THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 2691, 11 October 1905, Page 28

THE WEEK'S MINING NEWS

October 4. The secretary of the Tinker's Sluicing Co. wires 'a wash-up for 131oz' lOdwt from the -boxes for the- month of September. The master of the Alexandra Lead dredge ■wires having had a trial run cf the machinery on Monday, when everything ran well.

The Hessey's dredgemaster reports having tad a fair run for last week, with the exception of a 1033 of 15 hours riveting the ladder.

In his report for last week the master of iho Mystery Flat dfredgo stated that two and R-half or three chains of the eastern boundary Still continued very rough, while the bottom Vyas again very uneven.

The Waikaia dredgemaster reports having fcad a good run last week, everything working pmoothly. The wash improved across the face, Which was six and a-half chains wide. The flepth of the ground was the same as in the torevious week. All the machinery was running ta-ell. -

With the exception of the -winch clutch, giving way everything on the Masterton dredge was running well last week. Having a duplicate clutch on hand, the dredgemaster lost only four hours in taking the old one pff and substituting the new one.

The master of the Lady Roxburgh dredge reports having had a few stoppages last week putting on repaired buckets and links. The ground worked had apparently been treated before, but more solid wash was coming in on the west side. .The cut was about 70ft wide. The jlredge is at present working fairly close into the west side, and the reef is inclined to dip. The return from the Nelson Creek diedge lor last week was 330z for 118 hours' work.

The Slab Hut Creek dredge last week obtained % return of 18oz lOdwt for 115 hours' work. - -The directors of the Golden Run Co. have fleclared a dividend of 2s 6d per share, payfcble on Tuesday, 10th. inst.

The directors of the Golden Treasure Co. have declared a dividend of 2s per share, payfcble on Tuesday, 10th inst.

The Waimumu dredgemaster, in a report Sated 30th ult., stated that the dredge was Hopped on Tuesday, 26th, the screen being tompletely done. The dredge hands are now engaged taking ofi the screen elevator, tables, »tc. A start has been made putting on. the |

sluice box. and this i.3 expected to be completed in about eight or ten days. - Writing under date 30th uli, the> master of the Molyneux Kohinoor dredge stated that he started at daylight on Monday morning, 25th uli.,' to fit on the. elevator spur wheel, and this being done a" start was made at 10 a.m. the same day. The paddock had, during the stoppage, become silted up so badly that it was found 'necessary to blind the screen, .and it was well on in the week before there was a clear face opened* out. On this account there was no wash-up.

The Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company reports that during the past week satisfactory progress -has been made at elevator No. 1. The weather has been somewhat broken, and hindered operations for a few hours. At No. 2 washing down boxes and cleaning up bottom has been completed for a return of 1520z 13dw_t 21gr. The manager expected to resume sluicing on Wednesday, the 4th, after putting in new dirt pipes, removing nozzle lines, and such preliminary work. The prospects continue good at both elevators.

The return from the Majestic dredge last week was lOoz of gold for 127 hours' dredging. The dredgemaster reports: — 'On Wednesday I lost seven hours with the ladder line, but otherwise I had a good run for the week. The wash, however, did nob improve. If there is mo improvement this week I will need to shut down till the river rises so as to be enabled to get down the river."

An Auckland telegram states that the gold returns for the past three weeks for the Auckland district amounted to £72,330. This completes the yield for the third quarterly period of 1905. The bullion won during the three months is valued at £242.524— a record for any one quarter.

Octobsr 5.

Tho Dunstan Lead dredgemaster reports a very satisfactory run for last weak, with the ground keeping just the same as previously. On .Friday 6th inst, hie was to cut out of the riv?r, and the next wash-up will be tho last out of, the river -part of the claim. The river was not very high, and it will probably take thr&e weeks opening out into the bank.

The Otago No. 1 drettgemaster reports that he had a steady run last weak, the return being poorer owing to the extra quantity of old ground put througn. He is preparing to drop back in order to bring up another cut on the inside. The No. 2 dredge was working steadily, and prospects oi/ntinued fair.

Tho master of the Matau dredge wired th 9 secretary on Wednesday as follows- — "Crossbar of the hangers broke this morning; will have ladder u*p this evening."

