THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 24

THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS

March 28. - The manager of the Island Block sluicing claim reports having washed up for a return of 14ooz lldwt. The Chicago Company's new dredge h»s had a, very broken run since starting on Monday. 20th inst., consequently there was no wash-up for last week. On Saturday last the prospects were very fair. The Lady Roxburgh dredge was last week operating on a cut 126 ft wide, most of which was worked ground. On Friday the cut was narrowed down. The machinery was running well. A new bottom tumbler has been cast lor ihe dredge, and will be despatched to the claim this week.

The secretary of the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Compsray has received from the manager of No. 1 elevator information that iluicing had been discbntinned during the nreek owing to want of water. Some weak and low places in -the race bank have had attention. At No. 2 sluicing has been carried on Intermittently, owing to shortage cjf water. The following items are from the Cromwell A-rgna : — The Revival dredge is working in rery rough ground at -present, the stones being of considerable size. — The Nevis dredges are all working away steadily. — The Alpine Consols dredge made a start on its buckets this morning, and should start dredging next week. The private company which owns the Prince Albert dredge at the Luggate has closed down for' a. while.

Reporting under date 25th inst., the Waikaia dredgemaster stated that there was no change of any consequence to report in the ground. The dredge was still opening out down stream, and was keeping the face 100 yards wide. The ground continued about the Bame in quality, while the depth varied from 17ft to 23ft. The machinery was running well.

As the river is now going down steadily, and it within a foot of the depth at which the Sailor's Bend dredge was able to bottom last season, it should not be long before that dredge is able to commence work. There are, however, as yet no frosts at night, and it would take very little to put the river up.

The Alexandra Lead dredgemaster, reporting under date 26th inst., stated that he did not have such a. gopd run last week owing to several repairs having to be attended to. If the dredge puts in good time this week, however, an improved return may be looked for. The average depth of the ground being worked was 23ft above water level, and about the same depthTieiow that mark.

March 30.

The Hessey's dTedgemaster reports having had a very decent run last week, and fair progress was made with getting through the tailings. All going well, a fortnight should see the dredge out of the tailings into solid ground. The Junction Electric Company's No. 1 dredge is at present in charge of s, caretaker, and it is expected that as the river is now about down to a suitable level she will shortly be put into commission again. The distance worked ahead by the Kise and Shine No 1 dredge last week was Bft. and the width of the cut over 450 ft, with the depth wurying up to 50ft. Prosnecls were slightly

on the improve, soft bottom coming in near the centre of the cut with " niaoris " and blacksand. The wash was very tight and carried a greater nitmber of " Chinamen " than has been the case' for many weeks past.

The master of the Junction Electric No. 2 dredge, reporting under date 27th inst., stated that up till "Wednesday he had a very broken run, but during the last three days of the week everything was running steadily The solid ground the dredge has been working m for the past few weeks has run out, and the dredge is now working in a wide cut of old ground. The probability is that she will be shifted down below the junction of the two rivers, as it is believed the ground there would give about 250z per week on being worked over again. The master of the No. 3 dredge reports that by Tuesday night, 21st inst., he had the dredge down to where she was to start work, and dredging was commenced on Monday last, 27th inst., at 4 p.m. In the' interval several repairs and alterations were being carried out. The boiler was cleaned out, some of the lines spliced, and the spare buckets bushed and repaired. The sand chute was also extended so as to deliver the tailings well out front the dredge.

The actual time worked by the Electric No. 1 dredge last week was 132 hours, the distance worked ahead 24ft, and the width of the cut 96ft. The ground varied in depth up to 41ft. The majority of the gold won was of a fine character, and the prospe-cts up to Thursday morning were poor. On Friday and Saturday there was a slight improvement. The ground on the Baunockburn side and in the centre of the river continued very rough, and the dredge was still working on the point of the slip. The ground on the Cromwell side was the deepest and was still dipping. Repairs on the No. 2 dredge were completed on Friday night last, dreding being resumed at 10 o'clock. Up to the end of the week r.o bottom had been reached, and the ground showed signs of being very rough.

None of the dredging concerns carrying on operations in the Waikaia district has as yet provided anything of a phenonianal nature m the way of returns, but, with about one exception, they have all turned out extremely satisfactory investments. Altogether" there are about 10 or 11 dredges engaged in the district, and among these^is that of the Muddy Creek Company. This "company was registered m November, 1901, with, the comparative l y small ca.pita.l of £2500, of which amount £1120 has been subscribed. A statement of affairs as at December 31 last shows that the gold yield for the 12 months ended that date was 7830z Gdwt. of a value of £2908 17s 4d. The expenditure over this production was £2673 as 4d, thus leaving a fair margin of profit. Since registration the gold output has been £6920z ldwt, of a value of £10,503 8s 2d, while the expenditure during the same period was £9352 19a sd, and the amount of dividends declared £738. On December 31 last there was cash at the bank to tho amount of" £75 Is 3d, and debts owing by the company totalling £807 11s 2d.

An Auckland telegram states that the Auckland gold returns for the past three weeks total J257.03G.

March 31

The Three-mile (Greenstone Cieek) dredgeroaster wired the secretary on Thursday that lie had started dredqmg on Wednesday night; also that there was a big flood on Thursday. The New Roxburgh Jubilee dredge was last week workins; on p. fairly high reef, carrvinsr very little gold, hence the small return. The machinery was aJI running well. It is proboble that Mr "W. Wood, at present winchnian on the Junction Electric Ko. 2 dredge, will' be appointed mastsr of the dredge. Mr Alexander Ross is to remain in charge of the No. 3 dredge, and Mr James Richardson will take charge of the No. 1 dredge. The Junction Electric No. 1 dredge will resume dredging at -midnight on Sunday next. The secretary is in receipt of advice that the No. 3 dredge is working into the newly-acquired ground, and should have a face opened out by the end of this week and a return at the end of Dext week.

