Notes from Wakatipu.

Otago Witness, Issue 2455, 3 April 1901, Page 20

Notes from Wakatipu.

(From Ouh Own Corhkspon-dent.) Arrowtown, March 28.—Hope deferred appears to be the verdict of dredging m the Wakatzpu. A number of iintoward accidents and combinations crop up one after another to douse any little nicker of hope as it arises. Not that the Wakatipu is particularly afflicted xhat way, for it seems other dredging centres are not much better off. There are now the iratter of six or seven dredges long enough at work to have given some account of themselves, yet there is nothing definite of any importance to hand from any of them. Allowance, however, must be ms>de for extenuating circumstances In a numbei of cases, and the chances are that any day something phenomenally good may obtrude in the mining kaleidoscope. CA.EDRON*. DREDGTNG. Dredging at Cardrona looks more hopeful than it has done sir.re the valley was rushed, nearly thiee years ago and considering e\ery- | thing", especially the width of valley offering so wide a field foi bungling, of which such extensive advantage was t«ken, there is much room for congiatulation that the outcome is no woise | than it is. Exception having been taken to mv remarks anent the selection of the site for rommencm? work with the Rolling Stone diedge, which I described «"3 "fliotic," in view of the issuer at stake, I must say a few words Hi self-cletence. As already stated, more than once a f.te was marked out by Mr D. O'Learv for biukhng the dredge wheie she would be near the Branch Cicek nin of goW. Besides Mr O'Lea^v there are about ten or a dozen men, including the four men who last worked the ground, who could have pointed out the ?rot where the a;old was left, the fall for following it by s'incing having been run out All observable indications point to the fact that the Cardiona Main Lead v/ouH most likelj bi found near the foot of Criffel Face, more than half a mile away from the Branch Cieek run, i with which, in the ordinsrv course of thing", I it would join, leaving a wedge of unprofitable ground between the two. Instead of starting on the Branch Creek run of gold, where it was left, tin^ following it down to its junction with the Cardioaa main !ead, the dredge was built and work commenced in the wide«t possible part of the wedge described by the Branch Creek run and the Caidrona Main Lead, about pv equal distance from each. This is only half the blunder exposed. To expose thp whole would take up more space than it is worth w!mlp to d°vote to it Jf such a proceeding is not "idiotic/ all 1 can saj is that liQ idiot

cotild have done worse, or better, as this remark may be read. But I have the outcome of tha blunder to back my remark. Allowing that gold has been met with m the groun i turned over by the dredge, it goes for nothing in proving the payability or otherwise of either the Branch Creek run or the Cardrona Main Lead, which can be settled only —like the proof of the pudding—by tasting. Let us imagine, by Fancy's magic, how different the case would have been with Cardrona dredging had the Rolling Stone put in the year's work, and the cost of it, on the BTsnch Creek run of gold, pnd^by following it down stream located the Cardrona Main Lead, and proved it 3 auriferous character, instead of wasting time and money to no purpose whatever. The result of that lucky chance would have been that the Clutha Valley would have been pegged out at least aoid tried, perhaps with promise of success, whereas now the Cardrona is labouring under the ill effects of misrepresentation and disfavour; while the Clutha is still a terra incognita so far as its auriferous ch?racter is concerned. It goes without saying that none of the dredgemasters on the Rolling Stone are to blame for the blunder. They had simply to start with the dredge where she was buiit, : and take the shortest way out of the dilemma' 1 which they did. ' The White Star dredge has had a suc<-r*sui! trial run, and in a few da\s will be at regular j work. In the opinion oi men competent to i judge, and to which I have no hesitation to subI scribe, the same mistake is made as with the I Rolling Stone dredge, only in a much less degree. The dredge should have been built more than a hundred yards farther away from the Main road, the whole of which distance will, in all likelihood, be found unprofitable, which means that it will be weeks before returns are heard of after the dredge has started work. Cardrona No. 1 is raising more promising gold than has yet been got by dredging at Cardrona. The dredge is still shaping'for the east j bank of the valley, and it is said the prospects are improving. j Tacon's Cardrona also is raising likely-look-mg wash, carrying nice colours. KAWA.RA.U DREDGING. The^ main troub'e at the Gibbston part of the Kawarau is the depth of water and of ground, but as there are shallow beaches near the banks of the river in all the claims prospecting for them is the order of the day. The Mernmac and the Galvanic are engaged in this kind of work at present. The Metallic has been reduced to a state of idleness. It is said that an attempt :s to be made to blast a passage for the dredge through the rapid <s, which aie formed of loose stones. The Eclipse, after making many alterations and vppan-3 to the dredge, started work the ether day, when she bent her mo in shaft, which means a delay of some weeks. Tha Kawarau Bridge diedge is corning on slowly and suiely, but unless some special push is made the winter will be on before she can be started. The Arrow Junction dredge is trying to make for the deep ground, but" it does not follow that when found it will contain the best gold, which most likely will be lodged on the sides of the deep ground. The Dait River dredge was to be christened yesterday, and start upon the ipot where payable gold will, it is supposed, be met with. The Aithur's Point dredge, Shotover, is reported to have touched bottom, with what results are not known The Branches Hydraulic Company are about to start boimg their claim, which will shed a welcome light upon the nature of the Branches basin for the dredging claims marked out there. LittTe is known of the constitution of the basin, as all prospecting attempted was stopped by an inflow of wafer befoie any depth wa« reached.