THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, Volume 14, Issue 2648, 14 December 1904, Page 26

THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS

December 7.

JLessrs Sievwright Bros, and Co. will sell at their rooms on Saturday, 17th hist., the New Vincent steam dredge, with sill equipment complete." At the' same time and p*ace they will sell the New River Molyneux dredge, with equipment complete. Alternative tenders- are invited for the purchase of the Wangapeka Gold Dredging Company's dredge, at present on ihe company's claim, Vvangapeka River, Nelson district; or for the purchase of machinery, etc., delivered »t nearest' railway station. Everything on the Masterton dredge was •working well last week, and the dredgemaster expects to have another goodl return this week. , Mr S. E. Brent, secretary of the Last Chance ' Hydraulic Sluicing, Elevating," and Dredging Company reports that the mine manager washed up on the 29th November "for a return of 290z lldwt 7gr from the last paddock for four weeks' sluicing. * The Hessey's dredgemaster, reporting for last week, stated that he thinks, he has now got over the worst part of the claim. ' The bottom, has dipped, and the wash looked a trifle better, and the dredgemaster expects that the returns will now show an improvement. Writing under date 28th ult. the master of the Moonlight dredge stated that he made a start dredging at 8 p.m. that day, the machinery working very well. He expected that it would take two days to clean out the paddock of -silt, owing to the heavy floods that had been running during the stoppage. For this reason there was no wash-up last Saturday. The Revival got to work again at the end of last week, after undergoing a thorough overhaul. — Mr C. Fleming went over to Nevis on Friday to take charge of Ngapaia No. 3, which is, going to have another run. — Cromwell Argus. The .Junction Wadkaka dredge was last week ■working on the middle section for eight shifts, during which time most of the return was obtained. The terrace section was worked on for the remainder of the week. The dredge bad a fair run, and the machinery was, working well. The dredgemaster states that a fair return could be obtained by working entirely in the middle section, which contains the best ground. The "dredge has been shifted to the section next tile Waikaka Company's boundary. The Alexandra Lead dtedgemaster, reporting under date Ith inst.,. stated that (as already reported by wire) he started dredging on Tuesday, 29th ult., at 7 p.m., since wnen the 3redge has been working well with the exception of a few manor stoppages. On Saturday the dredge was stopped owing to a serging barreL being put in. The best of the gold was won frojn where tke dredge is at present workirfg; the return being for 100 hours' dredging.. The actual time worked by the Lady .Roxburgh dredge last week was 105S hours, some time being lost through having to put on the old tumbler in place of the new one, some of the bushes of which "had broken. The wash, was getting fairly tight and- a ldttle Tough, in places. From the outside of tha cut » littl*

drift was coming, and it -affected that side of the out for 10ft or 15ft. Inside this there wa3 no drift, and :t is. expected to cease from the outside -when the dredge gets ahead a bit — that is, if the idver keeps steady. The secretary of the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company reports that sluicing has been carried on at No. 1 elevator with satisfactory results. The manager expects to wash up on the Bth inst. The wash over the greater part of the paddock has been sluiced off. There have been many large stones, which hindered the progress of the work. At No. 2 elevator the ground has become much harder, and stones continue to be large and troublesome. As this has delayed the work, the manager is doubtful if he can. wash up on Wednesday as anticipated. A mining case, stated by Warden Cruickshank at Gore, for the opinion of the Supreme Court, came before Mr Justice Denniston in Chambers at Invercargill on Monday morning (says the Gore Standard). It was the outcome of a suit instituted by the Borough of Mataura against Chas. and Edward Marshall. The warden had found that the tailings and debris of the defendants' dredge flowed down the Waimumu stream into the main tail race,<.and held that defendants were not entitled to discharge the material as described so long as the effect thereof was that such tailings and debris should so flow into the race, notwithstanding a proclamation of September 5, 1902. The magistrate was ready to grant an injunction, but at the request of Mr Neave, counsel for the defendants, the warden agreed to state a case,_ reserving the following question, for the opinion of the court : "Is the proclamation of September 5, 1902, limited or restricted by the agreement and license so as to preclude the defendants from discharging tailings and debris produced by such mining operations into the Waimumu stream without having first obtadnecß the consent of the warden under clause 31 of the regulation under ' The Mining Act, 1898,' to use the said main tail race?" After hearing argument his Honor reserved his decision.

