GREENSTONE AT MILFORD. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 26

GREENSTONE AT MILFORD. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — The enclosed i.aiagraph lelating to mining for gi-ccnsloiie at Milioid lias lately becu appe.ui.ng in otu We-i, Const i.ajiei&, which ciiculates m distntts üb.mr.c'.ug in gisenstone. It is as follow;: ' Ttic development of a reef of greenstone at ililford Sound is being proceeded with, and a company js being floated with a capital of £10,000 m -£1 shares, tlie contributing shares numbering 600. It is estimated that the stone can be obtiined and delivered at Dunedin at the cost of 6d per Ib, and expert lapidanes value the article at from Js to 7^ 6d por lb in its reujh state, ,i vihi>i':' fi o ' >o L'~ .vo., buyers :.•' _~ r paieJ to take la>ge qu;u Utius. It is ir.opc-c* to luve the cutting ard po.ishing of the store do.ie by the cempany's own expert lap'diUics a.irl to ha\ c the Hitic'e marketed in it-; finished ttate."

Now, Sn, I should like jour leadeis to have tb.s matter brought imdei then- notice, and" would pdviie those who have a' y idea of taking * slimes in Hie j-iopc&ed couip.uiy to thoioujrhly

"prospect" the prospectus and the leef (?) before applying. Let them be sure (1) that the stone is greenstone; (2) that the puce quoted— viz., "3s to 7s 6d per lb m the lough" can be obtained from any buyer; (3) that there is a sufficient demand for greenstone to enable a company (supposing it is gieenstone) to sell enough to pay dividends. Now, we ha\e had samp'ca of the Milford reef here for the last two years, and although the samples much resemble greenstone, when they are compared with true gieenstone even an ordinary observer can tell the diffeience. And I might here ment.oll that although greenstone is found 111 our watercomse3 and rivers in blocks weighing upwaids of five tons each, no reef has ever been discovered on the West Coast. The piice now quoted to speculators and dealers holding greenstone heie by buyers in Dunedin and Auckland is from 6d to*JS per lb, and there is veiy little demand for the article, although the best greenstone in the world is found in this distaict, ar.d large quantities are held by speculators. Now, Sir, I am neither a speculator r.or a dealer in greenstone, but I should like to put intending investors on their guard. — I am, etc., Greyniouth, June 17. West Coaster. THE WEEK'S DREDGING RETURNS. During the week ended Monday, June 20, returns were reported from the following 47 dredges, the total yield being 1115oz 16dwt llgr, or an average of 230z per dredge: —

The West Coast.

Njlsou Creek, HSliis B.ackwatcr River, 2071ns .. •• Mosquito, 328hrs Jamieson's Reward, week .. Caliaglian's Creek. 12Skrs Pacto.tis !No. 2, ljlhrs Lotaia F.at, week S.gneU'd Ko Towii, 54hvs Mokoia North. Beach, 120hrs greenstone Creek, SOlirs .. .. Jvew Woodstock Cranstone Junction, week Stouy and Mosquito Leads, 3 days - &.lc.nga, 112 his Xo Town Cieek, UShrs .. .. Blackwater Lagoons, week Moonlight, lOOhrs Cioldeu United, 90lirs Pactolus No. 1, 132hrs .. •• 117 0 o 60 7 0 55 0 0 43 0 0 33 4 0 82 0 0 30 2 O 29 10 0 28 15 0 24 3 0 19 16 0 19 0 0 17 8 0 16 0 0 13 15 0 12 0 0 12 0 0 11 10 0 10 2 0 8 10 0 Total 593 2 0

Oz. awl. gr. Junction Electric No. 1, Cromwell 50 10 0 New Roxburgh Jubilee, Roxburgh, 134hrs 50 3 6 Sandy Point, Alexandia, 127 krs 49 10 0 Riley's Beach, Cromwell, 4 days 42 11 0 Sheddan's Freehold, Waikaka, week . . . .- 42 0 0 Ettrick, Koxburgh, 184hrs .. 41 10 0 Eise and Shuie No. 1, Upper Cluths, 126hrs 41 0 0 Earnscleugh No. 2, Alexandra, 126hrs 40 15 0 Hes-sey's, Waikaia, 125krs .. .. 39 4 0 Waikaka United No. 1, Waikaka, 132hrs 33 9 0 Nugent Wood, Waikaia, 125hrs 31 18 0 Golden Run, Millei's Fial, 52hrs 31 15 0 Earnscleugh No. 1, Alexandra, 125hrs 31 12 18 Central Chariton, nr Goie, 137hrs 25 3 0 Enterprise No. 1, Alexandra, week 24 16 22 Olrig. Manuherukia, 138hrs . . 24 8 0 Wairnuvnu Queer, nr Mataura, 115hrs 24 5 0 Lady Kosbuigh, Roxburgh, week 23 14 0 Upper Waipori, Waipori. 1421 its 23 9 0 Taniwha, Tuipeka River, week 23 3 0 Royal Waimumu, nr Mataura, 129hrs 23 2 0 Golden Treasure, Miller's Flat, 139ihrs 22 10 0 Mo'yneux Kohinoor, Roxburgh, 120 his 22 8 0 Waikaka Queen, Waikaka, 127hrs 21 5 0 Waikaka Syndicate, Waikaka, week 21 0 0 Mystery Flat, Waikaia. 133hrs . . 20 14 0 Happy Valley, Tuapeka Flat, week 20 10 0 Enfielcl, Waipori, week .. .. 19 11 12 Wahnuniu, nr Mataura. 12Ohrs 19 4 0 Alpine No. 2, Cromwell, SOlirs 16 16 9 Garryovven, Waikaia, shoit week^ 16 5 0 Gabriel No. 1. Tuapeka Flat .*" 16 1 0 Enterprise No. 2, Alexandra, 4 days 15 12 0 Alexandra Lead, Alexandra, 116hrs 15 12 0 Electric No. 2, Cromwell, 90his 15 10 0 Tsland Block. Beaumont, 121hr3 14 13 0 Junction Waikaka, Waikaka, 149hrs 14 0 0 Cr-ir-itjodlie, Poolburn, 112hr3 13 15 0 Molyneux Hydraulic, Alexandra, 132hrs 12 13 0 Inchdale, nr Palmerston, 127hrs I' 2 1 0 New Golden Beach Alexandra, lOSliiS 11 10 0 Garden Gully, Wa.ikaka, 50hrs.. 11 4 0 Central Mataurr>, near Gere, 115hrs 10 13 0 Lawrence. Tuapeka Flat, week 9 12 0 Otago No. 1, Miller's Flat, lOOhrs 9 10 0 Golden Gate, Miller's Flat, 3 days 8 3 0 Chicago, A'exandra, 75hrs .. 7 4 16 Total 1115 10 11