THE WEEKS_MINING NEWS. April 5.

Otago Witness, Issue 2665, 12 April 1905, Page 28

THE WEEKS_MINING NEWS. April 5.

The M&sterton Company's dredgemasteT rejorts having had a good run last week, everything working vrell. A better return is expected for this week. Everything on the Lady Annie dredge was running satisfactorily last week. The average depth of the ground was about 18£t, and the - width of the cut 105 yds. Mr S. E. Brent, secretary of the Shotover Quartz Mining Company, reports the following returns for the month of February: — 38oz of nnelted bullion from 152 tons crushed, and 13oz of cyanide bullion from 18 tons of concentrates; — total, 51oz.

Some of the dredging companies carrying on "»pcrations on the Upptr Clutha intend trying Ah© experiment of having one engineer for two Hredges. In this connection Mr Hugh Murray, of tho Rise and Shine No. 2 dredge, has been 'appointed engineer of , thai company's two flredges. Tho Rising- Sun and Punt Com- • panics have come to a like understanding as , Regards their respective dredges, and an engineer will shortly be appointed to iook after the machines. Mr S. E. Brent, secretary of the Last Chance "Hydraulic Sluicing, Elevating, and Dredging Company, reports a return af-,lßoz lOdwt 2gr Jrom the last paddock. The mine manager retorts that he has opened up another paddock . In better ground. The Mystery Flat dredge got started on Friday night last at 6 o'clock, not being able jo start sooner owing to the non-arrival of the tew bait. Everything ran well on commencfeig, and the dredgemaster expects to have a fair Return this week. The Alexandra Lead dredgemaster, reporting junder date 2nd inst., stated that a good deal tof time was lost last week through having to MEect necessary repairs to the screen, also owing to being troubled with silt. The return shows that the ground in the bank is good, and will Jmprove aa the dredge gets further into it, as tat the start a good deal of dead work had to *c done. I The Hessev's dredge made fair progress with Sgetting through the tailings last week. The feround was very rough and stony, but the ■firedgemaster expects to be through the greater mart of the tailings in another week. Everyjuig on the dredge was running well. i The cut worked by the Lady Roxburgh dredge iast week was not more than 90ft wide, indications on the east side not warranting widening pn that direction. This week the cut was to ft>e extended into the west side again. The Jdredge -was working steadily, and putting ilhrough a great amount of material. f The secretary of the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company reports that the weather 'is still warm, and wa-ter short for sluicing. On Monday morning light snow showers fell, ibut only lasted a short while. The manager of the No. 1 writes that the water supply is '•shorter than it has been for the last four years. 'lAt No. 2, owing to the shortage of water, sluicirig is only occasionally possible. ' An alluvial rush has taken place about two l *niles and a-half north of Bayley street, Coolbardie (W.A.) On March 23 one man got a goz nugget which, up to then, was the largest reported. One-xif the d£yjjlowers in the claim,

next to the prospectors' got a nnggpt weighing 220z 13dwt. On March 25 a nugget weighing 23dwt, and another weighing 15dwt wore found. Whero the gold is being obtained, practically on the surface, the country is composed of ironstone. There are several similar hills in tho neighbourhood.

The following items are from the Cromwell Argus : — Rising Sun resumed dredging on Sunday. — A Nevis syndicate has been formed to work the School Flat by hydraulic. — The Clufcha River dredge was in old dredged tailings most of the week and did not wash up. She will have to go through a portion of these before she reaches good ground. — The dredgemaster of the Halfway House has just completed a coal road. The river is still too high to allow of a start being made, as the ground is exceedingly deep. — It is reported that a shortage of water exists at Skippers. — Mr F. W. Payne, consulting engineer, of Dunedin, spent a part of last week in inspecting the Clutha fleet, and expects to be able to reduce the coal consumption on the Clutha by alterations to the engines. Mr R. Misbart, who some time ago left Cromwell for Bolivia in connection with dredging pursuits m that part of the world, has written home a long letter under date January 23), and from tshis the Cromwell Argus makes a, few extracts. At the time of writing Mr Misbart had baen in the country about two months, but during that time had not done much work chiefly owing to delays in the transmission of tools. There were three claims in the district, and four men were engaged on each claim. The elevator, screen, and main ladder were being fitted together after being built on the claim. The pontoons for one of the dredges had ju3t come to hand, and were to be fitted up immediately. The work was estimated to take about six months, so it will ba some time before an idea is obtained of tho actual nature of the ground. If it goes anything like prospects the dredges should get lOOOoz per we"ek. The poorest prospect went l£dwt to the yard, and some as high as 4dwt to the yard. It is splendid dredging ground, with no sign of boulders, and the narrowest part of the river is about a quarter of a zaVe wide, and most of it half a mile, with the ground about 35ft deep.

An Auckland telegram states that during ths month ending* March 25 the Komata Reefs Gold Mining Company treated 1260 tons of ore for bullion valued at £3557.

April 6. Tenders are invited for the purchase of the Chicago Gold Dredging Company's No. 1 dredge, as she lies moored on her claim.

The New Fourteen-mile Beach dredgemaster wired the secretary on Wednesday that the mats were looking well.