December 8. The secretary of the Otago Company reports that tie No. 1 dredge started work last Thursday after repairing elevator. No. 2 dredge is working rhro-'.gh old ground, and returns will therefore be poorer for a short time.

The Dunstan Lead dredge had a very satisfactory run last week. The ground woiked on was very shallow, and in some places it was very tight. The dredgemaster does not look for much iinpro/ement in the returns till the gicund begins to dip.

The master of the Junction Electric No. 1 dredge reports . that satisfactory progress was made with the wcrk of repaira last week. On the No. 2 dredge good headway was made with the work of bushing and repairing the buckets and links, and it was expected that they would be completed by the 7th, after which general repairing wa3 to be gone on with. The Sandy -Point dredgemaater reports that the actual timd worked last week was 130 hours. The width of the cut was 150 yards, the average depth of the ground 2Sft, the distance worked ahead 7ft, and the average height of the faes above water level 20ft. The prospects remained about the same as in the previous week, and the best gold was obtained in the centre of the cut. All the machinery wa-3 running well.

The master of the Mystery Flat dredge reports that on Monday morning last at 10 o'clock the pinion of the winch broke, and the dredge had to be closed down. A new one ias been ordered, and left Dunedin for the claim on Tuesday. The stoppage, the dredgemaster states, 'is unfortunate, as the prospects at the time were improving and a better return was expected for this week. The Electric No. 1 dredgemaster reports that last week repairs were carried out to the elevator crossbar and to the ladder, etc. The bottom tumbler was taken out, and it was .expected to be finished on Monday last, after which a start would be made to replace it. The buckets on the top side of the elevator will then be taken off, so that the stays can be taken out and straightened^ and" miost of them re-rivetted. At the same time the buckets and links will be rebushed. * Reporting uadsi date 3rd- insi,, tlis master

of the Waikaia dredge stated that ho had a very steady run for the week ended that date, except on Thursday morning, when the top ladder block pin cut through and a new one had to be made, work boing resumed at 10 o'clock the same night. On Friday the headline was altered so as to enable the freehold ground to be tailed up quicker. This may affect this week's return, but it will allow the dredge to get clear of that poition of the claim and so open down stream, where better returns will bo cbiained. The dredgemaster expected lo finish the protection of the freehold by the Bth. All the machinery was running well, and the dredge was turning over a lot of ground. The distance worked ahead by the Rise and Shine No. 1 dredge last week was 10ft, and the width of the cut 450 ft, with the depth of the ground varying up to about 50ft in a narrow strip. The prospects improved on Thursday, and acod ground was again coming in, there being plenty oi heavy '• Chinamen " in the wash. Most "of the cut was still shallow, with the exception of a small piece on the east side, which was past the bar. The gold was a better sample, and was much the same as has been obtained of late. A stoppage is to be made on Saturday, 10th, for an overhaul after an uninterrupted" run of 23 weeks. The distance worked ahead by the No. 2 dredge last week was 12ft. The wash was getting thicker in the east corner, and up to the end of the weeK was still tight and rough the whole width of the cut, which was 110 yards wide. The adjourned annual general meeting of the Bignell's No Town. Gold Dredging Company, called for on Wednesday, again lapsed for want of a quorum, enly two shareholders and the secretary ptitting in an appearance. From this it xihiv be gathered that the shareholders are well satisfied with the way their venture is ttirning out, and with the manner in which the affairs of the company are being managed. The meeting is now adjourned sine die. Messrs Mark Sprot and Co., Greymouth, sell by auction at their rooms on Thursday, 15th December, the whole of the assets of the Sullivan's Lead Gold Dredging Company, Limited (in liquidation). Full particulars of the dredge, claim, and water rights can be obtained from the auctioneers, or from the liquidator, Mr H. F M. Mercer, Water street, Dunedin. December 9.

The Roxburgh Jubilee dredge had another steady lun last week, and ail the machinery was working well. The ground on the east side oi the cut continued the same a« in the previous week. The ground worked on by the Clyde dredge last week was shallow and rough, and if it .-lid not improve before the end of this week it was ihe intension of the dredgemaster to prill ahead to the bridge, ptit on an extra length of funnel, P»d then drop down stream to op-_-n a paddock below the junction of the Macuherikia.

