Mining on the Molynenx.

Otago Witness, Issue 2250, 15 April 1897, Page 19

Mining on the Molynenx.

(From Our Roxburgh Correspondent.)

The Hercules No. 2 are opening out a fresh pad--dock. The sinking was quite a contract, as a pile of stones, ptit there some years ago, had to be sunk through. The stones had to be broken up one by one and put up the elevator. The bottom has been rvached, and tbe wash is very fair. The paddock is not so full of atones as some of the previous paddocks have been. The ground is rather wet, which causes it to fall in. At present •only one shift, varying from eight hours to 11 or 12 hours, is being worked. The manager washed <iown on Saturday, the return boing sutficient to ■cover expen-e3 and something over. The run was only for a tJiort time. I The Roxburgh Amalgamated M. and S. Com- I ■pany washed down last week after about a month's work. The return from No. 1 lif t was 33Joz, and from No. 3 lift 105oz lOdwt 13gr, or a total of 1390z 13gr, value £535 5s The manager is erecting another elevator lielow No. 3 paddock. At the end of the week a good part of ijie trestlework was up. The -paddock last_ worked in the United Hercules Company's claim (in liquidation) was a very rough one, the wash being very thickly strewn ■with stones light enough for only a crane to move about. It was a wonder to me how to much wash ■was elevated. Several men had to be employed «xpresily to remove Btones. The lift, sluiceboxts, etc., have been taken down. I understand ■that negotiations have been going on between the liquidators aud a private party re the disposal of the plant. The last wash-up of the Roxburgh Amalgamated Company ought to send the shares up again to 13s or 14s, from which they have fallen to 8s 9d to 10s. . . The market prices of share 3in the Ettrick, Golden Gate, Golden Treasure, and Otago dredges are very good. The Dunertin dredge's return for last week was something over 12oz. The Roxburgh dredge has been on better goj,d during the pust week The cloths showed the gold at the first glance. About 12oz was ex- ' S °Xh9 Edioß dredge has been working in rather

rough eround lately, the bottom being pretty stony. The gold returns have been none too satisfactory, and the dredge will be shifted further up the river— leb us hopa to better ground.