THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 20

THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS.

The statutory general meeting of the Criffel Lead Dredging Company (Limited) was held on Tuesday at the company'-s office^ 14 Bond street, when the following gentlemen were elected directors: — Messrs A. Kyle, J. Southwick, R. G. Whetter, J. Hatton, and John Timpany. Mr Geo. Duncan -was appointed auditor.

The West Matau Dredging Company Tecently received a report from its engineer (Mr E. Boberts) giving the results of certain tests , ■which had been applied, under his supervision, ] to the company's claim. These results were of such an encouraging nature as to warrant his recommending the directors to make the necespary arrangements ior the -construction of a 'firedge, and that meantime sluicing be commenced at the top end of the claim, where he suggests that the dredge should enter the £laini from the river. The gold proved to exist tJo. the top stuff was sufficiently rich tp pay all expenses in connection with the sluicing. Plans of the dredge are now in hand.

Palinerston, amongst other Otago provincial .towns, will soon be reaping the benefits of having several dredges -working in its immediate vicinity. The Inch Valley Company is now a steady dividend-paying concern, and we learn on good authority of another dredge having ifoeen purchased from an up-country company •fco work an adjacent claim 1 : The Shag River used to support a considerable number of al■luvial miners in the early days, and there seems a chance now of Palmerston' becoming the centre of a big dredging district, the same as Alexandra, Cromwell, Gore, etc.

The first general meeting of the Island Block Gold Dredging and Sluicing Company (Limited) was lveld at Wood's Private Hotel, Ratt*-ay street, on Monday night (Mr H. P. Nees in the ■chair), when the following gentlemen were elected directors for the ensuing year : — Messrs H. F. Nees, F. J. Lake, W. Milne, W. Wood, and A. Sligo. Mr T. S. Graham was elected auditor to the company.

Dividends in the following dredging companies are now payable at the registered office, Lawrence: — Tuapeka (the seventh), Is; Evans Flat (the eleventh), 6d.

' The directors of the Inch Valley Gold Dredging Company have declared a dividend (the fourth) of 1? per share.

The prospectus of the Golden Chair Gold Dredging po. appears in Wednesday's Daily Times for public information only. The capital is JE9OOa in £1 shares, of which 6800 are offered to the public. The claim adjoins that of the Upper Magnetic Gold Dredging Company. Itleports from Messrs James Kennedy, Robert Joblin, and W. H. Kitto arc attached to the prospectus. Mr Philip Mirams is the Dunedin "broker.

■ The first general meeting of the Main Lesd Hercules Gold Dredging Company (Limited) ■was held at the registered office of tho company, Ross place, Lawrence,, on Monday, the 26th February. Shareholders were well represented, and the following were elected directors for the ensuing 12 months : Messrs D. M'lnlosh, W. M. Hogg, G. H. Martin, W. Sutherland, find W. Wood (Dunedin). Mr J. C. Arbuckle ■was appointed auditor. At a meeting of directors, held afterwards, Mr D. M'lntosh was appointed chairman, and Mr E. Roberts consult-ing-engineer to the company. It was also decided to take steps to liave a dredge placed on the claim with all possible speed.

Mr David Larnach, secretary for the Cromwell Gold Dredging Company, has supplied us with tho following in connection with the company's dredge : — Mr William Wylie left on the 28th ult. to complete the erection of the machinery upon the dredge, which has been so long delayed through the mishap to the "Wfiflkato. Mr Reynolds, the company's engineer, confidently expects that the dredge will be completed and in working order in four weeks, as everything required is on the ground and only wants setting up.

The Golden Bay Argus learns that the resixlt of the prospecting operations, which wore unlast week on the Aorere dredgme; claim, at Maori Pah, held by a Dunedin syndicate, has proved satisfactory; Mr J. C. Ponsonby reports that ihe RobertEon's Gdld Dredgins; Company. Cardrona, has been over-subscribed by some 4000 shares. Tbe prospectus is published in Friday's Daily Times for public information only. "* The Hartley and Rilcy Beach Goid Dredging Company (Limited) washed up on _Friday for a return of 490z 13dwt of gold for a week's "dredging. , TVJ^jumfl H. il jNaaa and Co. adviso us that

their foreman reports from Matakanui that the pciitooas for the Blue Duck Dredging Company will be completed in about a- fortnight.

At a meeting hold in the Commercial Hotel, Roxburgh, tho shares in ihe Golden Star Dredging Company (Limited) were allotted to applicants. The interim secretary reported that the share list was several thousands oversubscribed.

Messrs Sievwright Bros, and Co., brokers, report that the Bonanza Gold Dredging Company (Limited) was largely over-subscribed, and at a meeting of the provisional directors, held on Friday, the shares weie allotted, and Mr David Larnach appointed secretary. The above company was originally the Cardrona Bonanza, but the registrar refused to .register any more companies with the word " Cardrona" as part of the name.

The Secretary of the Shotover Quartz Mining Company (No Liability) supplies' the following extract from the mine manager's report: — " Since last report have driven machine level 7ft; total length 956 ft; formation still verydisturbed, but carrying occasionally small leaders containing gold. Crushing stopped for week owing to .repairing fluming on race. Expect to finish crushing by end of week."

Mr John Palmer, of Mount Stuart, has recently had a number of men prospecting with boring rods at the confluence .of the Waipori Rival- and Post Office Creek. Very rich prospects have been obtained on what is known amongst miners as '' Post Office Lead," and as a result a dredging company will shortly be floated. Already, owing to the capital prospects obtained, most of the shares have been snapped up by residents in Taierd, Waipori, and Lawrence, although the company is not yet on the market. — Bruce Herald.