The Dunstan Lead dredgemaster wired on Wednesday that he had resumed work on Tuesday afternoon, but will take about a week to open out.

The- Rising Sun and Punt Companies having decided to try the experiment of having one engineer for the two dredges-Jjave appointed to that position Mr J. H. Jones, marine engineer, and at one time engineer on the first-named dredge.

The Punt dredgemaster reports that the actual time worked last week was 113 hours, and the distance worked ahead 12ft. There vas still no improvement in the ground. One of the elevator beaters broke during the week, and the ground continued very rough and stony, and consequently was hard on the bucket lips. The distance worked ahead by the Rise and Shine No. 1 dredge last week was 6ft, and the iwidth of the cut over 450 ft, with the depth of the ground varying up to and. over 50ft. The dredge is now on improved ground, with good wash and soft bottom corning in across -.he cut. The wash 'is very tigtt and full of " Chinamen " and wash stonss. Much better prospects are now being obtained towards the east side, and appearances indicate that batter prospects may be looked for.

The Waimumu dredgemasteT reports having had a steady run last week, but there was no improvement in the ground, therefore the returns for the next week or two vull be small until the dredge gets opened out on the return evit. Everything on boaid. was running wellf ;

The llolyneus: Kohinoor dredgemaster, reporting under date- Ist inst., stated, that after repairing some of the buckets, drop chute, and man friction, a start was made on Tuesday night. There was a considerable aniotuit of san-el to be lifted out of the paddock, but when bottom was "struck the prospects were found to be better. A cut was being worked on the west side, and the centre of the reef came in and caused the gold to be split. It is the intention of fhe dr&dgsmaster to keep on the west side just now, as it can be worked without the elevator.

The Junction Electric No. 2 dredge had a very fair run last week up to 8 a.m. on. Saturday, when there was a stoppage to shift the lines. The width of the cut being worked was about 90ft, the depth of the ground from 15ft to 30ft, and the distance worked ahead 30ft. The ground for the greater vr.rt had been previously worked, and prospects were poor. All the machinery was running well. The Junction Electric No. 3 dredgemaster reports having commenced dredging on Monday, 27th ult., ait 4.30 p.m., and sine© then up to Monday last the dredge had a fairly steady run. Some difficulty was experienced in getting the cut opened out, owing to the river being low. However, a cut was ultimately opened out, and will be gradually extended into t>he bank as the dredge works ahead. Where the dredge was working at the end of last week .the bottom rises very quickly going into the bank, but it is expected to dip slightly as the dredge goes ahead.

"The actual time -worked by the Electric No. 1 dredge last week was 137 hours, the distance wcyke-d ahead 27ft-, and the width of the cut 91ft, with the depth of the ground varying up to 43ft. The gold won was of a mixed sample, coarse and fine, with the coarse stuff inclined to be flakey. The prospects during the week showed the gTound to be patchy but on the improve, and more uniform prospects were obtained near the centra of the river. The dredgs is now working through the largest part of the slip, but there is still a great amount of heavy rock to be shifted, which is very rough on the machinery. The master of the No. 2 dredge reports that dredging was CErried on steadily all last week, but the ground turned out to be extremely rough and full of large boulders. On this aocount bottom was not reached until Friday morning. Up to the present the dredge has only boen able to work the south edge of the deep strip, and conseqtiently no width of face haa yet been opened out. The bottom appeared to be paved with boulders, and apparently the only chance of getting the face opened cut is to gradually edge in from the side as the dredge works ahead. Owing to the extreme roughness of the gTound the buckets got oft 3 the tumbler about 10 times while a number of links were broken." The deepest ground bottomed was 46ft in depth There was still gold on the top mats on Monday last, but nothing much to speak of.

April 7. The First Chance dredgemaster expects to resume dredging on or about the 13th inst.

The Junction Electric No. 1 dredge started work at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the machinery running well. There will be no wash-up this week.

The new buckets on the New Alpine Consols dredge are now all in position and everything in order, and the dredgemaster expected to be able to resume dredging on Friday. The ground worked by the Matau dredge was about the same last week as in the previous week, with the depth varying from 28ft on the west side to 33ft on the east side of the cut, which was about 35 yards wide.

The Clyde dredgemaster reports that the chrift was bad all last -week along the western side of the workings. The ground there was about 30ft deep, and carried fair prospects. On the east side the ground was barely payable, with the exception of a very narrow strip of schist bottom, which carried a little coarse gold.

The New Roxburgh Jubilee dredgemaster reports that prospects were steadily improving last week. The cut being worked was about 70ft wide, and there was about 10ft of hard bottom on the east side, with the remainder a soft reef, with a fair sprinkling of Maoris showing.

The Ettrick Company's dredge is working out into the river as far as the running drift and level of the water will allow. Last -week very rough wash with large stones was struck, and a number of large water-worn stones, known as " Chinamen," were brought up by the bucket's. The dredgemaster reports that it is the roughest ground for stones that he has ever come across, consequently the machinery has been knocked about considerably in lifting the tones, etc. The old dredge apparently tried to work this piece of ground, but only skimmed the top of it.

