Notes from Reefton.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 23

Notes from Reef ton.

(Fiou Ova, Own Coruespondiitt.)

REEFTON, August 23.

Alpine. — The mine manager reports. — "The contractors m No. 7 level have put a crosscut 14ft into the footwall, the ground passed through being fairly good. No. 11 branch drive north has been extended Bft since Tuesday, making 13ft since the reef cut out. The-re is very little track in the face, and I have discontinued driving. Eight feet has been driven in the south end, making the total distance 33ft. The reef we expected to get in 20ft I now find cannot be met with for another 10ft or 12ft unless we get a new make of stone. In the stcpes another three or four shifts will take all the stone out. Two hundred and fifty toas have gone to the battery to date.

Stock market quotations — Alpine Extended, 2s 3d, 2s 6d; Big River Is, lb 2d , Kepp-it-Dark, 21s, 255, Progress ruined. ISs, 20s, 21s?, Kirwan's Reward, 7s 9d, 8s 3d , New Scotia. (\endors), 2s 6d, 3s, New Scotia (contributing), 9d, Is; Industry, Is 9d, 2s.

The dredges in tli:a district have been favoured with a good spell 01 dry weather, but unfortunately, owing to the brpskage of n jchinery, delays have occurred which have greatly lessened the returns.

The Welcome dredge is at the head of the list with 460z for a run of 131 hours. The diedge has got into good wash, ard is expected to run well for some time.

Tlie Buller Junction dredge is next with 25cz for 124 hour?, a slight increase on last week. A still further improvement ib looked for

The Kohikohi return of 20cz Edwt for 130 hours is \ery satisfactory. The lep^irs to the lace, etc., are new completed, and there is not likely to be any more stoppages, and as the ground is improving increased returns are expected.

The Ree\es's Proprietary dredge is reported to be on heavy wash at present.

The Al return shows a slight mc-pase th.s week. The wash is improving, and a better icturn is expected next week.

The directors of the Old Diggings Company, acting on the advice of their solicitor, are calling an extraordinary general meeting for September 8 to consider the posit.on and prospects of the company, and, if advisable, to pass a resolution to voluntarily wind up the company, etc. The company's dredge waa recently put up to public auction, but was bought 111 by Mr Mackay for the company at £1000.

The Pactolus Company's new dredge is worltinp steadily. A3 showing her apabiliiiea of dealing with h<»avy ground some enormous boulders (the largest that have been met with on the company's claim) were encountered and disposed of with perfect rase. The two dredges will be working almost side by side, the shareholders and the p\iblic generally looking forward to next Saturday's return.

SALE OF THE PAUL'S BEACH DREDGE. The dredge and tiro claims belonging to fche . Paul* £twb G/I>- Cfi»j?wjj. west eubmitted '

I to auction by Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co. at their rooms yesterday. There wits a fair attendance of the public, and the bidding,

which started at £100, advanced to £270, at

which price Mr Wm. Adams, of Lawrence, 1 became the purchaser. Mr Adams intends to put the dredge into commission pgain shortly

below the Beaumont bridge. An additional set of winches was offered afterwards, tmt as the liquidator's reserve of £140 was not reached they were passed in.