LATE MINING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2413, 31 May 1900, Page 34

LATE MINING.

(Continued from page 20.)

NOTES FROM CENTRAL OTAGO. (From" Oue Own Cosbbspondent.) ALEXANDRA, May 28.— The Mo a dredge resumed work on Wednesday evening, and has been working steadily ever since. It is not intended to remove the dredge down to Italian Bend until the river falls to its winter level. There was no wash-up on Saturday, as the dredge would not have done much more than open out the paddock she left when she was laid up for repairs. The Molyneux Hydraulic dredge is now working steadily, and tho return on Saturday wa3 9Joz. A good deal of the bank has been stripped lately. The Golden Beach obtained 340z 14dwt on Saturday for four and a-half days' work. The lost time was caused partly thiough the eleva--tor pinion wheel breaking on Tuesday. The manager promptly borrowed the needed part, and work was resumed after a short delay. A new wheel was despatched from Dunedm as soon as possible after receipt of the wire announcing ihe breaking of the part, and it has now arrived. The dredge is now likely to get very fair returns for some time, as she is operating on a good run of wash. The Enterprise dredge has been laid up all the week undergoing a general overhaul. The lepairs are expected to occupy another week or so. The Earnscleugh No. 2 dredge had a s^ort stoppage during the week, and did ,iot \v« sh up on Saturday. , „ The Chicago dredge worked full time last week, the return on Saturday being 21oz 3 7dwt 9gr. Much satisfaction is felt here at the improvement in the return from the New Alexandra dredge on Saturday — viz., 25Joz. The Perseverance dredge had to stop on Monday morning owing to the coupling giving way. This necessitated a stoppage of three or fiur days in order to put in the rew coupling, which arrived some time ago. During the_ stoppage a save-all was put on. The first dividend of 2s per share has been declared, being payable lsst Saturday, 26th inst. This means a distribution among the shareholders of JEI4OO. The Vincent dredge has been idle for the past week through an accident to the machinery. Advantage has been taken of the enforced delay waiting for the liew part to overhatxl the dredge. The Nil Desperandum dredge keeps steadily at work. Her return for last week was 12oz 14a wt. Nothing out of the way has yet been got by the Klondyke dredge, lier returns of late averaging lOoz or 12oz a week. The -wash-up on Saturday was lloz 7dwt for 12S hours' -dredg-

; The Itfgapara dredge is now again lit by elec- . tricity at night, after a long spell of kerosene lamps. The plant is running smoothly. i It will be about a fortnight before the Manorburn dredge will be at work. The erection of I dams and the iiiming of the river are being I pushed on as fast as possible. I The first load of timber for the Perseverance ! Company's second dredge arrived on the ground I at the beginning of last week. ( The top tumbler and ladder are now in po- ; sition on the Manuherikia dredge. The first consignment of machinery for the Sailor's Bend dredge has arrived. The pontoon? should be finished in a couple of weeks or so. A start will be made very soon -with the construction of the Fhst Chance Company's ' pontoons. Messrs A. and T. Burt are the contractors. , The Ngapara No. 2 dredge, Nevis, washed up on Saturday for 230z. The return for the preyioup week was 2&oz. A new bottom tumbler has lately been put in. I A good portion of the planking of the Bald 1 Hill Flat Freehold Company's dredge/ is now on. At an extraordinaiy general meeting of 3harei holders of the Dunstan Pioneer Investment Company last Monday evening it was resolved, on the motion of Messrs Staunton and Holden, that the resolution — "That the capital of the company be increased to £9000 by the creation of 2000 shares of £1 each" be confirmed. It is expected that if there is much more steady frost the sluicing claims at Bald Hill Flat will liaVe to shut down for the winter. So far. the frosts have been broken every two or three days, but if they had been continuous the claims would bo idle now. The. Bannockburn correspondent of the local papev states that it is expected the Carrick race will be frozen up shortly. The Carrick Company a«*e cleaning up, and Messrs Hancock and Lawrence's wash up is rumoured 'to bo very good. The races are still bringi ing in plenty of water. | A start is expected to be made x * i* v< ek j with the construction of the ponnooj.? fcr the , Monte Cbristo Company's dredge. I The Vincent Extended, Halfway Be us*, ai.ii Alpine Consols dredges are now ready tor machmeiy. j The Bannockburn Creek pontoons are now 1 under way. I The Shephercl's Creek pontoons are now ready for machinery. | The Earnseleugh No. 3 Company's pontoons aie just about finished. The pipes for anpply- ■ ing water to the powerhouse are being laid. | Theie is no sign yet of the Turakina's disi mantled pontoons being- carted to the Voltaic ! claim. | The Nevis dredge is working steadily. The 1 new engine, which is on the ground, will not bs put in position at present. The JWatpu dredge obtained 450z for last week, which' is 50 per cent. moTe than the previous week's return. The Molyneux is falling steadily after tlio fresh ab the beginning of last week, and todax (Monday) was about <t^ft above normal.

The adjourned annual meeting of shareholders in the Perseverance Gold Dredging Com- £^^^^ attendance, and .Sir G. Spencer occupied the chair.