Reporting for last' week the Punt dredgemaster &tat>ed that the aotual time worked was 92 hours, and the distance worked ahead 7ft, with the ground varying in depth from 25ft to 36ft. Th-e dredge only worked in the nver part of the cut, and the prospects there were poor, and the dredgeinasteT estimates that it will be two weeks yefc before ho has a cut swung. The bottom tumbler gave some trouble and hindered opening-out operations, especially where the ground was any way tight. The -actual time worked by tihe Electric No. 1 dredge last week -was 114 hours, and the distance worked ahead 17ft, with the cut 68ft wide. The ground was about the same m deptlh as in the previous week, and on the spufh side was of a harder kind of pipe clay, Prospeols were not quite so good after Tuesday, and 1 at the tim>9 of writing ware only fair. There was a great deal of water coming down the sludge channel, but this drodgema&ter changed the run of it, as it caused extra baling. The No. 2 dredge worked ahiead. 19ft for 131 l^ours. The cut was 180 ft wide, and the ground varied up in 40ft. Prospects remained about the same as previously. It was decided to stop at midnight on Saturday lasi in order to repair tihe top tumbler, which had shifted, and was found to be slack on the shaft at one end. Ths corner pieces were also much worn, and were to be renewed at the same time.

The Junction Electric No. 1 dredge last week worked ahead for a di/oance of 27ft on a tut about 60ft wide. The ground was abotit 80ft deep, and was fairiy easy to work, but

i.ere anj tliei-e contained some veiy large stones. The machinery was in good order and running well. The actual time worked by the No. 2 diedge was 111 hours, and the distance worked ahead 22ft. Tliu cut was widened out towards tha Cornish Point side for a distance cf 2&ft, rnakins in all a width of 80ft. The depth of the ground was unaltered as compared with the previous week. October C. The New Roxburgh Jubilee's dredgemaster reports that he stopped on Sattuday last and "commenced effecting some necessary repairs, such as putting four lepaired buckets on the ladder, also liners in the tail ond drop chutes. On completion of these the dredgo was shifted, and dredging resumed on Monday, everything working well. The rise in the river at the beginning of last week occasioned a good deal of dnft to travel, and the Clyde dredgemaster reports that it hindered his operations somewhat, although towards the close it slackened dowu a little. Occasionally good prospects were found, but the amount of travelling drift mswle it •"difficult to prove a definite lode of wash On Friday evening, however, when matters were not so bt)d, prospects were much better. In his report for last week the master of the Ounctioj. Electric No. 3 dredge stated that the repairs to the screen and sparge pipe took a day longer than was expected, and consequently dredging was not resumed till Thursday afternoon. iJuriDg the stoppage a new cioss-head and brasses were put in. the winch engine, which was also given a thorough overhaul. Prospects at time of■writing (the 2nd inst.) were very fair. In a wire received from the master of the New Fourteen-mile Beach dredge on Saturday last wtre the words " closed down." From this one might be inclined to think that the dTedge had been closed down for the season. Such, however, is not the case, ps .before very Ions; the dredgo should be at work on a stretch of her claim not previottsly touched. As soon as fcher.e is a suitable river it is intended to shift the dredge from where she now is — that is, at the top of the claim — down to within about a quarter of a mile from the lower end. When that point is reached — • and it is expected to be done without any I difficulty, there being no obstructions in the I way — the dredge will commence to work back up to the commencement of the ground just completed. This part of the claim is about 1£ mile long, and on its completion the dredge will be taken right back again, and. when there is a suitable river, cross the bar of rocks and commence on the remaining quarter of a mile of river. From this it would appear that thecompany has a good stretch of life ahead of it, and if the ground turns out as good, or even half as good, as that just completed, large and consistent dividends should be the case. October 7. Tenders are invited for the purchase of the Gabriel Gold Dredging Company's two dredges and one claim. The New Trafalgar dredgemaster reports having had a good run for last week, but with no change in the prospects. Reporting for last week, the master of the Three-mile (Greenstone Creek) dredg© stated that he resumed work on Tuesday, and duritig the remainder of the week dredged near themiddle of the face, taking ahead the point which was left on account of the large boulder. Th;s was blasted to enable tbo dredge to square xtp the face. . The ground had be-en partly worked, but not to suich an extent as previously, and the dredgemaster was hopeful of the old workings running out there. lJuring this week the dredge was to he opening out on the north side. The directors of the Mystery Flat G.D. Co.