The following items are taken from the Alexandra Herald: — Mr W. Nicholson has been appointed dredgemaster of the Clyde Company's dredge Moa. — The" Molyneux Hydraulic dredge has been shifted down to the lower end of the claim in order to take another cut. — The pontoons of the Turakina dredge, now lying in the Manuherikia above Alexandra, have been purchased by the Voltaic Prospecting and Dredg-' ing Company, and will be removed at once. — The contractors (Messrs Baskett) made a start with the building of the Sailor's Bend Company's pontoons on Monday last. Mr T. C. Donnelly, manager of the Undaunted Mining Company, Matakaimi, has secured the patent rights in Canada, United. States, Great Britain, the Australasian colonies, and elsewhere for an invention in the direction of an j improvement in screens, more especially adapted for gold dredging. — Alexandra Herald. After undergoing repairs, the Upper Waipori Company's dredge resumed work on Wednesday, 28th. The statutory meeting of shareholders of the Dunback Dredging Company (Limited) was held on Tuesday evening, 27th, when the following gentlemen were elected directors : — Messrs J. O. White, N. Reid, C. G. V. Leijon, G. Neill, and G. J. Smith. Mr George Blytlio was elected auditor. A large number of shareholders were present. At a meeting of directors, held at the close of the above meeting, tenders for the whole of the machinery and pontoons were accepted, the work to be completed in six months. Messrs Cntten Bros, are the engineers, and Mr R. T. Wheeler, jun., the secretary.

At the statutory general meeting of the Lady Charlton Gold Dredging Compans', held- on Wednesday, 2Sth ult., Messrs T. K. Harty, D. J. Bews, W. C. Burl, Horace Bastings (Invercargill), and Captain Sundstrom were elected directors, and Messrs Barr, Leary, and Co. auditors.

The statutory general meeting of the United Morven Gold Dredging Company (Limited) was held on Tuesday, 27tk tilt. Messrs A. James, T. Johnstone, M. Pearce, H. Adam, and W. G. Somerville were elected directors for the ensuing year. Mr F. M. Jones was appointed auditor, and Mr A. Paterson secretary to the company.

A meeting of the directors of the Golden Banner Gold Dredging Company (Limited) was Jield in the company's office on Monday, 26th, when Mr Dillon's tender for the construction of the pontoons was accepted, and satisfactory arrangements made as to time, etc. As already stated in these columns, a Marshall engine and boiler have been ordered. The machinery contracts are in course of consideration.

The broker for the Golden Butteifly Gold Dredging Company (Limited) reports that the shares have been fully subscribed, and that at a meeting of pjovisional directors held on Thursday the shares were allotted.

Mr J. C. Ponsonby reports thai the -Robertsons' Gold Dredging Company, Cardrona, has been privately over-subscribed by over 4000 shares. The company's prospectus was only a few hours open for subscription, the result being that applications for shares were 4000 ove." and above the required number. The full prospectus appears in our advertising columns for public information* only. The claim embraces one mile of the Cardrona River, including the famed Robertson Bros. Cardrona property. The company have the option of splendid water right for electric motive purposes, etc.

The Maerowhenua Company have just completed boring on their giound to ascertain the length of ladder icquired for their dredge. Two holes were sunk, and the wash from these, whon cradled, gave a return of what was equal to over 20gr to the square yard. A small quantity of wash like this cannot well be taken as a failsample of the whole; but, making full allowances for this, it would appear that the company has a line future before it. The wash is even, and is similar to that on the Inch Valley Company's claim.

The Point dOr Gold Dredging Company's prospectus is now issued, and applicants for whom shares have been reserved arc requested to call at the brokers' at once and sign formal applications. The claim adjoins the Eoyal Maori and Rise and Shine Companies' claims, Clutha River, just above its junction with the Kawarau and Molyneux Rivers. Messrs Sievwrighfc Bros, are the company's brokers. The return from the Buller dredge last week was 220z gold. The Roxburgh Amalgamated Mining ant! Sluicing Company (Limited) report the gold return for the month of February 121oz 2d\vt logr.

The Golden Horseshoe Company have accepted the tender of Mr Watson Rhodes for the building of pontoons for their dredge. The contractor (Mr H. Lyders) for the pontoons of the Majestic Gold Dredging Company purposed launching them on Satuiday last. Messrs Stevenson and Pcolo have the machinery well {orwa/cl, and it is confidently expected

tho dredge will be working the second or third week xn April.

The pontoons of the Meg and Annie dredge were ready for launching on Friday last. Messrs Knewstubb have made a splendid job of them. The mnchmcry, as well as the engines and boiler, is pretty well all deliveied on the claim, and Messrs Morgan, Cable, and Co. expect to have the dredge running well within contiact time— April 9. i The statutory general meeting of shareholders in the Diggers' Pride Gold Dredging Company will be held at the Dxxnedm Stock Exchange on Thursday evening at 8 o'clock. | An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders in the Macraes Flat Dredging Company will Id? held in the Agricultural Hall on | Monday, 26th inst., to consider and pass a , resolution re- winding xip. ' ' The prospectus of the Oceanic Steam G-old Dredging Company is published in Tuesday's Otago Daily Times for public information

only. The capital is £7000 in £1 shares, of •which 5000 are contributing. The claim is situated m the heart of the Caidrona Valley, and adjoins the Rolling Stone Company's property. A report by Mr G. L. Tacon is appended to the prospectus. Mr C. W. Ha-rvey is the broker. i