UPPER MOLYNEUX.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 28

UPPER MOLYNEUX.

February 26.— 1n. mining affairs there is nothing sensational to relate. The river keeping low, and little drift travelling, the dredges keep steadily working away.

Good progress is being made with the erection of the pontoons for the- Manukexikia Company's dredge, which, from present progress, should be afloat in a few weeks.

The Vincent Extended pontoons are also being pushed ahead rapidly.

The Vincent at last has got 021 to good wash, and' indications 1 for a successful winter's operations are most favourable. This dredge steuck the 1 wash a- short dista-nce below the Drummer's Rock, and opposite where she commenced operations at first.

The Unity dredge is working on the east side o£ the river, and, notwithstanding the rough nature of. the ground, the wash, up for tho week came to I9oz.

The Matau dredge, one of the rao3t successful on the rivei, continues to keep up her repudiation as a gold-winner.

The Enterprise and Chicago maintain their good name, and put up good returns week after week.

The Moa also is doing capitally, washingup for 30ofi for the week.

On the Manuherilda, the returns are not so good — in fact, below working expenses with ono exception.

GEKERAL.

A sad misadventure occurred on board the Manorburn dredge last Tuesday night when one of the dredge hands, a Mr Haggitt, was acclde?itally wounded in the forehead with a pistol shot. It appears that his mate was playing- with a revolver, and not knowing that it was charged, pulled the trigger, Tuid the bullet entereJl young Jlsggitl's forehead, causing a bad wound, which may lead to the loss of the left ey-c. "Drs Hyde find Gregg weic unable to locate the bullet, consequently young Haggitt was taken to Dunedin for treatment.

A few weeks ago I was condemning Dunedin for its b.tfl smells, but afc the present time it Ci'nnoi, come 1 ear Alexandra for vile aoid inilieul'iihy •HUiell.;. Jndeul, they are fo b-«I that the residents ai tho lower end ox the town u°o large quantities of Conxly's Fluid and chloride of lime to keep down the abominable stench arising froai the gutters. This insa.nitafy state of the town is owing to the fact that, now the hottest time of the year, we are deprived of water for flushing purposes) as the town. r.aoe^ for the papt four weeks has been luider repair. Here is a town, practically gurlonnded by water, and not v drop to cleans tli i streets. o:i each, side of vhirh inns an open diain. One wonder" whc.i out boremgh councillors will lise to th.o occasion, :md give the ratepayers a supply of pure water. I heav fhat another scheme is being hatched to hitpply the town wii;b water. "Will it be addled as the former one.; were-? I believe it will come to nothing, as pome 01 the principal ratepayers would move heaven and earth to prevent an ipciea.se in the rates. However, we have co;ifidence in the good sense end j/üblic spnvtedness of our present mayor not to allow aiiy such meanness to prevent his scheme from being carried to a successful is^ue. I am sure that I voice the feelings of the ratepayers, at least the large majority of them, when I say that they are willing to pay any reasonable water rate for a. fair supply of pure water.