MINING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13250, 5 April 1905, Page 6

MINING.

The secretary of the Paterson's Freehold Company reports the following returns for last week:—No. 1 dredge, 2Goz Sdwlfor 133 hours' work; No. 2 drodgo, 20oz for 133' hours' work. The Meslorton Company's dredgemnster reports having had a gcod run loj>t week, everything working well. A bettor return is expected for this -week. Everything on tho Lady Annie dredge was running satisfactorily last week. The average depth of tho ground wis about 18fl, a»id tho width of the cut 103 yds. Mr S. E. Brent, secretary of tin Shotovcr Quartz Mining' Company, reports the following returns lor tho month of February: — 38oz of melted bullion from 152 tons crushed, and 13oz of cyanide bullion from 18 tons of concen-t-rates;—total, 51oz. Some of the dredging companies carrying on operations on the Upper Clutha intend trying the experiment of having one engineer for two dredges. In this connection Mr lfugh Murray, of tho Rise and Shine No. 2 dredge, haa boon appointed ongineer of that company's two dredges. Tho Rising Sun and Punt Companies have come to a like understanding as regards their rospectivo dredges, and an engineer will shortly be appointed to look aftor tho two machines. Mr S. E. Brent, secretary oi the Last Clianco Hydraulic Sluicing, Klcvatiiig, and Dredging Company, reports u return o? 18oz lOiwt 2gr from the last paddock. 'Hie mine manager reports that ho has opened up another paddock cn better ground. llio Mystery Flat dredge got started on Friday night last at G o'clock, not being ablo io start sooner owing to the non-arrival of the new belt. Everything ran well on commencing, and the dredgemnster expects to have a fair return this week. The Alexandra Lead dredgemoster, reporting under data 2nd inst., stated that a good deal of timo was lost last week through having to effect necessary repairs to the screen, also owing to being troubled with silt. Tho return shows thai tho ground in tho bank is good, and will improve as tho drodgo gets further into it, as at tho start a good dent lof dead work had to bo done. The Hessev's 'tedge made fair progress with getting through the tailings last week. The ground was .very rough and stony, but tho dredgemastcr expects to bo through "tho greater part of tho tailings in another we.ek. Everying on the dredge was running well. The cut worked by the Lady Roxburgh dredgo last week.wns not more than 90ft wide, indications on tho oast side not wan-anting widening in that direction. This week the cut was to bo extended into tho west side again. Tho dredge was working steadily, and putting through a great amount of material. Tho secretary of the. Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company roports that llio weather is still warm, and water short for sluicing. On Monday morning light snow showors fell, but only lasted a short v.'hile. Tho manager of the No. 1 writes, that the water supply is shorter than it lias been for the last four ycais. At No. 2, owing to the shortage of water, sluicing i 3 only occasionally' possible. An alluvial rush has titJcen place about Wo miles and a-half north of Bavicy street, Coolfiardie (W.A.) On March 23 one man got a ioz nugget which, up to tlion, was the -largest reported. One of tho drvblowors in the claim next to the.prospectors' got a nugget weighing 220z 13dwt. On March 25 a nugget weighing 2Mwt, and another weighing 15dwt were found. Whero the gold is being obtained, practically on the surface, the country is composed of ironstone. Thero are several similar 'hills in tho neighbourhood. Tho following items aTO from tho Cromwell Argus Rising Sun resumed dredging on Sunday.—A Nevis syndicate has been formed to work the School Flat- by hydraulic.—The Clutha River dredge wa.3 in old dredged tailings most of tho week and did not waah up. She will have to go through a-portion of these before, she reaches good ground.—Tho diedgemasttr of the Halfway Houso lias just completed a, coal road.' The river is still too high to allow of a start being made, as the ground is exceedingly deep,—lt is .reported tkt a shortage of rater exists at Skippers.—Mr F. W. Payne, consulting engineer, of Dunedin, spent a part of last week in inspecting the Clutha fleet-, and expects to be able to reduce the coat consumption on tho Olutha by alterations to the engines. - -