Notes from Tuapeka.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 20

Notes from Tuapeka.

(Fbom Our Wetheestones Correspondent.* April 3. — Mining will soon be at a standstill in this district if we don't get more rain than we have been having lately. The Local Industry is tho only claim that is working steadily at present — and working extra hours as well. They are reaping the benefit now of being able to save their water while shifting their plant. The Consolidated being short of water, the manager has taken advantage of the opportunity to send tho men out to clean tho races and effect some necessary repairs. The Golden Bise were engaged last week in shifting their plant to work tho ground they bought between their claim and the Wethcrstonea road They commenced elevating again last Friday evening. The Klondyke dredge is not quitp ready yet. Mr Adams is making some alterations and additions to her. Being aboard of her last Thursday, I was surprised at the number of winches she is provided with — seven of them — and all forward on tho port side, and handy to one another, so that one man»can work them without going from stem to stern. There ai'e 48ft of boxer, 3ft in width, angle iron false bottoms, and under them another string of boxes, barely half the width, except the top box, which is a table between 4ft and sft in width, with a fall of over lft in 12ft, and tapered at the lower end to the size of the small boxes. Mr Adams is getting false bottoms made for the small boxes, while on tho table there is cocoanut matting. He expects to save, in the 1 tables and lower boxes, a good deal of gold that would otherwise escape; but, as he said, the tables must be looked after and kept clean. He told me that tho pump works well, but that if it does not thro\y enough water they will have to get a larger one, for plenty of water is the main thing. Without it they can't get tho gold.