MINING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume 30, Issue 9186, 13 October 1899, Page 5

MINING.

LAST -WEEK'S DREDGING RETURNS: Hartley and Riley,,~Cromwell 572 ; 2*' 0 G.oUieu.. Beach, .Alexandra ... 99 14 0 Magiieu'cyCrdmweli'./.-"*^ l ... 47 0 0 Matau, Clyde ... .., 43 0 0 Gfllden Gate, Island Block .... 35 19 0 Hydraulic, Alexandra 31 s^o Alpine, Riley's Beach, Cromwell: 30 10 .0Manorburn,. Mauuherikia .. 28 0 0 Empire (Waipori) ... ■.--•,■ 27.18 12 Nil Despera.ndum,Maiiuherikia r 2613 6 Golden Point, Alexandra ... 26 0 : 0 Golden Terrace, Lower Shotover 23 18 0 Goldeu Treasure, JJiller's Flat 23 0 0 -Clyde, Alexandra ' ..." ... 21.0 0 Enterprise, Alexandra .1. 19 i_o" : 0 I Wuimumu, near Gor« '..-•• 19 ''o 0 TdarA'ka't near Lawrence ..., 18 11 0 "Chatto Creek,- Ma'uuhe'riKia ".'... 1-8. 0 0 • Inch-Galley. neat Paliuerston... ]6 : 10 V 0 Struiigbt. Beaumont ' -... J3 10. U Jutland Flat, Waipori ... -' -B*l9 0 Dtnedin, filler's Elut " :..: v 6.10 0 Ophir, Gphit- .. .;'•■ ;.f : '5 12 ,'Q Ettriek.vßoxWnrgh" ?^ ...- 5 l(f 0 Vincent, Clyde ... ... 4]e ; 'o Maeraes, Macraes: .'":"• ... .- 4 40' -. - EXPORT GEVGOLD/ - "• During the month of September 29,6930z of gold/of the value of £114,326. were 'exported from New Zealand, an increase of i5,3870z as compared with the corresponding month of last year. Auckland district exported 1L2330z.. valued at £40,430; West Coast. 89400z, valued at £35.761 ; Otago. 8068oz, valued at £32.327 ; and Southland, 14520 i. valued at £SBOB. The quantity of gold exported for the nine, months of the present year is 287.1930& valued at £1.106.527; or 84,5190z." of the value of £324.979, more than the total for the first nine months of last year. During last month 28,0450z of eilver,:of the value of £3301, were exported.- / THE NEW MINING BILL. TO THE ..DREDGIXG- INDUSTRY' TbV Mining - Act Amendment Bill which has .been circulated.isi-a measure of 26 clauses, and'almost exclusively concerns r the : South Island:" 1 ; Provisions%are made as to the working of claims on tribute, the most important of which is that before any agreement is valid .it miustbe conßented to "by the Warden', certify 1 hat in .his opinion the 'term' and Conditions are reasonable and proper in 60 far as concerns the interests of the tributers. The provisions for the protection of bridges and bridge sites from damage are explicit, and at the same time allow for the exigency of a site set apart for abridge not being used for that purpose. Under the bill it shall not be lawful for anv person to carry on mining operations of any kind—dredging, sluicing, or otherwise—within fivechains of a public bridge or site, or three chains of a private bridge, except with the written- consent (in the c3Be of a public bridge or site) of the local or other authority having control thereof, and in the case. of a private bridge of the owner thereof. C au'sc 20 refers to the labour conditions. As to dredging claims it Bays : " For the purpose of complying with the labour conditions in the case of a dredging claim, it eball not be necessary to use more than one dredge, except where the W-crden otherwise orders, having regard to the area, of the claim and the facilities' for working it; provided that no order shall be made under this section save on the report of an inspector and after the holder of the claim has had an opportunity of showing cause against-ttie owner. Section 297 of the Act of 1898.-whicb empowers any-local authority to apply-its funds in assisting the •'evclop-' ment bf'the mining industry within its district, is amended by repealing the words "within its district." The annual renewal of the registration of water-race licenses issued under any former Mining Act is rendered unnecessary, and lands acquired under the Land for Settlements Act are exempted from the operation of the principal Act. The provision with regard to bridge sites has an important bearing on at least one dredging claim on the Olutha, which has . an abandoned site within its limits.—Star.

.. * There are 7300 more men employed in-the mining, industry in New South Wales than in 1894.--This increase is accounted for as follows ;—Gold mining, 2700 men ; silver, 2000 ; copper, 1300 ; coal, 1100. One noteworthy fact is lhat'the production of gold in New South Wales has quadrupled since 1888. and has doubled 'since 1898. In the latter year, the production of Told was valued at : £1,250,000. The value of the copper product increased fmm £6*3.000 in 1894 t0.£281 000 in 1898,>>einga four-fold increase. In 1898 .the coal production was the highest "onrecord, being 4J million tons—an increase of : tyimlHon tons in six years. The Hartley, and Riley .last week declared another dividend of £1 5s per share. The Alexandra Herald says a good deal of pegging out has been done lately in the. Ophir district. Another claim has been appln-d for alongside the Grey Duck Company's claim, while three claims have been pegged out at Drybread. We hear that a syndicate has offered a substantial sum of money to buy out the applicants' rights to one of the°e. latter clams. Several claims have also been taken up at Ida Valley and Ophir. , The work in connection with the erection of the Naumai Company's iredge is being pushed on. The timber for the construction of the- pontoons is now-on the ground, the cartage having been done by Mr Monk last week. A good deal of progress has been made with the work of dismantling the Maniototo dredge. On Tuesday Mr Hughes commenced the cartage of it to Spec Gully, and as be has three going it should not take long tb*gSFit shifted. It has been decided to increase the capital of the Naumai Co.. by'Jtbe. issue of fresh shares. The increase is due to the rise in the pries of dredge material. The capital of the Ophir Gold Dredging Co. is also to be increased by the issue of the 1500 shares beld in reserve, which are to be 'offered pro rata to present shareholders.