MINING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 29, Issue 1523, 6 January 1899, Page 3

MINING.

CENTRAL OTAGO INVENTION.

GOLD CREVICE DREDGK BUCKET.

;By Oce Ida Valley Correspondent

Our local inventor. Mr E. Hayes, is on the warpath aeain and like the miner he has taken fo the water, his latest invention being an improved pold crevice dredge bucket, which will ereatly facilitate the cleaning out of crev ices and the bottom of the claims. lam not in a position to describe the bucket! but

I am informed that several practical miners of 30 yars standing have done so and are unanimous in their opinion that the new style bucket is a long way ahead of the present buckets in use for cleaning out the gold from the crevices. This is a step in the right direction, for usually the best of the gold in the rivers lies near the bottom and the present bucket in use cannot get to it. The invention has been accepted by the patent office. ~ W* N. P. Hjorring, secretary of the Naseby Dredging Company, reports a return of 230z 3dwt for the week.

The Jutland Flat (Waipori) Gold Mining Company (Limited) obtained last week 230s 13dwt of gold for 120 hours' wages time, 106 hours' actual dredging. The Mount Ida and Kyeburn dredges were laid up for the New Year holidays. All the dredges in the Cromwell district except the Hartley and Riley and nearly all those in Alexandra district were laid up last week for the Christmas holidays. The Empire Gold Dredging Company obtained last week 230z 16dwt of gold for 114 hours' actual dredging. The dredge closed down on Thursday last for the holidays. The following retains are tohand:—Golden Treasure, 21oz for five days; Otago, 15os for four days.

The exit pipes at the Kwebnrn works are now all fitted in place and on Wednesday and Thursday were subjected to test under hydraulic pressure. On Thursday a pressure of 861b per square inch was applied and the line successfully stood the test. The pipes have now to be bedded in cement, which will extend half way up their circumference. Puddle on top will follow, after which the work of fiUing-in can proceed, and until these preliminary operations are completed, of course not nearly all the men can be employed.