Notes from Greymouth, (From Our Own Correspondent,)

Otago Witness, Issue 2504, 19 March 1902, Page 22

Notes from Greymouth, (From Our Own Correspondent,)

G.REYMOUTH, March 12.

Dredging matters continue unusually quiet this week. A discussion is now taking plsce a a to" the manner in which the dredging returns : are given out, the number of hours beir.g m many instances given as purporting to show that the dredge was idle during part of the week, when ;n reality a full week's work had been done, and the week's expenditure incurred. A mode has been adopted of giving only the mimbei of hours that the machine waa on goldbearing wash Companies to all intents and purposes woiki'ig the full week may lecord only three days on the wash and the remaining, three days removing boulders, timber, or top material.' Except in cases of flood or a breakdown, a full week would be generally read as more correct, although the smaller number of hcurs is recorded for nctual dredging.

The Orwell Creek dredge, although on the j bottom, is only on the high side of the reef, and j has lOtt yet to go to bottom in the loner dip. ! It is not improbable that the ladder will have i to be altered to enable this ground to be ; woiked to advantage. -j The Stafford Waimea dredge is now on blue bottom, with rich wnsh. but timber is troublesome. I The Woodstock diedge w.ll have a trial rim i:e.\t week 'Dm c'lwlge, the Shellback, and j G-ariba'di s-bould all be gold winners 111 a j mouth. j The Oreymouth Lagoon Company, of Blackwater, nur.cipaliy owned in Sydney, floated their dredge pontoons the other day March 13. There has been a strong run to-day upon Leviathan preference scrip. Information indicates that good giound is now being entered upon. Ihe Grey River Extended had been running for the last two days, but the return is expected to be only moderate. The Maori Gully dredge is likely to give only a small return on Saturday. The Grey .River dredge worked on Monday and Tuesday, the ground being very rough and heavy. Prospects are poor. A meeting of directors last night decided to suspend work with the object of abandoning the claim. The company have another claim under offer, which is now being prospected. If up to expectations the dredge will be removed on to the new giound. This will entail very little expense, as the machine can be taken on to the fresh claim without dismantling I understand a tender has been sent in from a West Coast syndicate for the purchase of the Teremakau pontoons aud m-Khinery as 't now lies on th^ beach. March 14. Mr Griffiths ha-, received authority to repair the ladder of the Old Diggings dredge. The erection of the machinery on the Stony Creek dredge has now been completed, and as soon as the housing is finished — in about three weeks— the tual run will take place.

The run of gold upon which the Premier 1 drudge is working has been found to lead into the property owned by Mr J. Linea, some 70 odd acres, and the company are now entering into negotiations for its purchase. A new screen for the Buller Junction dredge has been taken up near the cUim, and will be piaced in position on the first opportunity. The old one wa3 wearing thin. The dredge washed up yesterday for a return of 15oz for 118 hours! Only a small quantity of dirt was treated owing to the state of the screen. The Waimangaioa Pivei Dredging Company purchased the "Wareatea- dredge at the price of £1000. The company's engineer reported that the dredge, which cost originally over £6000, was suitable and efficient for working the Waimangaroa, River. The cost of dismantling, removal, and re-erection was estimated at £700, and the whole cost to the company will be about £2000. The contractors expect to make a start with the erection of the machinery of the Prince of Wales dredge on Monday The boiler for the dredge left for Hokitika yesterday. I understand that the prospects obtained from the Kohinoor dredge are satisfactory, considering that the buckets have not yet been on the bottom. March Id The week's return* show a falling off in what has been regarded as the better cUss of claims. BJ-d Uie Xeisau Creek, o»\ui«. U U«*ii*&R* *A<l

stoppages has not come up to the century a* expected. On the other hand, the Red Jacks appears to be getting over its trouble, although last week the dredge only run 101 hours on the wash she got 40oz 9dwt, which was the best return, yet. The dredge has a fair face of dirt, and further improvement is expected. The Maori Gully obtained 2-lbz for 177 hours. The greater part of the gold was got in the last three days. The machine is now on good wash. The Greenstone Junction obtained 30oz 4Jdwk for 123 hours. It will be three weeks more before she gets out of tha tailings, and is then expected to get back to the former yield. This cempuny since starting has paid off £2200, and is. row* clear of all debt. Next month should see the company declaring a dividend. The North Beach dredge washed up for 60oz Sdwt for two weeks. This claim has been paying off arrears for some considerable time past, and still owes about £700. The Pactolus Teturn was 430z for 99 hours. The machine is now through the poor wash, and is likely to come up again to the old average. i The Buller Junction obtained 15oz for 11& hours. 'The defective screen was responsible for the small yield. The Kohikohi washed up for 15oz Gdwt for 110 hours. There was no difference in the wash, , vhi.,h continues roxigh. ' T\i9 -Greenstone Creek return was lOoz sdwt • for m hour". The dredge has been working1 in deep ground, where she struck a hard sand- ! store reef, and the dredgemaster had to remove* i from the spot. I The Caledonia return was 6oz 6cfwt. Ihe dredge is closed down, and the dredegmaster has ! pone to take charge of the Grey River Consolidated, which starts in about 10 daya. ! The Hokitika River dredge was not, working ; last week owirg to some of the buckets being : - reiipprd, and active operations will be resumed ; on "Moi.Juy. The rough ground caused tha 1 wear. March 17. > The return of 21oz from the Cornwall for 10£ j hems last v.^ok had a very g< bd effect 111 regard ! to dredging on the New itiver, winch is likely • now to get a, fresh start. The Cornwall has got ; a capital fnce opened, and increased yields are ' predicted tins week. ] Marsden No. 1, on the same river, has agam 1 started with Wo shifts, and is now openingup a paddock. So far the wash looks rather poor, but the dredge has not yet bottomed.^ Marsden No. 3, Maori Queen, and the New River dredees remain silent, the latter company is likely to reconstruct, the cause of failure being the old fashioned and insufficient dredge The Great Lead dredge is stilt waiting for a rise in the river to be again floated into position. The claim which the Grey River Company is in treaty for is pituatcd at the bottom of Arnold Flat, near the junction of the Grey and Arnold E-vers. The Grey Extended di'edge has been working for borne time, and on Saturday was reported to be on a bit of good ground.