DREDGING ON THE COAST TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2437, 28 November 1900, Page 21

DREDGING ON THE COAST TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — I note m your issue of Nbvejnber 14 a letter signed " Junius." Evidently your correspondent has an axe to grind in his unwarranted statements. Doubtless these are made in sheer- ignorance by the writer, as it is obvious that he knows little or nothing of the West Coaat rivers, or their fitness rfor mining by dredges. The returns from the G-rey River dredge last week should open the eyes of " Junius,' unless he has got into that chronic stage

; of old fogeyism that .knows no improvement*" j "Junius "-is very careful to inform you and' the public that he was at Forest Creek in its." infancy, and at other places of later date, and: allows you to infer from that that he knows! something about mining. My experience goes back 47 years, and I have met scores of men of the " Junius " stamp, who never get beyond mining in its primitive stages, and are therefore ir.capable of forming any reliahlc-i opinion as to the fitness of rivers for dredging, or of the capabilities of dredges 'for winning; gold from rivers. The mining experts whocome in for some of " Junius's " remarks can. well afford to laugh at his comments; but, in. passing, wr must have some remarkably .rich, dredging areas on the Coast if " Junius " ia correct in his statements that theses same mining experts could not save in a dish a grain, of gold out of a pennyweight. My experience of these experts is that they would shame men of your correspondent's kind — both in regard to using the dish and forming a correct and just estimate of the business in hand. Now, in all seriousness, if your correspondent in his next effusion will only sign his name and state any river or creek between Inangalrua, and Hokitik.i that is too rough for dredging I shall be prepared to discuss the matter with him. — I am, etc., J. HARGREAVES. Ahaura, November 19.