Notes from Greymouth.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 32

Notes from Greymouth.

(Faoic Ott» Own Correspondent.)

GREYMOUTH, December 14. The Blackwater Lagoons dredge last week got 17oz. The dredge is now out of the drift, and the prospects are very promising ; in fact, they are better than at any time since the dredge started. The Stony Mosquito dredge only worked two days last week. There was no wash-up, and the prospect is poor. The Feddersen dredge, which last week got 450z, will close down for repairs this week. The boiler was to be inspected by the Government inspectors to-day and on Thursday, and it has been decided to thoroughly overhaul the dredge and machinery, a procedure which is expected to be finished about the New Year. The Three-mile Greenstone dredge gave a return of liqj. 13dwt for last week. The dredge is now working in new ground, which is very hard and stony. Rough, heavy stones have to be dealt with, causing certain delays. The Greenstone Junction dredge also washed up with 12oz 17dwt of gold for the week. This dredge is working at a depth of 40ft from the water level, with onljr about 4ft or sft of gold-bearing wash.

The New Greenstone dredge had another slight mishap, causing a stoppage for a few days.

The Greenstone Creek dredge is giving fair returns, and the new owners are well satisfied with the purchase.

The Wheel of Fortune dredge resumed work on Saturday.

The return of the Rockland's Beach, dredge last week was 360z 14dwx~for 156 hours.

The Garden Gully Quartz Mining Company is calling for tenders for large supplies of timber. The machinery should be in full work in about four months.

December 18,

All the dredges close down at the and of this week for tha holidays. Some of them will work up till Saturday night. The Bigneil's ~No Town dredge obtained 450z 9dwt for the week, with better wash for the last two or three days. The dredge is now closed down till the New Year. During the interval the machinery will be thoroughly overhauled. The claim has the best face of wash on the Coast at the present time, and 1 the dredge is anticipated to have a very successful three months' run.

The Blackwater River dredge will start on Monday, and have a full week's run before Christmas. The machinery is in excellent order, but as the next few days' work 'will mostly consist of cleaning up the face preparatory to the start of the New Year the return will not bo a large one. •

The Blackwater Lagoon 3 dredge is in fairly good wash, which it is believed will extend to the boundary of ihe Blackwater River. If so 250z to SOoz per week may be expected for a long time^ to come. Tho Pac-tolus No. 2 dredge appears to have got through the poorer belt of wash, and at the end of the we"ek the wash was showing % considerable improvement. Her return for 135 hours was 61oz 14dwt. No. 2 dredge will get a good start in January, and about the end of the month should be on similarly good ground. It is prstty certain that this claim: will be the biggest gold-yielder during the next year

The Jamieson's Reward dredge got 28oz for the week, notwithstanding the fact that she was part of the time in small drifts. The company has a good bit of money m band, and expects to declare a dividend before Christmas.

The yield of the Nelson Creek dredge was SOoz. The present position is somewhat unsatisfactory, there being a very heavy deposit of tailings in front of and around the dredge". Although there is oiily 4ft of wash above water level there is still a deep deposit of tailings below, the belief being that the dredge is now in a pothole scooped out in years gone by, and into which there has besn a lajrge flow of tailings. There are, moreover, large banks of tailings around, which will have to be worked through, and they will militate against big returns for some time to come It is just possible that the present pothole may not be of any great extent, and, if so much better yields may be looked for.'

The North Beach obtained 19oz 6dwt of amalgam. I do not look for a material imprcvement for some time to come.' The New Woodstock^ dredge got 18oz' for the week out of fairly rich wash, which, however, is so rough as to prevent anything like a full- complement of material being, treated.

TKe Callaghan's Creek jdredge 'washed up38oz lOdwt foi 130 hours. The dr^lge is in aricher patch, but >past experience " does not warrant any expression of opinion as to howlong it will last.

The Moonlight dredge got 21oz 12dwt for 125 hours. The wash is rich, but is so full of large boulders as to terribly hamper operations, v

The return of the Mosquito dredge is not to- hand, but the yield will not be a very largeone.

The Stony-Mosquito claim is not looking well, in point of fact at present there is nothing but barren tailings.

From Healey's Gully the^mformation in regard to the Republic sluicing claim is satisfactory, and the company will have a good. Christmas washing. Montgomery's Terrace claim is not looking so well. Until a week ago there was every appearance of a sound profitable return. Last week, however, the nozzle worked into fine river drift, with very little go-Id. There is no saying what may bat the extent of this material, but so long as it lasts the returns will be small. The Waime* and Howard sluicing claims are all doing very well, and substantial yields will be got ort Friday and Saturday.