Notes from Greymouth.

Otago Witness, Issue 2525, 6 August 1902, Page 25

Notes from Grey mouth.

GREYMOUTH, July 29. The Erickson's Reward dredge resumed work after several days' stoppage for repairs.

The Nm"-mile Creek Sluicing Company, Ncith Beach, commenced work this week. After the first eight hours the show of gold on the tables was very satisfactory. Two shifts arc now working. The Waiwhero Sluiring Company obtained 91oz gold for two and a-half weeks' work.

Good urogTes^ is being "made with the erection of the machmerv of Ihs 2\ew Greenstone dredge.

July 30.

The dr«4gins; market is depressed. Ihe Mrcn Gully dredge is working well so far, ai'cl should get a fan" return this week. The Nelson Creek should gi\e a good return. The Sfafioid Wanut.i dn.-dge is undergoing repairs.

Tlie Gr?at Woodstock dredge is working close up to where miners .worked m the creek bed. Given a wcek'a tun the return should improve.

Tlie Cornwall dredge, which obtained 20oz la:t week, is working a nice, free sample of wash about 16H deep, .iijd returns are likely to improve. The Wiiinea Hydraulic Skucmg Company washed up on Saturday 390? for the month The return is payable. A foitinght was spent in following up the creek bed for a little return in order to locate the position;, of tlie leadb for future operations.

August 1

A formal start v. ill be made with the Greymouth Lagoons dredge to-morrow. There is to be a social function at the start.

The North Beach Company added GO acres to the lease tSe other day.

The Welcome return is 41 oz lOdivt for 140 hours. The top tumbler was broken yesterday. They expect to get a start on Tuesday. The Buller Junction return is 3loz lOdwt for 120 hours. The dredge is now on an improving sample of wash. The Hokitika River dredge has got down to the bottom of the cleim, and is opening out. Sho is not likely to have a wash-up before tomorrow week.

Pactolus shares, which were in strong demand a week ago, eased somewhat this week. Moat "of the demand came from Wellington.

Tlie return of gold from the Nelson Creek dredge since its first starting, including 18 idle weeks, averaged 48oz, or 60oz for every working week. The PactoJus average, including 10 idle weeks. Is 38oz, or for working weeks, 48oz. Work is started on the railway to the Coal Creek State coal mine. There will be 25 men on Monday, and double that number in 10 days. The water is now well down in the Tyneside mine, and coal will soon be forthcoming. August 3. There w«» a. reij large gathering at Blßck-

water on Saturday to witness the formal opening of the Blackwater Lagoon Company's new and powerful dredge, which is one ol the stiongest and best on the Coast. The spread of gold-3avmg tables appears to be small, and if fine gbld is come across a good deal will be lost. The wafch, which is in places impregnated with iron, is about 18ft deep. A few prospects panned oS by your correspondent gave results that warrant a full belief in the success of the new company. The gold is of a rough, shotty nature, and should" be cosily saved. Last week's returns are up to expectations, except m the case of the Greenstone Junction, which struck a ncsty patch of timber on Thursday morning, and the Pactolus, which got off tlie bottom.

The Xcrth Beach return is 31oz Sdwt for five day*. The dredge was stopped on several occasions during the period, otherwise the return weald have been quite up to the previous week

The Callaghan's Creek dredge obtained 31oz for 131 hours. Ihe ground ahead is rough, but it is reckoned will give better returns. The Pactolus obtained 260z lOdwt for 93 hours, llie second dredge for this company will get a start on the Sth on ground previously worked by the first dredge, but which was not bottomed, the richer gold being left behind. It is believed the new dredge turning over the foimer's tailings, but getting ou to th.) bottom, will get -et least 40oz per week. The Gieenstone Crook obtained *250z 17dwt for HO hours. The dredge is now oa the Bun Tuck lead of gold.

The Leviathan return is 16oz Gdwt for 90 hours. The dredge got on the thinner fringa of Ihe lead, but will get back on to better gold this week.

The Shellback return is 270z 4dwt ior 10 days. The dredge is getting into a heavier sample of wash abou!^ 18ft deep. Tho dredgemaster expects a. much improved return this week.

The Mosquito dredge obtained 41oz sdwt for 114 hours. The dredge is terribly troubled with timbei. Were it not for this "the return would be much larger. The dredgemaster has had to work round in a half-circle to get rid of a bank of silt. He hns now » capital face, and the return will likely show an improvement.

The Red Jack 9 dredge got 20oz 6dwt for 90 hours. Ihe dredgemaater had a great deal cf tiouble to contend with, the ground being most difficult to heat. In the early part of the week there was no timber, but logs again made their appearance on Thursday night. What is now being treated is really drift shingle that has secured thiough the coige. The dredgemaster will ba yet a fortnight before he gets nd of the gorge drift and timber. He will then get on to solid wash, and should bs able to render shareholders a good account. The Greenstone Junction obtained 30o; for 128 hours. This is lOcz le3s than was expected. The dredge was unfortunate in striking a. large tree that hampered operations. The Greenstone Three-mile dredge obtained 430z for 135 hours' actual working time. The Erickson's Reward obtained 250z 12dwt.

The Stafford Wairnea dredge obtained 13oz. This dredge does not bottom m part cf the claim. Assertions to the contrary notwithstanding, a good dredge would work this claim to advantage.

Other returns are —Garibaldi, 230z ; Great Woodstock, 18oz 19dwt. The Nelson Creek return is not made public, but is good.

August 4. For the first time since the advent of dredging in the Greenstone district, three Greenstone dredges gave simultaneously good returns. Previously when one was up the others Mere down, never more than two giving satisfactory yields in one week. It is pleasing that things have changed, and, from present indications, the welcome improvement should continue for some time. The pride of pace goea to the Greenstone Three-mile, wi^n 430z for 136 hours. This really lepresents a week and a day, as the dredge started on Thursday. The gold is a splendid sample. The face is now oi chains acros*, and there seems to be good gold the whole length. The second oa the list is the Greenstone Junction, with 30oz for 128 hours. This is not as good as was cxpectel about the middle of the week, but a good deal of timber was met with, and this accounts probably for expectations not having bean realised Tho Greenstone Creek, although third, gave * very good accou.it of herself. The dredge is etill working across the creek broadening the cut. As she is expected to strike the gold tail race any day towards the end of the week, probably the face will not bo taksn to the noithern bank. Instead, the dredge will be turned upstream, and the load followed up the creek. The dredgema3t»r intends to stop at the end of the week to do some necessary repairs, particularly the drcp-chute. A few days will complete all that is required. The Nelson Creek dredge is working hard up agamst the reef. The No Town dredge has not got so much timber to deal with. Tho machines y is working well. The Enckson's Rewaitl dredge bioke the elevator, and will be idle for a couple of dajs.