THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 21

THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS.

The secretary of the Ahaura River Gold Dredging Company has received advice, dated the 11th June, as follows : — " The dredge made a start dredging yesterday morning; running day shift for a few days until all the bearings get m working order. We have to stop about every hour, as a lot of the bearings are heating, but that will get all right in a few days if they are looked after at the start. The wash is pretty tight. We are down about 20ft, but mot yet bottomed. There is a lot of fine stuff, and we require a lot of water to keep the tables clear. Will try and run two shifts in a few days; and start three shifts at the beginning of following week. Fully expect it will take about two weeks to open up properly, and there will be no wash-up until then." A wire was received on the 18th which stated : "Dredging steadily ; satisfied with matters generally." The Golden Gravel Company's dredge is bow complete, and will probably start dredgin°about Friday. The dredgemaster of the Leviathan dredge Wired on Wednesday: "Ground much the same; winch brake collapsed yesterday; delayed 10 fliours; all well again."

■The dredgemaster of the Dart River Gold ■Dredging and Prospecting Company (Limited) ■writes under date 9th June : " During the past Sortrnght it has done nothing but ram, and as bo<- as a paddock has been opened up the Jci g£ ses and fills it up again, and conseqi we have been dredging drift all the liniL. The track up from Glenorchy has been so bad with slips that the pack horses biingiag up provisions have ha<i to swim, the jiver.