The master of the Matau dredge, writing under date Saturday, 3rd inst., stated that he expected to get bottom across the full width of the cut within a few days, and anticipated striking better ground as ho worked ahead. The dredge is jiow well within the mouth of Mu+tontown Gully. The actual time worked by the Electric No. 2 dredge last week was 115 hours, the distance worked ahead 20ft r and the width of the cut about 40ft, with the depth of ground varying from 25ft to 40ft below water level, and the general surface of the ground standing about 10ft above water level. The bulk of the gold won was coarse, about one-third of it being fine. During the week the cut was extended further into the beach, the edge of the paddock being about 50ffc inside the old line of the beach, and about 20ffc away from the old hut. On Friday afternoon a start was made to open out on deep ground on the river side of the cut in order to extend the cut in that direction also. The dredge got down to about 44ft without touching bottom, and as the drift got worse the deeper the dredge worked down the idea of going in+o the river had to be abandoned for the picsent. The dredge will, however, continvxe to voxk the shallower ground in the shelter of the beach. About eight shifts ■were lost trying the deep ground, so there will probably be no wash-up this week. December 9.

The liqtiidator of the Empire Gold Dredging Company (Mr R. Pilling, jun., Lawrence) invites alternative tenders foi the purchase of No. 1 and No. 2 dredges and claims at Waipori. An offer is invited for the two steam dredges of the -Cromwell Gold Dredging Company.

Mr S. E. Brent, secretary of the Last Chance Hydraulic, Sluicing, Elevating, and Dredging Company, reports a leturn of 18oz for one veek's sluicing 1 .

The master of the Unity dredge wired on Friday to th=s secretary as follows : — " No wash-up this week ; lesume dredging c n the west bank on Tuesday." The master of the Blackwater River dredge, reporting under date sth inst., stated that he was still lepairing, and expected that it would be a fortnight from tJien before repairs were completed.

The Lady. Annie dredge, which has lately come into prominence through winning some lather large'returos, has up till recently been Ihe property of a private syndicate, which has, however, now floated the concern into a limited liability conroam with a capital of £4209. The company has already been registered, and Mr W. E. C. Redd has been appointed, secretary. At a meeting of the directors of the company, held in the secretary's office, Government Life Insurance Buildings, yesterday afternoon, it was decided to instruct Mr Daniel Murray, the newly-appointed dredgemaster, to close down the dredge and commence a thorough overhaul, which will be completed by the end of the Christmas holidays after which dredging will be immediately resumed. A return of 620z 9dwt 16gr is reported by the secretary for 120 hours' dredging this week.

Writing under oate 3rd inst., the master of the Aldinga dredge stated that the crank sha.fi of the engine broke on Wednesday morning, SOtli ult., at -6 o'clock, so very little dredging was done during the remainder of the week. During the stoppage tiKe bottom tumbler was taken out and a new slssve put in, also a number oi ether repairs effected.

The Moonlight dredgeinaster, writing under dale 3rd mst., stated that he started dredging at 8 p.m. on Monday, 23th ult., but had to stop again on luesdsy owing to one of the bottom flanges of the driving roller breaking off. Repairs were, however, effected, after which the -dredge worked splendidly. A fair return is expected for this week as the dredge was m solid wash and the mats looked fair.

The directors of the Mastertou Gold Dredging Company have declared a dividend (the second) of 2s per share, payable on the 14th inst. Tbics represents a distribution of JESOO. and, -together with the dividend of 2s declared last month, makes the total amount paid back in dividends £1000. The balance of the unexpended captia! (£400) has been placed at fixed deposit, and will fc>e held as a reserve fund.

The Majestic dredge, which has been undergoing an overlraul, and has also had a new bottom tumble; placeS in position, recommenced dredging last Tuesday. The dredge will bo engaged for about a fortnight or three weeks in woiking a spare piece of ground belonging to the Ettrick -Gold Dredging Company on the bottom boundary of the latter's claim. Thereafter the dredgemaster proposes taking up a cut on tho bank side of the Majestic claim along %% Ettrjck gjd.e fix tlie riv«w

