THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2371, 10 August 1899, Page 23

THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS.

The interim secretary (Air J. J. Eamsay) of ] the Premier 'Wa.ikaka Gold Dredging Company informs us that in addition to the shares sold in Dunedin, a large number have been placed i in Gore. He saya that a well-known "Waikaka i mining investor has applied for a large parcel, \ and informs him that the option is a. particularly good one. Mr Ramsay will be pleased to give fuller information to anyone calling at bis office. : An Auckland telegram states that the returns from the various mines for the past month have been well up to the average, the total output being close on j£30,000 The Komata Beef Company crushed 300 tons for bullion valued at £550. The Culleusville correspondent of tho Marlborough Times writes under date July 29: — *' A fine 320z specimen was found iv the King Solomon, mine to-dsfy, which, when crushed, will yield over lib weight of gold." It is stated (says the Grey River Argus) that Mr A. M. Bourke, of Charleston, has almost completed the flotation, on the London market, tof two special claims on the Nine-mile Beach, Charleston. The directors have made a call of lid per share on shares in the Shotover Quartz Mining Company. In tho Daily Times of the 3rd will be found the abridged prospectus of the Shepherd's Creek Gold Dredging Company, which is being formed to acquire and work a claim of about 80 acres, adjoining the Smith's Creek and Bannockburn Deep Lead Company's claim. About 1000 shares are still left, and the list will be closed as soon as they are applied for. The abridged prospectus of the Kawatiri Freehold Gold Dredging Company appears in the Daily Times of the 3rd. This company is projected for the purpose ot working a claim of about 328 acres at the Four Rivers Plains, Buller. Prospectus.es and reports from Messrs Howard Jackson and "William Faithful and plans of the property can be seen at the offices of the brokers, Messrs Hamilton and M'Ker'jrow, and John Logan. An Auckland wire says: — " The new gold protlucer, the Whangamata Corporation, promises well. An interim clean up and first crushing yielded llOOoz from 600 tons." Workmen have been sent up from Port Chalmers to raise the Upper "Waipori Company's dredge, which sank last week in a paddock. Boring operations at the property of the Craig's Flat Dredging Company, recently floated, have shown that the ground is rocky, and more suitable for sluicing than dredging. 1A meeting of shareholders is called for this week to decide what action shall be taken in view of the report received. The Lowburn correspondent of the Cromwell !Argua writes : — '' The local shareholders in the Voltaic claim held a meeting on Saturday, 22nd CTuly, to consider the action of the claim being withdrawn from the market. All those present, being with one exception experienced kßiuere, expressed themselves fully satisfied

as to the valuable nature of the claim, and were | prepared to go on with the enterprise, and Mr I John. Jamieson -was instructed to communicate ■ with the brokers, Messrs Quick and Smith, to find out the reason of the withdrawal of the claim." The Lower Shotover correspondent of the i Lake Wakatipu Mail reports on the 2nd inst. : — " The air here is lull of the iTimoure oi gold. The Shotover Dredging Company is about to be floated, and experts speak confidently of its success. The old Golden Bar Company is also to be floated again. An application for the river urea has been granted, and nothing is ■ -wanted but a. modern dredge to bring to light the metal which has always been known to exist. Besides all this, Messrs JTraser and Jones are now prospecting on M'Bride's Flat, near the junction of the Shotover and the Kawarau. They report finding gold in payable quantities at a depth of 6ft, and from that point downwards it becomes gradually richer, until the water is struck at a depth of 14ft. "When the pumps are got to work, even better prospects are expected. ' The Berwick correspondent of the Taieri Advocate writes: — "Four dredging claims have been pegged off on the Waipori River above the township. I learn that Messrs H. Wilson and T3L Crosshy, whose claimß are farthest up the river, have obtained some very fair prospects, and intend starting operations without delay. The other two claims begin about a mile above the township. One is held by Mr S. G. Smith, of Duuedm, and the other by Mr H. L. Johnson — who, it will be remembered, took such a decided stand against the "Waipori dredges some four or five years ago." The Manager of the Roxburgh Amalgamated • Mining and Sluicing Company reports a return ■ of 17oz gold for the month of July, work having been stopped at the mine during the greater portion of the month by frost and snow. Shotover Quartz Mining Company (No Liability}. — Mr S. E. Brent supplies the following extract irom the mine manager's report: — " Since last report the machine level has been extended 23ft, making a total distance of 7S3ft. Stone has nearly cut out. Up to date 40 tons have been taken out. At present we have two very walls 6ft apart, the ground being good driving.' ~~ The Cromwell Argus is informed that the BendigO Company have purchased the tailings in the Bendigo Creek, and intend to erect a cyanide plant to treat the old tailings. A local syndicate (says the Lake County Press) has pegged off Boundary Creek for the purpose of providing electricity for the work of dredges on the Kawarau for some considerable distance from the mouth of the Shotover downwards. An Auckland telegram states that the Kura-nui-Caledonian tributers' return for the month from 714 loads was gold valued at £1148. The Mariposa, for the month, from 121 tons, obtained gold worth £142. The "Waihi Consolidated mine haß been purchased by a London syndicate. i An Auckland telegram states that during the past month the Waiotahi Company treated 70 tons of ore for bullion valued at £387. The Secretary of the Ophir Gold Dredging Company reports that the work of overhauling the dredge has been somewhat delayed ow- { ing to the recent rough weather, but the. lately i appointed dredgemaster, Mr Johnston, late en- • gineer of the Electric Company, expects to have repairs completed* and a start made in about ! a. week's time. Mr J. M'George (.late of the ! Electric No. 1 Company), who has the matter ! of improvement of the gold-saving appliances j in hand, expresses the opinion that when re- . started the dredge will give a good account of 1 herself. ; "We have received a copy of the prospectus of the Otago Gold Prospecting, Dredging, and Mining Association, advertised in Wednesday's ijaily Times. The association is being formed ■with a capital of £25,000 in 5s shares, with the object of affording protection to investors. Thii> object it is proposed to attain by bringing before, the public mining properties of proved value. To that end it is proposed that before any property is placed upon the market under the auspices of the association, it shall be thoroughly tested by reliable experts, thus providing a guarantee to the public that the investment, is sound. It is proposed to secure the services of experts and experienced prospectors, and also to procure up-to-date prospecting | plant. The secretary of the First Chance Gold Dredging Company received the following wire on Monday afternoon from Alexandra :— " Drodge started, river no drift, hope bottom." I The North Otago Times states that a. portion, of Allday Bay has been pegged off for dredging purposes. The Grey Argus of the 2nd inst. says: — " According to the accounts which reach town regarding Barrytown No. 1 claim, the claim is ' paying handsomely. The history of this claim appears to be a little mixed, but the subject is one in which we are not versed. It would seem, however that the success now achieved •will be the means of bringing dredges on the ground." A nice cake of gold, 39Joz in weight, was brought into town on Friday (says the Southland News) from the Undaunted Gold Mining Company's property at Orepuki. The secretary states that this is considered a highly satisfactory return, as most of the work done since the company took possession has been in the way of opening up the property, and improving the water race. Only 731 yds of wash were put through, and the return thus gives an average of over half an ounce to the yard.