The river is now going down, and we are in hopes of being able to start to-morrow to put in a dam." The dredgemaater of the Central Charlton dredge reports, under date 17th June • ' Judging from the appearance of the wash and prospects now obtained, 1 think from now on you have a very profitable lairn. I am sending you a sample of the coarsest gold that I got while streaming down on Saturday. It is the roughest I have seen since taking charge of the dredge, and I look upon it as a good indication that we are getting into much heavier gold than what we have had." The wire received on Tuesday w?.s as follows.— "Return, 16oz 6dwt for week's dredging; wash improving." The secretary of the Kawarau Bridge Gold Dredging Company (Limited) reports that tho directors have appointed Mr A. M. Eobertson dredgempster. Mr Robertson wired to lhe secretary yesterday that a successful lun of the machinery had been made the pievious day, and he expects that the dredge will be shortly at work on the claim. The following telegram has been leceived from the dredgemasler of the Ford's Creek Company •— " River high ; stopped dredging yesterday; still raining." The Waitahuna Gully Gold Dredging Company (Limited) commenced dredging on Wednesday morning. The dredgemaster (Mr It. M'Ara) reports that the machinery is running exceedingly well, and reflects the greatest cicdit on the engineer (Mr F. W. Payne). The manager purposes Stirling three shrrts on Friday morning. The directors of the Kelson Creek G.D. Company have declared a dividend (third) of one shilling per share, payable on the 25th inst. Mr J. J. Ramsay, secretary vi the Island Creek Compary. supplies us with the followirg extracts from the drcdgema=ter's (Mr Poppeiweil) last rcpoit: — "We have nor; got the diedge in deep water fo. the whole length, and are independent of the dam should it at any time bieak away. As there is now storage room, I am endeavouring to reach bottom by sinking and ddvaacing at the same time. . . The outcrop of lead on the teirace is only 50 yards ahead. The dredge w working very well, and making good time." It will be seen by this that the dredge has as y,et only been opaiatir.g on top stuff. The terrace referred to js the place where the rich gold was got in the bore. We are informed that Mr E. S. Paterson has been approached by the shareholders of the Waikaka forks Company (which company went into liquidation on Wednesday night) to issue a prospectus for a new company, with a small capital, to protect the interests of the shareholders in the Waikaka Forks Company. The prospectuses will be issued in a few days, and shareholders will have an opportunity of retaining a small interest in the property. The following is ail extract from a letter i.June 19) from the dredgemaster of the Central Mataura — " No. 1 dredge : A good face is now opened out, and if the ground is payable the next return ought to show it. No. 2 dredge: Mats look very poor. Dredge working m full time; river fallen very low." Mr J. J. Ramsay, the secretary of the Golden Gravel Company, informs us that the dredge is completed, aaid vail be ready for work at the end of this week. Owing, however, to the high state of the river and the fact that next week would be s, lo3t one in any case, it has been decided not to make a start till Monda-y v/eek, July 1, on which date a formal opening will take place. A new industry was inaugurated at Queenstown (Tasmania) on the Bth inst. (says the Hobart Mercury), when the Queen River Gold Dredging Company's dredge started operations near Lynchford. The dredge, which was constructed at the Clyde Engineering Works, Sydney, is capable of working to a depth of 25ft below water level, and the water supply for tho screen and gold-saving tables is supplied by a lOin centrifugal pump. The machine worked splendidly on the day in question, and a test dish of pamples taken from various buckets gave good prospects of gold. After many disappointiig failures, hopes in the futuie of the mining industry in South A\istralia are revived as a result of the first crushing at the recently-discovered Tarcoola Blocks Company's mine. Aftar working six and a-half days the mine manager cleaned up, 90 tons of stone being crushed, the yield being 200oz retorted gold and 221b amalgam, which will make a total of about 300oz. The Tarcoola Blocks Company has no doubt secured the best portion of the country, but tho field is a very large one, and if the recent crushing is a guide it should have a splendid future before it. Good reports have been received from the leases held by the Proprietary, Enterprise, United, and Warriga.l Companies, which are all contiguous to the Blocks leases. Most of these companies have done a large amount of work. Indeed, it is a tribute to South Australian enterprise that in 12 months a battery has been carted nearly 300 miles from the railway, and that so much work has been done by one company. It is expected that the next crushing at the Turcoola Blocks mine will yield as satisfactory a return as the one mentioned above. An Auckland telegram states that during tho four weeks ending June 15 the "Union Waihi Gold Mining Company treated 1430 tons of ore for % return of bullion valued at £2173. The dredgemaster of the Grey River Consolidated Dredging Company reports that while stopped effecting repairs he v/ashed up and obtained soz lldwt 17gr for 70 hours' work opening iip. A good deal of the stuff lifted was silt, but the wash was getting coarser when he had to stop. The dredge started working again on Friday. The secretary of the Golden Beach Hydraulic Elevating and Dredging Company (Limited) received a wire on Friday from th dredgemaster stating fhat the bottom tumbler shaft broke on Thursday night, but a new one left Dimedin for the claim last Saturday. The secretary of the Scottish Chief Dredging Company reports that the contract for the erection of pontoons has been let to Mr Watson Rhodes. As the timber is on the ground, the work will be proceeded with at once. Owing to the non-arrival of the expected report from the West Coast, the adjourned meeting of the Dobson No. 2 Gold Dredging Company, fixed for Friday night, was further adjourned for one week. Messrs H. F.'Nees and Co. have received advice from Mr A. J. Nees that he launched on Monday last the pontoons the firm are building to the order of Messrs J. M'Gregor and Co. .for th& Moke Creek Gold Dredging Company's dredge; also that neaily all the machinery has now been delivered on the claim. The pontoons will be completed in about 10 days, ready for the erection of the machinery. The dredgemaster of the Central Charlton, under date 19th June, writes — " The correct time for the last return was 150 hour*. We only got on to the best of the gold during the last 100 hours. I do not think that the returns will be much less for a fair week's dredging. We are getting on to a better class of gold now. It is much coiuser, a. lot of it being like pins' heads. I got one piece yesterday ldwt." Shotover Quartz Mining Company (No Liability). — Messrs Brent and Co. supply the following extracts fiom the mine manager's report of work done during the week- — Machine level . Have been timbering up ancl shooting away the stone from the footwall. There is more stone than I expected to find here, and it is looking first-class. Stope Is 25ift long , stone averaging 2ft, and more gold showing tb.an I have seep, fgr bosbs tittie, 40 tojafi oj ,

