Notes from Greymouth.

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 24

Notes from Greymouth.

(From Otjr Own Cobeespondent.)

GREYMOUTH, 3uly 22. The Stony and Mosquito Lead dredges will hi at work in about a fortnight. All the machinery has been erected. The tables are m course of construction, while the electric-lighting plant is espoctod in a. few days.

The Stafford Wainiea dredge is working well, but is troubled with timber and is unable to bottom.

The Kohinoor diedge is working well close up to the bore hole that gave good prospects. The returns are expected to increa&e as the dredge worka ahead. It has been decided to lower the Hokitika .R.ver dredge down to tho lower boundary of the claim and work a face up on tha Woodstock sidf-

Shareholders in the Hokitiki Extended Company have received a dividend of 5s per share Irom the liquidator.

The Erickson's Reward dredge has now squared up the face, and, gh en a good run this week, should obtain an increased return.

The (Jreensione Junction Company's new tumbler being in position, work was resumed tc-night by the dredge.

Tho Nelson Creek dredge- resumed work to-day.

The Leviathan Freehold dredge will start at tho end of the week.

July 24. The Hauhau diedge broke down on Monday, and consequently no work can be gone on with until repairs are effected.

The Commissioner's Flat dredge had a breakdown yesterday, the bottom tumbler of the elevator giving way, necessitating repairs being effected. The dredge is expected to get a start again on Saturday.

The Greenstone Junction dredge started work yesterday.

The directors of the Nelson Creek Company have declared another dividend of Is per share.

The Mosquito dredge has been running well widening the face. A good return is expected.

The Shellback face has been widened to fivo chains. The dredgemaster reports that he expects a slightly increased return.

The Three-mile Greenstone dredge is again at woik. and everything is running well.

The Kangaroo Creek dredge has been closed down pending a report on the dredge and prospects by Mr J. Gregory.

The Maori Gully dredge has done real good work, and all danger from floods is now over. The dredge is now engaged opening out a paddock. She will have a small return on Saturday.

The Ford's Creek dredge is working well in 28ft of wash. The prospects are said to bo very encouraging. The dredge will possibly have a wash-up on Saturday. It was expected to have a trial of the Grey Lagoou3 Company's engine to-day. The dredge will possibly make a start next week. Tho Alpine Extended Company's clean up resulted in a return of 74ioz of letorted gold fiom 200 tons.

At the annual meeting of the Tyneside Colliery Company yesterday Mr Taylor (chairman) stilted that the machinery had been all placed in position and the shaft put in good order, the buntings and slides put in position down to the water level a distance of =ome 30ft from the bottom. The steam pipes and pump were also in position to start pumping immediately, and if the underground workings were in as pood a condition as the shaft it was expected that the company would be in a position to have coal in the market in the course of a few weeks. The statement of expenditure stioned that £660 had been spent in procuring machinery and erecting and opening a shaft. Messrs Rus&ell, Kettle, Taylor, Mandle, and Dr Cran were appointed directors. Subsequently Mr Russell was appointed managing director

July 27.

Owing to the breakdown of a couple of dredges there are only a few teturns to hand, but theee in most in«tances show an improvement on previous yields. The Mosquito return of 50oz 2dwt for eight day* so far heads the list. The dredgemaster continues to widen the cut in order to take the creek on a face. Duplicate parts of several portions of the machinery have been sent on to tho claim so as to be handy in case of a bieakJown. The North Beach return of 40oz Bdwt for 133 hours is, a record return for the claim. The ground continues to improve. The machinery is working well. The Pactolus return is 40oz for 127 hours. The wash showed a falling off in the middle of the week, otherwise the ground has undergone no change. As predicted, the Buller Junction obtained a better leturn, as a good face was got. The return of 340z for 124 hours is as much as was expected. When the face is properly opened up she should get more gold. Tho Reeves's Proprietary dredge obtained 320z 2dwt for 116 hours. The wash continues about the same. The Callaghan's Creek dredge obtained 31oz for 135 hours. The dredge is working well on a good clear face. The Greenstone Creek Teturn of 230z 16dwt for 132 hours was the surprise of the week. The dredge 13 working well in a tight sample of wash. The Greenstone Junction obtained looz 15dwt for 64 hours. For the time worked the return is up to tbe average. Since, the tumbler has been repaired the machinery has been working well. Owing to the breakdown and consequent delay, the Welcome's return of 16oz 9dwt for 89 hours did not come up to the dredgemaster's estimate — viz., 30oz. Given a good run, the return this week should, however, be well up to 30oz.

Tbe Shellback return of 14oz 12dwt for 100 iaum m a iidlms 02. Ike died°e kad * tttttt-

ber of minor breakages during the week. The wash is about 18ft, with a cement bottom.

Owing to a slip in the face the Red Jacks dredge did not wash up.

The Leviathan dredge was delayed m repairing, the hanger of the ladder again breaking and a number of pins much worn being replaced. The Leviathan Freeholds dredge will start about Thursday. Several matters require attention.

The Hokitika dredge is cutting her way out to get into the main stream, when she will be able to float down to the bottom boundary of her claim.

July 28. The actual gold yield from the West Coast dredges from January 1 to June 30 was 14,6600z, valued at .£58,640, as compared with 37930z, valued at £14,172 for the corresponding period of the previous year. There has been a larger number of dredges at work, and the expenditure was correspondingly greater. In the six months of 1901 the yield per dredge per week was but 21oz 2dwt, against 270z 3dwt in the six months of 1902, showing a net increase of 6oz ldwt. The smallest quantity of gold obtained in any one week was 3-lSoz from 17 dredge 3, and the largest 3610z from 25 diedges. The lowest average from any one week was 20oz lOdwt, the highest 450z 16dwt.

The Nelson Creek return is 590z lOdwt for three days. The machine is still hard by the bluff, but will this weak start across the claim, and much richer returns may be looked for.

The Teturn of the No Town dredge, had it not been for the timber, which was very troublesome, would have been very much larger. The yield mdicate3 that the ground is richer than where a commencement was made.

The Greenstone Junction started dredging about 4 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. It was a surprise to find 18oz 15dwt for 61 hour 3 posted as the return on Saturday. A good deal of timber was encountered during the short interval of dredging, and this caused some little delay. Next Saturday she should give a good account of the ground, providing a good run is obtained. The dredge was thoroughly overhauled.

The Greenstone Three-mile dredge got a fresh start on Wednesday after putting on the new screen and getting a thorough overhauling. The end of the week should show an improvement, as the dredge could not take the best of the face with the old screen.

The Greenstone Creek return of 230z 16dwt for 132 hours indicates that the dredge is approaching to, if not actually Avorkmg, some of the Bun Tuck run of gold. A marvellous thing about her is that with all the rough work she has been called upon to do in consequence of tight and heavy ground she has never had a serious- break.

Tho New Greenstone ComDany's pontoons were floated on. Thursday, and turned bow Jifp stream. A start will be made immediately with the erection of the machinery.

The manager of the Waiw'iera Sluicing claim ieports a return of 61oz for GO shifts.

The Enckson's Raward dredge broke her elevator on Wednesday, and was :dle for the rest of the week. Tho dredge resumed work this morning.