Notes from Maianra.

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

Notes from Maianra.

(From Our Own Corbespokdent.) GORE, March 27. The Gold Creek dredge, now pnvateh owned, has reeommeured woik. The piesent owners purchased the dredge and claim aboi't six weeks ago when put up to auction by the company, it hawng up to that time been a very prorounced failure The syndicate that purchased it made considerable repairs, and it is reported they are getting satisfactory returns The Pemier Waikaka dredge closed down on. Thursday, the returns so far pro\ing the claim, almost valueless The fpilure ot this dredge is a keen disappointment to the mining portion. of the community, as it was confidently thought that, owing to its proxiimtj to several privateiycwned dredges that were paying we!', it would be a profitable venture. The principal cause of its closing dowr, I believe, is that the wash, though rich, is very shallow, and combined with the great depth of ehy it is profitless to continue working it. These remarks refer to tjiat portion of the claim w here thp dredge was buili and where it st present lies, and I am informed by Waikak.j. miners that further down the flat, near the boundaries of two private dredges, the» wash is quite deep enough to warrant good returns being obtained. The richness of the Waikaka wa3h is undoubted, but in no part of the Gore district is the wash so uncier in depth or so bible to run out. Several di edges, and I belike toe Premier Waikaka is o.ie of them, hn\ c b^.n put on Waikaka claim? without ary piospecting whatever, simply because the claims sidjo.rrd ground where other dredges were getting good returns. Three dredges put on in this manner have failed to do anything, and were compelled to c!oi-e down on a barren portion of the claim, while perhaps 300 yards, away on the same claim the ground was nclx enough to yield 30oz or 40oz. Prospecting beforehand '= positively essential m order to knowwhere to bvnlu a dredge, and then a companycan possibly have enough funds by it to enable it to work a poor portion of the claim. The poor ground cannot be skipped; it all has to be worked, and it is much preferable to work it when a Lomnany has funds in hand than to start on it The Waikaka Foiks dredge is s»eti-c; mto deeper wa =h, and Ler leturns should very shortly lrnprov" The pontoon= t' fie Junction Waikaka dredge arc nearly ready for floating Both the Ceiirr.il Mataura dredges are working steadiiv, and the Prospector, which is rrow working on No. 3 cbira. i« leported to be getting a nic, hesvy sample of gold.