MINING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 29, Issue 1523, 7 January 1899, Page 3

MINING.

CENTBAL OTAGO INVENTION. GOLD CKEVICE DREDGE BUCKET. (By Our Ida Valley Correspondent.) Our local inventor, Mr E. Hayes, is on the warpath again and like the miner he has taken to the water, his latest invention being an improved gold crevice dredge bucket, which will greatly facilitate the cleaning out of crevices 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 years 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.

xT Mr „ N^_ P - H J orrin eT. ■ecreUiy of the »i aseby Dredging Company, reports a return of 230r 3dwt for the week.

Tbe Jutland Flat (Waioori) Gold Mining Company (Limited) obtained last week 230z 13dwt of gold for 120 boon' wages time, 106 boon' actual dredging. The Mount Ida and Kyebnrn dredges were laid up for the New Tear holidays. All the dredges in tbe Cromwell district except tbe Hartley and Biley and nearly all those in Alexandra district were laid up last week for the Christmas holidays. The Empire Gold Dredging Company obtained last week 2Sos 16dwt of gold for 114 hours' actual dredging. The dredge closed down on Thursday last for-the holidays.

The following returns are to hand:—Golden Treasure, 21os for five days; Otago, loos for four days.

The exit pipes at the Rweburn works are now all fitted in place and on Wednesday and Thursday were subjected to test under hydraulic pressure. On Thursday a pressure of 681b 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 filling-in can proceed, and until these preliminary operations are completed, of coarse not nearly all tbe men can be employed.