The New Woodstock dredge had a very fair lun last week Most of the gold was obtained during the last few shifts, and after the washup the mat 3 were looking fair. The dredge was working back on to the lead that crossed from the hill to the flat. There is good gold there, but there is too much timber. The faoe was from 20ft to 35ft above water level. The chedge is now turned right round from the way sho was working a few weeks ago. The North Beach dredgemaster, reporting for last week stated that he did not retort as the pmount of gold won was too small. One and a-half shifts were lost on Tuesday owing to putting up a new counter shaft on the toxj of the elevator, the old one being worn out. The .shingle on which the dredge was working last week continued about the same as m the previous week, and showed no signs of improvement. Da-rin^ the week ths ladder was dropped in different places on. to the bottom, but there were no signs of gold being underneath. December 12. Thd secretory of the Royal Waimumu Company reports that th<J dredge was stopped for repairs last week. Tlie master of the Golden Gate dredge wired on Saturday that the return for the week was 13oz. The river was rising. There was no wash-up on the Junction Waikaka dredge last week owing to time being lost through boiler inspection and repairing boiler tubes.

The master of the Gabriel No. 1 dredge leports that he washed up foi a return of 19oz 6:1 wt for a full week's run. He expects that the returns will be- better for a time as the dredge was in better ground, and there was not so much clay to contend with, while there was irißre wash than formerly. The ground was getting deeper, a.nd, provided there are no accidents, the dredge will be on the down cut in about a fortnight.

The secretary of the Rise and Shine Company reports the following returns for last week- — No. 1 dredge, TGoz ldwt for 130 hours' work; No. 2 dredge, 30oz ldwt for 130 hours' wcrk. The master of the No. 1 dredge wired that the prospects were very good. The secretary reports that the company is now clear of debt. The effort to clear off the cost of the new dredge took longer thau was expected, cwing chiefly to the No. 2 dredge not striking very good ground. Her returns for the past two weeks however, show an improvement.

The rise which the Molyneux River underwent on Friday night will doubtless^ prove a hindrance to effective operations being carried on by a number of dredges, but as* far as 4he Alexandia Lead dredge is concerned the rise is net an unwelcome one. Up till now this dredge has been unable to get into the bank owing to the river "being too low. Now ih;it there is a rise, however, the dredge will be shifted to the lower boundary of the claim, from where she will tak' up a cut into the bank, and will then bs able to work ahead without interruption for some time to come.

The master of the Three-mile (Greenstone Creek) dredge, reporting foi the week ended 3rd inst., stated that the wash was very rough and tight during the past few days, and, on account of the screen being shalty, not very much material was put through. The ground was still very shallow at the middle of the face, but it seemed to be improving on the north side. In some places the wash looked really well, and should it makfc the same all over the face there would be. some good returns. The dredgemaster expected that the ground would . get deeper at the middle of the face when ihe drecige go 3 a few yards ahead. December 13.

Mr Win. Adams, of View street, invites three or six partners to co-operate with hum in working the Golden Gravel dredge, or, if so desired, Tie will sell his interest.

The Mokoia dredgemaster wired, the secretary on Monday taht he lost 16 hours on Saturday, the river being ioo high. Boiler inspection was to take place on Tuesday. The master of the Ettrick dredge reports that he had a steady run last week. The ground was about the same depth as on the previous week. He made the cut wider on the outside.

The New Perseverance dredgemaster reports that owing to the heavy drift he found it impossible to continue working the No. 2 dredge in her old position, and has now shifted her down to the paddeck which was being worked by the No. 1 dredge. Shifting the dredge and erecting the elevator occupied the whole week, but the dredge is now going again. The No. 1 drouge broke her crown, wheel late on Saturday, 3rd inrt., but a new one has been cast, and fhould arrive iv time to allow the dredge to cimmeiice work about theJaeginning of the week.

An Auckland telegram states that during October and November the Crown IVAnes, Karangahake, recovered £3005 from 2091 tons of ore milled.

According to the November issue of the New Zealand Mines Record, three prospecting licenses have been granted on the Wilberforce to Messrs James S. Wilson, Melville G. Gray, and James Billett The three areas, comprising 100 acres eaph, are in the neighbourhood of Lake Browning. Two other applications (100 acres each) are pending, and otm application for a special claim of 100 acres is awaiting survey, bat this cannot be completed owing to the snow. A syndicate has been formed at Waihi for prospecting the quartz reefs on the Wilberforce.

Tha directors of the Upper Waipori Alluvial Gold Dredging Company have declared a dividend r (the thirty-eighth) of Is per share, payable on Saturday, 17th inst.