Notes from Greymouth. ( FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) GREYMOUTH, December 16.

Otago Witness, Issue 2545, 24 December 1902, Page 22

Notes from Greymouth. ( FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) GREYMOUTH, December 16.

The Nelson Creek dredge is now. on good] wash, but not as rich as was expected. ** The Maori King Company, working in the Maori Queen ground, v got 13oz 6dwt for 66 hours. The dredge only works two shifts. The ground is hard, but the dredge is working much batter than ever before. ■A number of new leases have been taken up north of Barrytown, along the beach. Your correspondent was out with a party yesterday over an area of six miles in length by two in. breadth. Prospects were tried at different place 3 and under circumstances that admitted of 'no possible " salting." The poorest prospect obtained in the shovel was over a dozen colours, and in a majority of cases a rich fringe- of gold was- obtained^ The ground is -veiy similar -to the North Beach claim, and extends northward from Barrytown. ' The Blow-up claim, now • owned by Mr ■G, M'Kay, but previously owned by Mr G-. Zander and others, of Ashburton and Christohurch, now shows splendid gold; indeed, it has been, highly payable ever since Mr M'Kay secured - A"dre I dge^isaho'ut' i td -fee'- 1 placed^.oß.-a"Q6"fh,eC' ~ claim nortE of the North .Beach. "Beaches^ "between^ Greymoutli 'and" tEe Hazorb'ack^are -pretty certain to command »■ good, deal-^of/^ B attention.in the new year.-- . \ x ' , ->• The nxmibcr of returns oh- Saturday will: Jb«" ' fewer than usual, -as * several compamesv.;wSH v continue on till-Christmasfßve,.wfien, tt'ey r will'; close down, for the holidays.. , ' - . . November 17. „ • Most of the dredges will work right up*to> ' Saturday night, amd. then, close down-.focthff-holidnys. Some, however, will continue to run. to Wednesday. A tail race has been, constructed, and the . water in the Bed Jack's dams-is- now level with. ■ the- deck: of the sunken dredge. As soon .«» pumping is commenced' the dredge should floaty The Stoney-Mosquito dredge, working, ia.overburden, "with very little- solid, gpt 2So» lOdwt. This dredge will probably, -trork on to Wednesday next before closiug'clovrii. The Pactolus-dredge is expected to give muck. better returns- on Saturday. The Midas started on Saturday. November 19.- ■' " What dredges do wash „up to-morrow Rra likely to show advanced returns. A few of 'th» machines wilL close down .with the washi-up tilL <■ January 5, but a number will continue till Wednesday night. The Maori King dredge is working steadily, and is expected to show an - improvement. -I- - The Nelson Creek division of dredges show an advance, although ,the Victory and Aldinga. have both a- good .deal of silt to contend with. _ ." Bailer Junction shares changed hands yesterday at 13s: The coal bore hole at Dobson is now down 85ft below the -small seam. Yesterday after- , noon the drill went through about 3ft of fine clay, and it is hoped coal will be struck anyj moment, although the^depth eren now igjnore^ than 50ft lower than it was estimated the~"coaV - would, be got at: < ' '--".' ~---\- November- ,2"L« ; - A v,ery decided in}provenie_iifc waa jreenin t&» ' share market on. Saturday forenoon^ thert BsingrJ it mild flutter for an^houror so. . A\few transae--tiona took place at an .advanced -price; but , sellers generally apprear"ect *io bo "desirtfu-f t>£ "' hanging, on in anticipation of a spurt early in^--the yea*. That this improvement is "pretty cer- - tain. seems ■.tO' be generally 'accepted; and the I ** steadily-increasing yields afford further indication of this improvement. With the exception, possibly, of four, it is reckoned that-the>-other West Coast companies are pretty sureto be dividend-payers. ' The latest sacrifice was the Hauhau dredge, which was sold to Mr Cooke for £300. The> machine is not a very good), specimen, but the chief cause of failure waa "owing to a disputed^, water right, the company being unable toarrange for water. It is not unlikely that' an,' effort will be made ta float a small-capitalledi - company, .and arranging with the holders off the watsr rights to make a- fresh trial. Tho actual returns obtained under difficulties fully*' warrant a new trial being mf.de. The Buller Junction does not wash up^-till Monday. Over lOOoz is predicted. Shares ran •' up to 16& on Saturday, with an inclination ta tise higher. The Trafalgar dredge, though -working -in silt with, a small modicum of wash, got 250z- 6dwfc ' This company, when alterations are made foir keeping its floods out of the face, 1 will be on»of the beet-paying claims on the Nelson- Creek.. The Aldinga dredge got 250z 14dwt for 130 1 hours' work. The result, to some extent afr all events, dismisses the opinion that the , machine was out of the golden belt. I shall - not be surprised to see her strike a good lead crossing from the gully running into the Nelson Creek near the claim. The Pactolus No. 1 dredge got 17oz 3dwt for 124. hours. No. 2 washed up 590z 7dwt. The wash continues poor, but there are> indicstion* of improvement in No. 1, while T\o. 2- is dtedg:-'. 1 ing into richer wash. . - The Leviathan return is 9oz lldwt. Mud-ancl pug represents the material treated. • It ' ia • absolutely impossible tof save alf the gold. " ' The Leviathan Freehold dredge will-f \"*aslt up on Tuesday, -but the return is not -ex-Sected--to be large. , 1 The North Beach- dredge^ washed -up '440z»" The sample~of.gold is 'finer 1 than usual, henctf ' the somewhat disappointing' return. The Greenstone Three-mile dredge washed: • up 17oz in rough ground. The Greenstone Junction obtained 14oz~ 12dwt. The dredge was blocked for three-days with an enormous submerged tree, but has nowgot good face again. The Kohinoor dredge got 31oz. The wash' is poorer than was expected, but is pgain -improving. Tha Callaghans obtained 250z 12dwt. Ths dredgemaster says the ground is getting better, and he expects the improvement to continue. The company is in a sound position and likely?, to be a regular dividend-payer, the- expense* being small. The Commissioner Flat washed up 220s 3dwt for 97 hours. The wash is steadily improving. The company was about to wind up when the present run- of wash was struck. The Shellback dredge got 17oz 15dwt for 130 hours. The dredge is off the run of gold. This company is hampered with £1800 of debt, otherwise it might do all right. The Mosquito return is not officially known, but is said to be very good.