Notes from Greymouth.

Otago Witness, Issue 2451, 6 March 1901, Page 19

Notes from Greymouth.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) GREYMOUTH, February 25. To-day the wharf was for a space of 60yd3 covered with dredging material, chiefly for the Marsden So. 2, Grey River Consolidated, Ahaura, and Enckson's Reward. The quantity of "machinery of this class arriving recently has been very large. Ihe Grey River Consolidated Company's pontcons were successfully launched to-day, and as the machinery has mostly arrived on the claini there should be no delay in starting. The Lake Mahmapua, dry land dredge had a trial run on Saturday. A few slight alterations have now been made to the water supply. It is anticipated the machinery will start on steady work on "Wednesday. A start is about to be made to build the pontoons for the Trafalgar dredge, which should not now be long getting to work. The ground is highly thought of, and all are anxious to see the buckets turning. The directors of the Ford's Creek Company inform me that the dredge is making headway towaids her dredging ground. The dre'lga is now cutting through loose drift shingle. The depth of the wash is 16ft, but as she is only dredging 10ft yet she is not getting gold. The Pactolus dredge is working well, and should get a return by Saturday; but it will

not be large, as she has a good deal of stripping to do. Sequel Np. 1 to the " salting " case began in fha Magistrate's Court to-day, when one of the fitnesses for the defence was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of per-l-rarjr. A second case, in which one of the iLawson brothers is concerned, comes on totoioirow. Rumour hath it that something sennational is likely to come out before the " washIng up " is finally accomplished. On Thursday several civil actions in connection with the case will come on at Kumara. The Great Lead pontoon continues to stand towering above the river, like a monument of -the " slows." February 26. The return from the Croesus quartz mine is |soz from 112 tons atone. The hope of the Paparoa range lies in putting in a low tunnel. Experts consider that the main block of stone will be found at a lower level, and assert that it will surpass anything in Reefton. The New River dredge is still cutting through mud a narrow channel to where good gold >vas obtained.

The Nelson Creek dredge is likely to have now sufficient room to start dredging right up the stream. If so, the rich lead believed to cross the claim will soon be intersected. Boring at Snowy River, rear Reefton, giving good prospects, a dozen dredging areas are there taken up. , The Pactolus dredge is working steadily and ' There is no change in the Grey River or Dobson No. 2 dredges. The Waipuna dredge is working steadily. 1 The Greenstone Junction dredge is being delayed through the non-arrival of grates. These are now on hand. The elevating trays were fixed to-day. There are only 10 or 12 buckets to bo fixed to complete the machine. The housing and tables have yet to be erected. Kext week she should get a trial run. The market to-day has been dull. For some ■unexplained reason there has been a slight call for New Rivers. This must be in anticipation of striking gold as the dredge approaches the bore hole. Owing to a good prospect obtained Blackwaters are coming into notice. The Levirl\an Freehold Company let a tender to-night for clearing their ground of timbers. Tenders are to be immediately called i o- pontoons and machinery. . a sequel to the " salting " case proceedings, tno Lawsons' brother and Klenen have botn been committed for trial for perjury. Other cases are pending. In the case against Lawj;on he swore his brother worked with him xrom B till 5 o'clock on September 18, and mentioned a number of trivial occurrences on that date to emphasise his testimony. Two bank officials pwore that W. Lawson was in the Union Bank en that date ard got gold. Both cases come en at the. Hokitika Supreme Court next week. The Lawson brothers ten days ago transferred » good deal of their property to their wives. Yesterday an auctioneer sold, at Kumara, on account of Lawson, draught, race, and trotting horses. Mr Byrne, a lawyer, on behalf of Tansey, handed in a protest, and served the buyers with a cony. The auctioneer gave the purchasers an indemnity. Proceedings on this account are now being taken. The amount realised by the sale was £242.

Members of the Harbour Board pave strong evidence before the Coal Mines Commission against the way in' which the coal measures at" Brunner and Coal Creek were being dealt with, and asked that the Government should step in at once and compel immediate action to cancel the leases. They complained of ft monopoly and the excessive price of coal, and lipld that every ilepse should have a covenant that vessels should be served in turn as they came into port, and that the Union Company ehould not have a monopoly.

February 27.

A report is current to-day that matters ni connection with the sale of shares in the Foley's Creek Extended Company have been sett'ed, and that the civil action pending will be dropped. Mining shares are flat. Theie are a few inquiries for Blackwaters at par. All the working dredges are going steadily. There is no improvement in the New River er Ford's Creek dredges. Loirs are still him■pering the Grey River and Dobson No. 2 in the loose wash,

February 28.

Ab a general meeting of the New River Dredge Company last night, the dredgemaster reported that he was taking a narrow cut up the track towards the prospecting bore, where good prospects were got some time ago, and is hopeful that payable ground will be met with. The present ground is not payable.

The Reefton United Company are getting a dredge built.

Work in connection with a fourth dredge on the Greenstone has been commenced.

The directors of the Grey River intend keeping on the same ground till the end of the week in hope of getting clear of logs, which are decreasing. If not then clear the dredge will be moved farther up stream. If there was any way of getting rid of submerged timber the present ground would give big returns. The buckets are unable to get to the bottom, and only bring up a little dirt.

