Notes from Greymouth.

Otago Witness, Issue 2603, 3 February 1904, Page 26

Notes from Greymouth.

IFboii Ocb Ovra Correspondent. 1 )

-x GREYMOUTH, January 26.

The Stafford Waimea dredge is not doing as well as expected, partly owing to want of water.

The long-continued " drought" is being very severely felt on the West Coast, and unless xain sets in shortly a number of the dredges '■will have to shut down. The Stony- Mosquito dredge, 'which is working in good ''but hard wash, got 520z for five days' work. There is a good deal of similar wash ahead, and this dredge is pretty certain to figure among the flividend-payers next month. The return of 440z from the Nelson Creek firedge was disappointing. The dredge is now .getting into deeper and better wash. The Shellback dredge was working fairly well, and gold was showing freely when the bottom tumbler broke, necessitating a stoppage. The prospectors of the Garibaldi dredge went »p to Shellback No. 2 claim to-day to endeavour to arrange with the holders of the ground for Ithe placing of the Garibaldi dredge on the iciaim> The Montezuma dredge got lloz for 45 hours' Work. Considerable difficulty was experienced an working owing to the scarcity of water in the creek, there hardly being enough to work the "firedge. It is probable that it will be found ■iecessary to shut down until rain falls. , Th« mine manager of the Garden Gully in his lcep6rt"to Saturday says the ...contractors have ■ the north drive 12ft for the week, -imaking a total distance of 58ft in this direction- This, with the 35ft driven south, totals 'B)3ft, .and leaves only 7ft to drive to complete Jtae contract. The width of ore in the drive tontinues the same as in the last report, and jthe ore coming to hand is of good quality, but from indications in the face it is expected to still further improve a3 the drive is extended. J have visited the outcrop on the boundary 'between the Garden Gully and Hinemoa leases, ■and find it has been opened up a distance of 15ft The Teef has an average width of 3ft, arom which a good prospect of gold is to be 'obtained. I would" suggest driving a level to cut the reef at the lower level, as I have no doubt if this is carried out a large block of .payable stone will be opened up. I expect the contractors to finish all the work next week, including the crosscuts at the north and south in/ 9. ' January 29.

January 29.

•iSit wea.tb.ei at length has fairly broken, and ♦cry Gerviceabls heavy showera of rain have tf alien, checking msnj bush fire 3 and saving eawmilla and property from destruction, and enabling several dredges which we-a at a standstill to gel a fresh 3tart.

The Stony Mosquito is again vezkittg, • -though still short of water. The Blackwater Lagoons dredge la also working, cutting towards good grourc"!. Some ceein to think tnat this dredge will soon strike the rich Trash running through ths Blackwater Eive:.

'Tha Mosquiio has been -working steadily tiu3 ,tv^sk, and expects about 40oz. She is working tip to the wash which some months ago Averaged 550z. - Mosquito No; 2, which co fai hes not bsen ■working very well, is now cutting into better •v?aoh, and expects to get on to 300 lto £ooz •wash in about a fortnight.

The Totara Flat is well loi-ud th^ barren fcluff, and will get into ISoz to QOcz gicund next week.

The new purchaaers of the M?.oii King jlredge have started to make alterations, and •spect to start dredging within a month.

The Greenstone Cieek will have a fair return Jo-morrow.

Tha Greenstone Junction ia sbil in a bad x:&y, with no immediate signs of improvement. The Greenstone Three-mile is working m ft narrow run, with very rough wash. *

The Nelson Creek division shows an improvement. Jamieson's, however, is still poor. The Leviathan dredge, which has been closed eiown for some months, sank in the paddock several days ago, and is now submerged xxp io the windows of the»tfousing. The pontoons »re seriously damaged; in fact, it is thought that they have broken up. The elevator is also considerably damaged, being twisted to one tide. A numbei of men are now engaged Endeavouring to drain the lagoon, so that the [machinery may be recovered.

The Leviathan Freehold's dredge is now dismantled and waiting for the arrival of a scow lo be transported to the Five-mile Beach, neai Okarito. The scow should bs here about FebIruary 1. The tables will be altered to suit the beach claim. They will be the largest in ihe icolony, and will be an improvement on the beach gold-saving appliances now in vogue. It Se anticipated that it will take two months to tc-orect the dredge on the Five-mile Beach. January 31. The week closed with a fair amount of Siclivity in the" share market. Blackwater Rivers were in strong demand, ,^ut sellers kept holding for a two shillings Wv-ance upon previous sales. No Town, which had a sudden drop in the oarly part of the week, again hardened up. The ioubt in regard to this claim is whether, when 4he top boundary is reached on the present cut, >qually good goldi will be got in working backwards on the fresh line. The opirion, of bourse, is that the dredge has been working

on the lead. Some old miners, however, declare that the ground is unworked, and) prospected richer than where the dredge has gone over. The opinion of miners, however, in so far as gold dredging is concerned, has been so wide of realisation that any theory advanced by them requires to be considerably discounted.

North Beaches continue to weaken. The ground ahead of present working was turned over in the earlier days, but the North Beach dredge got her best returns from, the lower level of the old workings.

Nelson Creek stock is all a bit easier, though towards the end of the week Jamieson's sellers advanced a shilling, but buyers were chary. The prospecting of Shellback No. 2 is being proceeded with. So far it has been found to be uniform, but not particularly rich. There is"" a good deal of discontent about the proposals in regard to the Ross Day Dawn dredge, a number of the shareholders complaining of mismanagement.

The Blackwater River dredge got 88oz lldwt for 127 hours' work, and IGOoz is predicted for the current week. I, however, think this is doubtful. The dredge is certainly on excellent wash, but last week she was working near the centre of the lead.

The Greenstone Creek got 470z for 200 hours' work. A considerable portion of the time was occupied in barren silt. This claim is likely to become a dividendrpayer, but as there is only about two years' work shareholders are scarcely likely to get their money back. Mosquito got 470z for eight days. The dredgemaster looks forward to a steady improvement during the next three or four months.

Mosquito No. 2 is also likely to improve. Kohinoor won 420z 15dwt for 180 hours' work. There is little change in the wash, which continues very hard.

Buller Junction got 290z for 113 hours' work. The current week does not show a great improvement, but at the end of February the dredg-e will again be on better ground. Callaghan's Creek secured 270z 13dwt for 138 hours' work. The dredge had! been engaged for some time previous in clearing silt and timber found in the blowhole. The country is decidedly patchy. The rich spots thought to exist have so far not been found by the dredge.

Jamieson's Reward had a return of 270z for 120 hours' work. Nearly alt the gold was got in the last two days. It may possibly get a good yield this week, though no dependence can be placed on the wash, which seems to alter every 24 hours.

Pactoliis No. 1 got 240z 7dwt for 133 hours' work, and No. 2 220z ldwt for 121 hours. There is not much chance of improvement for some weeks. The working in Jamieson's Reward) showing that the wash is rather poor.

The .Stafford Wairnea got 20oz 18dwt for 124 hours' work. It is regarded as certain that much better yields will be obtained as soon as the new dredge gets a proper face opened up.

The New Commissioner's Flat got 20oz 14dwt for 102 hours' work. The prospects are improving.

Keeves's Proprietary obtained 19oz 9dwt. There is no alteration in the afjpearauce of the wash.