stone from level of stope sent to batteiy , washed up 290z 12dwt (retorted gold) from 116 tons of atone. The Nelson Colonist learns that the Golden Blocks mine at "West Wanganw (Collmgwood) h»ts given another satisfactory yield. Two hundred and thirty tons of stone were crushed, which yielded 2550z gold. The ciushing occupied 28 days. The following is" a copy of the dredgemaster's report on the progress of the Dnnstan Lead Gold Dredging Company's dredge, dated June 15 : — " Top tumbler: First and second motion shafts with pinions, open wheel, and friction gear in position, mam ladder and pivot brackets in position. Pumps : Air pump and head pumps in position, also pipe connections nearly completed ; waiting for pot well and check valve to be sent from Dunedin, before the work can be finished ; centrifugal pump not bolted down, waiting for shaft to be sent up from Otago Foundry, Dunedin, before pump can be placed in position. Engine. The Marshall 25 horsepower engine is bolted down in position, and has all steam and exhaust pipes connected to boiler and condenser finished. Winches : "Winch framing, gear, and winch engine all in position and bolted down, and steam and exhaust pipes connected. Boiler: The boiler is built in, all the mountings on and ready for a start. Screen : The screen, rollers, and driving gear are all in position, also delivery shoot at top of screen ; the water service pipes from centrifugal pump to screen are bolted and in place; the tables are all riveted and in their place ; the sluice boxes at lower end of tables, are not yet in position. Elevator and gear: 'I he lower tumbler is in position, also the bracket for elevation pivot shaft ; the elevator is riveted together and leady for shipping on board the dredge. Condenser . The condenser is in position, and ready to bolt to centrifugal punrp when the ladder is finished. Mam ladder- The ladder is hanging in its place, but no rolleis, buckets, nor lower tumble-- on her yet. The contractor cannot put these on board until he gets the elevator on the stern, as dredge is low forward at pxesent. Fairleads : Most of the fairleads are j bolted down to the deck. Housing. Nearly the whole of the framework for the housing of the machinery is finished, and will soon be ready to ' receive the iron. Mr Knewstubb, the contractor, would vei-y soon finish if everything were to hand. The wires for staying the dredge are the drawback at present, and he cannot put on the elevator until he gets them. After he gets the wires the dredge should be ready in about thiee weeks' time, or a month at the outside." The manager of the Golden Run Pipes reports that he washed up 250z. Tho dredgemaster of the Central Charlion reports that owing to the spurt pipe being broken there is no wash-up. The wash is still keeping gcod. The engineers (Messrs Cutten Bios.), of the North Beach Gold Dredging Company (Limited) report as follows. — "'All main gear fixed ; engine boiler and winches bolted down ; pump and pipes condenser heater fixed, tank up, screen fixed, elevator and main ladder riveted ; housing nearly complete." The dredgemaster of Iho Spec Gully dredge reported that ho was stopped during portion of last week owing to a flaw in one of the steam pipes. The defect has since been remedied. The secretary of the Golden River Gold Dredging Company (Limited) reports that the extra issue of 8000 shares at 5s each was largely over-subsoribed for, the shareholders in wpirlv ev<"v instance applying for more than their queta. The lollo,ii>.g, is a copy of a letter from the dredgemaster of the Dunback dredge, dated June 20: — "Please find enclosed gold receipt for 3oz lOdwt, being the amount of the last wash-up. I expected it to be better. It is old ground that we are working, so that accounts for the small leturn. Will be into Fohd giound m the course of a week, and then I look forward to good returns. The pump is running well with the new bearings, and things are going well in general." The Tuapeka Times states that Mr Randall Montgomery has been appointed manager of the Tuapeka dredge, in succession to Mr John Donaldson. The Lake County Press understands that Tacon's Cardrona dredge, Caidrona, has been purchased by Messrs Cotter and party to work the Deep Creek claim, Shot over River. The Waitahuna Gully Gold Di edging Company commenced dredging on Wednesday morning (says the Tuapeka Tiine9). The dredgemaster (Mr H. M'Ara) reports that the machinery is running exceedingly well, and reflects the greatest credit on the engineer (Mr P W. Payne). The manager purposed starting three shifts on Friday morning. At an extraordinary general meeting of the Merrimac Gold Dredging Company (Limited), held in the company's offices, Lawrence, on Thursday, the resolution passed at a previous meeting to increase the capital by the issue of 2500 preference shares was confirmed. The Alexandra Herald states that an informal meeting of directors and local shareholders in the Pior.eer Eureka Dredging Company was held at Alexandra on Wednesday e\ ening, 12th hist., for the purpose of further considering ways and means for financing the company. Mr Symes stated his willmgness to forgo the mortgage he held m favour of any of the "shareholders who would enter into a joint and several guarantee for the money ic(juired to carry on operations. After some discussion, the shareholder present agreed to the proposal provided the Dunedin shareholders al°o signed the guarantee. Mr George Blyth has been appointed secrctaiy of the Waiora Gold Dredging Company (Limited), vice Mr Edwaid Thomas, who has lesigned. The half-yearly meeting of shareholders in the Phoenix Water Race Company will be held at the company's offices on Saturday, 29th mst. Tenders are invited for the purchase of the Ara Gold Sluicing Company's property, including claim of about 58 acres (situate near Moonlight, Westland), water rights, water race, sluicing plant, electric light plant, tools, etc. The Austral Otis Engineering Company, South Melbourne, have contracts for no less than 11 dredging plants for New Zealand, as well as several for Victoria. Some of the plants are already completed and all will be finished inside contract time. The Austral Otis Company certainly beat all competitors in the rapidity with which they turn out their contracts ard the quality of the work we have seen is of the best. Besides mining and general machinery of every description, the Austral Otis Company have the most extensive pipe factory in Australasia, and can manufacture cast iron and wrought iron pipes of any size and in any quantity. They have lately completed a contract for 3000 tons cast iron water pipes for the Victorian Government. — Advt.