LATE MINING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 34

LATE MINING.

(Continued from page 21.)

NOTES FROM CENTRAL OTAGO. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Alexandra, September 3. — The returns from • tho local dredg;ep on Satuiday were all good, \ a-nd no less than four dredges* — the Mannherikia, Perseverance, Tjarnsclcugh No. 2, and j Unity — obtained ovc/.- lOOor. ihe tot? I yields j reported from 10 dredges amount to 13870z, ; which gives an average of 630z -14dv;t. One ! dredge obtained ovar 500-., ?nd three between j 2{>ok and 0007. The EarasolfcU?h Xo. 2 uredjo got on to rich v.-.ish last v/sek, with the resuit that she- more than doubled lier last return, obtaining- over imoz. i

The Ear.iscleugh No. 1 diedge is not doiiig vwy much just now, the returns being on the low side, but an improvement is expected sboitly. The Glasgow dredge is still waiting for the balance of Ihe dradge aad elevator buckets, it ii vejy Lti'cingo that they have not come to~ h&iut era this, end the delay must be rather vexatious to the bharoholdeis.

The Unity dredge ib on splendid wash at piesent, ana has been so for some time. On ■"Saturday she again succeeded in getting over lOOoz. The screen i-s nearly* wo.n out, being thus a source of trouble, but, as stated last week, a new cie will be placed en board shortly, and it is 0/1 the ground.

The Hatn.ll dredge has been getting fair returns, and is working steadily. The lelurn last week, I believe, wa3 small.

As I have already mentioned in a previous letter, great things are expected from tho Mamiherikia Company's dredge. Last week was tho first full week, and the cut the dredge is taking has pioved to be very rich, the return on Saturday being a little over 1250z. As splendid gold was won from this claim by a current-wheel dredge, what will one of the most powerful up-to-date dredges not do? The anticipations of the shareholders that the returns will be large are being early fulfilled, and afc the present rate it will not be long before fat dividends are the order of the day.

A few remarks as to the capacity of the Manuheiikia dredge may j>rove of interest. The length is" 105 ft, "beam ~2Dft, depth 7ft, length o£ ladder 63ft, dredging depth. 42ft, capacity of buckets 5i cubic feet, length of elevator 60ft, height tailings can be stacked 35ft. The boiler is the first of its kind on the river, being a dryback marine boiler, of 35 horse-power, while tlie main engine is 20 horse-power, by Marshall and Sons, who also supplied the engine ior the winches. Mr J. C. M'Ueorge designed tho dredge, and the machinery, with, the exception of the engines and winches (which latter wore made by Messrs A. and T. Burt, Dunedin), was supplied by Messrs Johnson and Sons, Melbourne.

The Alexandra Eureka dredge is now working nearer the west bank, having shifted over from tho cut she was taking on the east side.

Tha Moa had a fair return last week. She is liov.- working steadily up her cut. The tailings elevator has not been requhed for some time.

The Xgapara dredge is working close in to tho point on the east bank, at tlie lower end oi her claim. Nothing is known of her 10 lurns.

The Golden Beach dredge is working steadily, there being some improvement in last week's rsturn. The wash is getting better, so that higher returns may be expected.

The Molyueux Hydraulic dredge is still rcjjairing.

Yvhai 3 steady gold-getter the Peiseveranco dredge is ! Hei return on Saturday of 10002 12dwt is the highest she has yet won, her next best being S7oz for the week ended 7th July, i'oi- 15 weeks, ended last Saturday (omitting about four weeks the dredge was slopped), this cv edge has obtained the exceedingly satisfactory total of 9910z -idwt, giving an average of C6oz a week.

The Enterprise cireclge continues to ™ot steady returns. Work proceeds very regularly.

The Chatto Creel: dredge will bs able to icsume work during the week. She has leceived a thorough oveihaul, and as s,ke was getting as high as 40oz a week when she Flopped, there is every likelihood of these returns being maintained, especially as dredging will be carried on with less interruptions aftei the repairs are executed.

The Unity dredge has won 430J0z during tho last five weeks, giving an average of Xos, per week.

The first return of 16o& fron* the Olrig dredge is very satisfactory, and should cheer the hearts of shareholders, it is to be sincerely hoped, as indications show, that thi? dredge will have a prosperous career, as there have been so many ie.ihues in the Mamiherikia Valley.

No return was reported on Saturday from the Manorburn dredge.

The Morning Star cireclge is working steadily, with middling returns.

More machineiy for the Golden Link dredge was delivered during the week. The fitters are ■getting on well.

The First Chance pontoons were successfully launched- on Saturday morning. No time will ba lost in erecting the upper framework and laying the, decking, etc.

The framing of the Al°xandra Lead pontoons is about up.

The fitters, under Mr Scott, engineer, of Invercargill, are busy erecting the machinery on the Sailor's Bend dredge, and are making good progress.

The Dunstan Lead pontoons are being planked.

The framing of the Fraser Flat pontoons is neUrly all up.

Messrs Knewstubb Bros, have put the machinery to hand on board the Golden Palls dredge.

The Nil DesperancTum Company is to be wound up voluntarily, and Messrs Y. Spencer and L. Ryan have been aiD£>ointed liquidators.

The Fourteen-mile Beach dredge should be ready for work in abqnt three weeks. The Sixteen-mile Beach Company's pontoons should be completed in about a fortnight.

A good deal of preliminary work has been done in connection with the Golden Elbow Company's pontoons.

The construction of the Long Valley Company's pontoons will be commenced in a fortnight or so.

The Monte Christo pontoons will be ready for launching 111 about 10 dsys. The Kelly and Casey Company's pontoons are being planked. The Vincent dredge is getting very fair returns just now. Fair progress, is being made with the erectio 1 of the machinery on the Vincent Extended dredge. Two loads of buckets were delivered last week. All the pipes for the pipe line to the Earnsclcugh No. 3 Company's electiic power house have now been delivered. Tho laying of the pipes is nearly finished. At a meeting of local shareholders in the Last Chance Hydraulic Sluicing and Dredging Company last Thursday .evening to consider the future operations of the company, I understand it was decided to request the directors to stay further proceeding with the contracts for the dredge xuitil more prospecting was done. Dredging material came to hand to-day for the Fraser Flat, Alexandra Lead, Sailor's Bend, First Chance, and Golden Link dredges. In regard Io dredging in the Roxburgh and Miller's Flat districts, the Moa Flat Company's pontoons were expected to be launched on Saturday, Ist inst. The Endeavour Conipa?:y's pontoons were launched on Wednesday laic (21) th ult ) in the presence of a large number of people. A lot of the timber has been cut up for the Coal Creek Company's pontoons. The fitters have commenced putting the machinery on board the Golden Bed Company's dredge. The Gold Queen dredge is shut down for repßu-s or alleiations. The Dunecliji dred'4o has shifted down the river again as tlie .drill was too much for lier. "Water promise'! to be scarce for hydraulic sluicing in the Bald Hi'l Flat district this season. >. v At a nieetir.s of sharexioldeis in tha West Maxon Gold Dredging Company, held in Alexandra- op Saturday evening, it was derided, after caicinl corsideiation o£ the ieport? v to request the directors to call an cxtraorrlinaiy general meeting of {he company to have it wound up. The Molj'neux is a little over 2ft above normal. The Land Purchase Board met at the Napier Lands ' Office a £e\v days ago, when it wai resolved to recommend the (-rovernmcit to make a. certain offer for the B'oresfe Gato estate, near Waipawa.