The share market continues dull, brokers doing little business. The directors of the Keep-it-Dark quartz mine paid a 6d dividend (the 126 th). The directors of the Britannia (quartz), Westport, paid a 6d dividend. The Croesus return left a small margin of profit. Between dredges and settlers disputes and lawsuits are already looming in the distance at Ahaura. The Warden's Court there is likely to be busy. Mr Mackley, a pioneer settler, stated in court there that as the Minister of Mines had at Totara Flat stated that dredging operations would not tend to raise the bed of the Grey River none of the freeholders whose land was adjacent objected to the grants of special dredging claims, but already landowners realised that the bed would be greatly and permanently elevated, to the great damage of low lying properties. The Waipuna dredge, near Mr Mackley's run, was instanced. He requested the warden to lay the position of freeholders before the Minister. The Warden said that he would be glad to transmit Mr Mackley's remarks to the Minister, and pointed out that when the Minister knew that one person only moved in the matter he would probably leave that person to exercise his legal remedy, but if a memorial by all freeholders was presented to the proper authority it would carry much weight. A petition is in course of signature besides the legal remedies talked of. Mr Tansey informs me that the civil action in connection with the Foley's Creek Extended " salting " case has been adjusted, and pioceedings stayed. The amount paid in satisfaction is £200. March 1. The export of gold from Greymouth last month was 14,7330z, valued at £54,945. The Pactolus dredge has been woiking steadily, but having to get tlnough a large heap of tailings the return is not expected to be much. The Nelson Creek dredge is not expected to quite equal the past week's return, but on the return cut to cross the cieek should agam come up. The Waipuna dredge has been working inter- | mittently during the week. A small yield is : expected. The Leviathan diedge should give a good return. The Dobson No 2 dredge is working close into the northern bink of the rh er. There xs no information as to the condition of the tables. The prospecting of the Bignell's No Town claim commences next week. A director of. the Ford's Creek Company informs me that he exoects the dredge will get on gold in a fortnight, and get clear of timber. She is now diesging 20ft in loose shingle, but the r e is no gold in it The supposed run of gold is a little way ahead. Steam was got up on the Gieen&lone Junctioi. dredge yesterday. The machinery is working smoothly. The dred^emaster does not expect to get to actual work for a fortnight. The Greenstone Creek dredge will have a trial run of the machinery on Monday.

Great activity is shown in dredging claims south of Hokihßa No less than 12 application are set down foi hearing ot the next < nurt on behalf of one syndicate. At "\Yi->t'3oi f there is great interest iii the Rocklands and Mol-oia di edges. At Greymouth mining continues not. Tha Ictaia diedge machinery is beiaa re-

paired. The dredge is expected to start next week.

March 3

The dredging returns reported are : — Grey River, 17oz lOdwt for 112 hours ; Leviathan dredge, 230z 2dwfc for 123 hours; Waipuna, lloz 7dwt for three days ; .Buller Junction, 48oz for 121 hours.

The week's returns have caused slight improvement in the marke6. Although that of the Leviathan (230z 2dwt) was below expectation, those of the Grey River, Waipuna, and Buller Junction were better.

Mr A. Sligo starts prospecting on Gillen and Flynn's Blackwater claim, adjoining Red Jack's, on Monday. The boring plant is now on the ground. If the prospects come up to expectations a dredge fiom the Shotover will be at once placed on the ground. This dredge has a steel hull easy of removal, and it is estimated the dredge can be in full work on the claim in five months.

Mr A. Sligo has just concluded prospecting Craig's Freehold, and has forwarded his report to Christchurch. Pending its arrival there the result remains unknown.

The Perry's Reward pontoons are approaching completion. The claim has been well prospected, and the results indicate a good future. Contracts have been let for the cartage by the Caledonia Company of the machinery to their ground, situated at the confluence of Moonlight Creek with the Grey River. The dredge should be at work four months hence. The Red Jack's Company's pontoons are well advanced, and the greater part of the machinery is on the ground. In the Daylight claim, situated a mile above Watterson's Consols, Mr Glossop, who has been prospecting under the direction of Mr Begg, of Dunedin, has obtained excellent results. The same prospector (Mr Glossop) has been equally successful in the River View claim, situated near Ahaura. The claim is highly thought of, and augurs well for prospects on the Ahaura River. The result from the Grey R'ver (17Joz) is better than was expected. The dredge is getting clear of timber, and a better return should be obtained this week. The prospects show that if the timber could be got rid of the ground recently returning about 16oz would give 50oz or 60oz. Perhaps some means will be devised for clearing away obstructions.

The Leviathan return is disappointing. No new ground was come across. The buckets were working all the t'rne in worked matenal. A jump-up of a lesf was met with in one place, .on which there is only 10ft of wash. I do not expect an improvement this week, as the machine will be working old ground. They might, of course, come across httle solid pieces here and there, fiom which good gold will be obtained. The New River dredge continues woikmg in the new locality, with little impiovement, and the same may be said of Ford's Creek diedge, which is still in a loose shingle bed. The Pactolus dredge ran steadily last week, but was in loose material. The work was of a pieparatory character. Ihe Nelson Creek dredge continued full time, working towards the southern bank. She will continue a return cut across this week. The Buller Junction dredge is likely to show a further improvement. Last week she was delayed 12 hours putting in new ripples, and alaiost immediately afterwards two flat pieces of gold weighing 33gr and 43gr weie obtained. March I. The Pactolus dredge is dredging in tailings. It will be a fortnight before she gets to her dredging ground. The Waipuna dredge got to work again this morning. Some large boulders blocked her way. Dred^'ug t'a'-sacf.ons aie dull. The Nelson Creek dredge is expected to get lutreasiiij, returns as she rccrosses the cieek.