The Dunstan Lead dredgemaster, writing under date 2Sth inst., stated that repairs would be completed on "Wednesday, 29th inst., when

a stail was to be made to take the dredge up t-he liver. It was expected that if all went well the dredge would be into position on Saturday, co as to be able to resume diedging en Sunday at midnight.

Tho Punt dredgemaster. reporting under date 25th inst., stated that last week's actual dredging time was 123 i hours, and the distance worked ahead 12ft. There was no improvement in 'lie ground, it being about tlie> same a& in the previous week. It was also getting lougher, there being more large stones, which welt hard on the bucket lips.

The master of the New Alpme Consols dredge, writing i.nder date 28lh mst., stated that all the buckets, etc.. arrived last Saturday, nearly a week sooner than was expected. start was made on Monday to put on the new roller and get things ready for fixing en the buckets. Ho fully expected to have them all on and coupled up by Saturday. Before starting, however, a few repairs will have to be done.

Rep-ortmg under date 25th inst., the Sandy Point dredgemaster stated that the actual time worked last week was 123 hours, the width of the cut 150 yards, the average depth of the ground 26ft, the distance worked ahead 7ft, and the height of the face above water level 22ft. The prospects remained good up to Wednesday, but during the remainder of the week they "were only fair. The face being worked on was very silty and the bottom very tight, thus making it severe on the bucket lips. Some tiouble was experienced owing to the headline breaking several times. Stacking on the inside of the cut was very tight, and the paddock was still very low.

A meeting of the directors of the Reeves'sPropne'sry Gold Dredging Company was held at Christchurch on the 27th, and Mr Scott (the dredgeinaster) attended. Mr Scott reported that both dredges were now in good working order, and that the prespects of the company were never better than at the present time. He had every reason to believe that the recent returns will be maintained, as the No. 1 dredge is in good ground, and the No. 2 dredge is now into Burkes Creek, where a run of gold is known to exist. The secretaiy reported that since the balance sheet was issued to November 30 la&i, the company had been able to meet all liabihtie-, and had now a credit balance in hand of £185 after making provision, for all known liabilities, except the debentures, and the interest due in June next.

April 1. There will be no wash-up on the Hartley ai»d Eilev dredge this week.

The Mokoia dredgemaster wired on Friday thai he had to contend with, a rising river, consequently there ivould be no -wash-up.

There was no wash-up on the Mystery Flat dredge this week, owing to repairs being carried on.

The Waimumu dredgemaster reports that owing to poorness of ground and shoTt time worked he will not wash up this week."

Reporting for last week the Bignell's No Town dredgemaster stated that the north face was being gradually worked over towaids the north side, thus following up the old paddock; consequently a large quantity of tailings had to be removed. The object is to gradually work through the old tailings so as to enable the dredge to work to a greater depth that ground which could not be bottomed- when opening o\it. The Moonlight dredgemaster, reporting for the week ended March 25, stated that he had a good week's dredging, the actual time worked being 117h hours. The return also showed a little improvement as compared with the previous week's. The ground was dipping all across the face, being at an average depth of 14ft. In the centre it was hard and rough, and the dredgemaster was of the opinion that the hard ground would make right acros3 .the cut, and as this is the kind of ground that carries the gold the returns should undergo an improvement.

The Sheddan's Waikaka Freehold Gold Dredging Company again did remarkably well last year, with the result that fortunate shareholders have now received back in dividends the whole of their investment. The gold output for last year was 1115.90z, of a value of £4284 10s 3 Id, and the expenditure £4476 7s Id. The gold yield since registration in April, 1900, has been 4473.70z, of a, value of £17,281 11s 4d, the expenditure £23.055 0s 3d, and the amount of dividends declared £6500. On- December 31st last there was cash at the bankers to the amount of £305 18s 7d, as against which there were debts totalling £130.

April 3.

The secretaiy of the Rising Sun Company reports that repairs were being carried on all last week, and that dredging was to be resumed at midnight on Sunday. There was no wash-up on the Elecrtic No. 2 dredge last week. Bottom was reached on Friday morning for the first time, and the ground being worked was very rough.

There was no wash-up on the Molyneux Kohinoor dredge last week.

The Otago No. 1 dredge only resumed work on Friday last, so there was no wash-up at the end of the week. The No. 2 dredge is at present undergoing an overhaul.

There was no wash-up on the Clutha River dredge last week, owing to being engaged in removing- tailings to enable her to work to better advantage.

The New Perseverance Company's dredgemaster reports that the No. 1 dredge has been storiped to renew tumbler bushes arid) elevator pinions, and only resumed dredging on Friday, fo there was no leturn for the week. The No. 2 washed up for a return of 2Soz for a week's dredging. The secretary of the Rise and Shine Company reports a return of 320z from the No. 1 dredge for last week. Prospects were rerjortcd to be steadily improving. The No. 2 dredge resumed: work on Thursday morning, but there was no wash-up for the week.

The master of the Golden Gate dredge reports a return of Boz Gdwt for the week ; river falling. He is taking advantage of the state of the river to work over again a strip of ground where good returns were secured when the machine was fitted up with a sluice box. The master anticipates securing payable returns from the ground.

The secretary of the Enterprise Company reports a return of lOoz 3dwt 3gr from the No. 2 dredge for 130 hours' woik last week. The dredge was working tailings in old ground*, and a better return is expected next week. The No. 1 dredge was being shifted down stream to the lower claim, consequently there was no wasli-urj.

Th? dhectors of the Sandy Point Gold Dredging Company have declared a dividend (the {■•letlith) of Is per share, payable on Friday, 7th