lessened this.. The clam has yet to be closed for eight days, and with a fortunate succession of heavy frosts tlie position may improve and show a further substantial diminution in the flow of water.