Reporting under date Ist inst., the Waikaia dredgemaster stated that opening out down, stream was continued last week. About 35ft was dropped on the- up-stream part of the cut, reducnig the width of the face to that extent. The ground got shallower, and up to Saturday night was drifty and poor. The width of the face was 90 yards, and the" depth of the ground from 17ft to 20ft.

The Clutha River dredge was engaged all last week in dredging away the tailings, and it was expected that) it would take the best part of this week, if not the whole, to bring it tip to the cut. If the dredge could get in a. day or so on solid ground there would be a wash-up, but if not there would be little use doing so, as nothing was oemg got out of the tailings. A Eeefton telegram states that the Big River Company's mine manager in his report states that No. 8 level has been driven 20ft for the week, making the distance from the shaft 272 ft.

The directors of the Waikaka United G-okl Dredging Company have declared a dividend (the eleventh) of Is per share, payable forthwith.

April 8.

The actual time worked by the Sandy Point dredge last week was 125 hours, the width of the cut 150 yds, the deptih of the ground 26ft, and the distance worked ahead 7ft. The height of the face above water level was 22ft. The prospects were fair, and the sample of gold very fine. The Moonlight dredgemaster. reporting for the week ended April 1, stated that the smaller return was due to a stoppage on account of shortage of coal occasioned by a flood in the creek rendering it impossible to get coal to the dredge. During the stoppage the crew was PKga.ged repairing buckets. Eveiything on board was working well. Reporting for last week the Three-mile (Greenstone Creek) dredgemaster stated thai he resumed dredging on Wednesday, 29th ult., at 9 p.m. after completing- repairs to the ladder. The creek was very high on Thursday, and advantage was taken of the high water level in the paddook to work over the top of a very large boulder. The feather, continuing wet. enabled the dredge to get far enough ahead of the boulder so jjs to cause very little inconvenience when the creek goes down again. The waah treated was very poor, and as the dredge was unable to clean up the bottom it was handicapped a great deal. Figure? relating to the gold export from the colony for last month show that the output is a shrinking one. The amount o£_ gold ex-

poited from the colony during Maich was 1!4,0240z, of a value of £137,109, as against ■15,0640z, of a value of £172,877 in March 1904. The first three months of the two years compared arc as follow: — January to March 1904, 3 26,5990z, valued at £485,033; January to March, 1903, 123,9720z, valued at £500,189. The silver exported also shows a falling-off. Last month it was 70,9730z, -valued at £7237, as against 87,2560z. valued at £9009 in March, 1904.

An Auckland telegram states that the Talisman Consolidated Gold Mining Company tieaiod 3550 tons or ore for bullion valued at £10,510.

April 10. The Waimumu Queen dredge was under repairs last week, consequently there was no wash-up.

There was no wash-up on the Waikaka dredge last week owing to the pump runner breaking.

The secretary of the Waikaka Syndicate reports that there was no wash-tip last week owing to repairing.

The Three-mile (Greenstone Creek) dredgemaster reports having washed up for a return of ISoz 16dwt as the result of 120 hours' work. He also wired that the ground was deepening. There was no wash-up on the Majestic dredge last week. . The master reports that lie was engaged until Thursday evening repairing the buckets and in carrying out other necessary work, and did not resume dredging until Friday morning. He anticipates a decent wash-up at the end of the current week.

A Westport telegram says : — The coal output last week was 13,782 tons 12cwt, of which 12,970 tons 16cwt were from the Westport Coal Company's mines and 811 tons 16cwt from the Seddonville State mine.

The extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of the New Golden Beach Hydraulic Elevating and Dredging Company (Limited) railed for Saturday evening to pass an extraordinary resolution to put the company into liquidation was attended by only six members. It therefore lapsed for want of a quorum and was adjourned to Saturday night, the 15th April.

April 11

The secretary of the Enfield Company reports a return of 15oz 2dwt 12gr for 130 hours' woik. The ground was nruch about the same as in the previous week, and consisted of all rock bottom. The depth on the north side was 17ft, and on the south side, in the corner of the cut, 6ft.

Shareholders in the Junction Waikaka Gold Dredging Company -will shortly be called together for the purpose of considering, and, if thought fit, passing a resolution to the effect that the company be wound up voluntarily.

The directors and consulting engineer (Mr F. W. Pa3Tie) of the Alexandra I/cad Company are at present on a visit to the dredge in connection with the elevator, as just now the fine material being worked is giving a good deal of trouble. No doubt Mr Pay^ne will, after an inspection, make such alterations as will enable the elevator to overcome the difficulty occasioned by the ever troublesome silt.

The .Rising Sun dredgemaster, reporting for the week ended April 8, states that owing to the quantity of silt deposited in the paddock while the dredge was stopped repairing, it took three days to bale it out, consequently the cut W9 s only crossed twice and the distance worked ahead 6ft. Part of the paddock is now very rough, and the bottom is mostly sandy clay.

The Belle Vue Company's dredge, which has been stopped whilst a new tumbler shaft hab been fitted on, is expected to resume operations on the 13th inst.