Kotos from Cr^yinontii.

Otago Witness, Issue 2571, 24 June 1903, Page 24

Kotos from Cr^yinontii.

(From Our Ov;y Correspoxdex t i fiRKYMOT'TH. Jmic 17 Owing t» th" mut.l.ihon <i a t».oj.'rnm the Buller Jurction return was given fs 45rz. The :orrect yield 13 Qocz. Tho North Beach dredge continues to bo ferrib"y hampered with submerged tiuibci. A

I considerable bait of worthless silt ha 3 also been struck. Tho dredgemaster hopes to get through it in about a couple of weeks. The Garibaldi ground is deepening-, and improved returns aro expected, although tho wash. 13 at present poor. The Golden Unated dredge should get a. start in a fortnight. A good portion of the new dredge for tho Reeves Proprietary Company has been sent on to it 9 destination, but the balance has not yet arrived at Greyruoulli'. The Red Jack's dredge- ha 3 got a start again, but it will bo come time before she can get fairiy to work. Juna 21. The dredging market continues dreadfully flat, y-et the bulk of tho .returns iira more than covering cxpraew, but co many of tho companies are m debt that any immediato returns in the shape of dividends, except fioin about half a dozen, cannot ba looked for. The Pnctolus No. 1 dredge got 40oz lOdwt for 195 houi-3, nud No. 2 dredga 390z 13dwt for 200 hours. Both machines are on very rough wash, with a good deal of timber. 'i'ho improvement which was expected a fortnight ago ht>s not been rcai'sed. Both dredges are working well, but as ithoro is very little difference in tlie wa«h in tho face it is impossible to sayhow far their piose^t run of gold extsndj. The Trafalgar dredgo was being pumped out on Friday. The Victory diedge is upon better wash than sho has evci yc-i touched. Callagban's Creek dredge obtained 30oz lOdwt for 136 hours, the wash during Ihe latter part of the week showing a marked improvement. The North Beach return of 590z was got from broken and in thicky timbered wasli. The Blackwatc-r River dredge obtained 2Soz 13dwt for 172 hours m a splendid piece of wash. I regard this claim as amcir.g=b ono of the most certain, dredging investments on tho Coast. The Greenstone Thre-f-milo dredge got 260z lOdwt. There is no change in. the wash, which continues rough, with tixnb3r. Tho AVelcomo dredgo obtained QGoz. The run of gold in this claim and in the Buller Junction claim (re-turn, 15oz) seems to ba confined to one su\2 of the river. Tho latter dredge is working toward tho richer side. The Comnu°EioneT'3 Flat dredgo got 18oz IBdwt. Tho dredge is workjing well, -with ■ nc-w patent grab), and should have steady returns for somo time to come. It is possible sho might strike a rich lead that ran into deep giound ami had to be abandoned 30 years ago v. ing to their machine 1 y being unable to cope iith tho wate-r. The Shellback dredge obtained 18oz. The wash during tho latter days haidened and improved in richness. • The Kohinoor dredge obtained 15oz 16dwt. The heavy toatarial met with in the creek where 'tho dredge is now working prevents a largo turnover of wash. The I/eviathan dredge obtained 15oz. The character of the wash baa Eomewhat changed, aiid now resembles that out of which the best returns were obtained. Tho Maori King dredge got 19oz. The dredgo is following a somewhat narrow lead. The Totara Flab dredgo obtained 12oz for m hours. Tho depth of the wash is from 16ft to 13ft. It is light, aJid easi'y treated, but ths gold l? very fine. Tho Stony Mosquito dredge is just about clear.ng expanses, but is breaking into real

good wash that should give much better r<. turns.

Juno 22. The Blacker iter Lagoons dredge, which has had a good overhaul, had 114 hours' run last fre?k on very fair wash, getting 250z 2dwt. The prospects before this company are much brighter now than ever they have been. The wash is deepening, and the bottom is more uniform. This, taken in conjunction with the Blackwater River dredge, which is about half a mile distant and is on an excellent face of wash 2-lft deep, is taken as indicating that the Lagoons diedge started upon a higher bottom which dips both ways. If so, the locality will be one of the best on the Ccist for dredging. The Prince of Wales dredgo having been repaired got 270z for 110 hours' run on good wash, a little rough. The dredgeruaster expects 40oz this wo?k. The Wattcrson's-Ahnura dredge ia doing no good. The opinion here is that the dredge was moved some time ago from the place where payable wash coukl be obtained. The Erickson's Reward return of 7oz 4dwt is the worst return for many weeks. The •dredge ia working bauck towards the ground that paid well. Three weeks should sec her on fanly nch wash. Th« Cornwall dredge obtained 220z 3dwt. Tho dredge is working on a. beach near the mouth of Cockabulla Creek. The wash was at i first hard but h getting a little easier. Old miners think the dredge is approaching a spot where she will get the best go.d. The Nelson Creek dredge had a number of stoppages during tho week, only working 119 hours for 4<oz 18dwt. The machine is working towards tho bluff, where rich returns are exp'Xited to bo got. Tho No Town Creek dredge obtained 83oz. The face looks well, but the dredge has a bit of timber. I exwect good returns from this claim for some time to come.