WAIKAKA DIGGINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2426, 12 September 1900, Page 20

WAIKAKA DIGGINGS.

(From Our Own Cohrespondcnt.)

September 9. — It is given out that the W^" kaka Queen dredge is to begin work some time this month. 'I his company's ground is just above the Waikaka Forks claim, and is said to be a ve^y piomismg piece. The woik on board is progressing, and will shortly be finished.

On the opposite side of the terrace, on the big Waikaka Flat, the Gleniti people are mi.king a little headway, and their dredge is being put in order. Work has not started yet, so far as I know.

Mr Parsons, Mr Perry's manager, is busy fixing up some alterations, and making an addition to the length of his dredge. These alterations will, when finished, prove a wonderful advantage to the working of th,e dredge, and give much more room on board. Mr Periy is much to be commended on his enterprise, as it was entirely through his energy and knowledge of alluvial mining and the quality of dredgeable giound m this district suitable for dredging, that the great start was given to dredging here.

The Premier people do not seem to be doing much in the way of pushing on the completion of tiieir clredge. The rnachhioiy has been on the gLOimd some time, I am told, but as yet no start seems to have been made to fix it up. It is a wonder the directors do not hurry on the woik. The company have a good claim, the sludge channel question has been settled, the pontoons have long ago been finished, and no v the machinery is iat£a*

I am told that the Globs dredge only re qvires a few alterations to put her in working older, and when she staits no doubt wo shall hear a good account of her. The ground on which she is about to start has been well tested, and consequently no fear need bo ferfi that she will not 3'ield satisfactory results.

The Celtic Company have made a start to build the pontoons of their dredge, Mr MarK being the contractor. Mr Marr is a conscientious worker, and a thoroughly up-to-data tiadesman, and the Celtic people may consider themselves foitunate in having their contract in the hands of such a competent' man. The chairman of the company, Mr D. liPmb, tells me that they do -not mean to lose any time, as having the machinery in fcrini will enable the work to be gone on with, stiaight. The company have a good claim, and want to get at the gold in order to return, some comfort to the shareholders beioie tho spring gets to far advanced.

Otiiei dredges working here are said to be doing as usual. JSTo doubt several companies are kept back through not being able to get thek orders for machinery executed. -It is pieity hard, though, on shareholders to allow for this ; but the best of directors are not; proof against drawbacks of this kind.

There are in this connection one or two little subjects I should like to touch on, which interest shareholders in mining centres all over the colony, ar.d as it is little things that often, bleak" dovn big undertakings, a few remarks may be apropos. Where and when possible iie-v companies, phould ever t.-y to secure a. good In c secretary, who is not interested m a score or so oi other eh. edges. They, should also fee that cheir directors are not making a living out ot theli fees, as it is only too evident that bo man can serve two masters at the same time. It i= basl to look well to this point at amm pi meetings. Another iinpo.-t-<nit metier is to secure the services o? compelenl civil engineers, as accurate draughtsmanship veiy otten 'saves the shareholders hunilieds of pounds. Case? have happened where tho shaiaho'clors have Laen iuii into great exoenso thicugh faulty plpns ai^d bad draughtsmanship. In such instances, certainly the expense should, for alterations, etc., made, fall o > ihe design^s. I have heard of case's v.liere the liiaclimexy has been all yut up only to find that the whole thing would have to come down again. Novices in dredge-building should 13 ot be allowed to gain their experience at the shareholders' expense, as if so, it is no worder ma.iy dredges have been so expensive to constiuct, and are uon-productivc when they are built. These little points deserve the close attention of all interested in the geld dredging industry.