have declared a dividend (the eleventh) of 2s per share, payable on Wednesday, 11th i inst. The New Roxburgh Jubilee dredgemaster advises that, having shifted the dredge, and being engaged in opening out, there will be no wash-up this week. The Talisman Consolidated Co. treated 4050 tons ore for bullion valued at £10,426. We understand from a reliable source that the prospects of the Premier and Tipperary mines at Macetown are as good now as they have known to be in their whole history. Our informant slates that a reef averaging from 7ft to 9ft wid^ was recently struck in the Premier min3! and is estimated to give at least loz of gold to the Jon. In connection with this it might be of interest to know that a few weeks back Mr N. Dawson, representative of the English shareholders m these companies, visited .Dunedin with a view to disposing of the properties to a syndicate , of local mining gentlemen, formed here with a i view to purchasing the properties referred to. Unfortunately for the syndicate, however, not sufficient interest was taken in the venture to raise the necessary capital, and in the meantime the attorney for the companies had work carried on in the mines, and on visiting them for the last time, with a view to closing down and disposing of the machinery, etc., tound that the men he had employed had stnick something in the Premier mine that looked very like developing into a -reef. Matters were eagerly pushed on, and tho results were so satisfactory that the idea of closing down the two mines was at once abandoned. Work is now being continued with vigour, and the English shareholders wno so pluckily stuck to this mine through so many vicissitudes are to be congratulated on their good fortune. T! ks Firat Chance dredgemaster made a start on lhursday last, but there was no wash-up for the tiroo worked. Tihe Waikaka dredgemaster was busy rebnshmg last week, con&eguently the'ie was no vash-up. The Golden Treasure dredge is at present f stepped, undergoing an overhand. The Junction Electric No. 2's dredgemaster wiied on Saturday that he would resume work at midnight on Sunday. The return from the Mokoia dredge last week was 12oz laVt for 136 hours' work. The dredgemaster repealed that iihe livar had been very unsettled and consequently very unsuitable for drr-dging. The Island Block Company's manager reports having washed up for a return of iooz l'2dwt, which was the result of prospecting a piece of ground next to the creek, the area vorked being 22 yards square. The plant is now being shifted ahead, and it will take about «ght days to get ready to sink. The master c£ the Alexandra Lead dredge vired tha sc-raretary on Saturaay as follows: — " Started full shifts ihis morning; all going well." Now that the dredge ha® started it might be as well to mention that a rise in the river will not m any way affeo'o her. but on tihe other hand should be a decided advantage to her in working the bank portion of the claim. Says the Tuapeka Times: — "One of the poaioons of the late Happy Valley dredge passed through Lawrence on Wednesday afternoon, drawn by two traction engines. Mr John Tyson 'las the contract for removing the dredlge to Heriot, where it will be rebuilt. A 9 thie pontoon weighs between 25 and 30 tons, progress -was necessarily slow, and somo difficulty was experienced in proceeding under the telegraph wires. Several of tho wires had to be undone to allow the pontoon to pass uiider. The procession down ilie" street was watched by quite a numbea" of interested spectatora.'*

The master of the, Bignell's No Town dredge p jres a return of IBoz 6dwt for 123 hours' wcik. Reporting for the previous week, He stated that a oonsideiable number of large stones were met with, and the goid was coarse, but towards the latter end the gold became finer snd large stones fewer. Ovor towards the south corner of the faoo there was an old worked paddock. The headlines h.id to be shifted in QTcfef to work the north corner of the face and bring the working face sq.iare The dredgema^er is of opinion that when he gets about three chains further ahead Hie ground will become more solid. Says tho Timaixi Heiald: — "Mr Gordon, an experienced prospector, is now engaged in jrospeoting in tho ranges west of Fairlic. In conversation with a member of the Herald staff Mr Gordon c^id ne found the range he tried at Shieiwcod Downs, where he is at present working, bag lay mineralised, and he would not bo surprised to find something good there, especially when, later in the season, he is a>ble to prospect the hdgbe-r parts of the range. He has already sent c, fow paicels to the Government laboratory at "Wellington for assay." A Westpcrt telegram states that the output from the Westport Coal Company's mines iast week was 3655 tons, and from the Seddonviile State mine 663 ions 6cwt. Tha Lake County Prcs-9 states that from what can be gathered a highly payable reaf is being worked at the G-lenrock Company's property, and indications go to shc<w at present that it is extensive. On the new quariz reefs Mr R. Baich has put in a low-.ovei tunnel sbcut 55ft below tha firsiu tunned which proved to highly auruerous. In ibe second tunnel just fompieted Mr Balch struck the- reef again at 140 ft in and it gives good promise. Ihis alone shows the reef to be extensive a.nd not a surface one, -and at the same time payable. Mr Balch is greatly encttiraged at discovering the reef at. this distance from th« first tunnel, and no doubt ne has a valuable property at his command. — Messrs Hamilton, O'Neill, a.nd party are busily engagsed, getting out stone from their reef in the Caledonian Gully and will start orashing at the old Tip battery in a week or so By that time they will have about 50 tons to crush, having something like 80 tons in the paddock now. The srtone taken out gives overy indication of yieLding welL — The Lone Star Company's dredgo, Cardrona, is being kept steadily going, and the returns have been very good, this week's particularly so. October 10. 'Jhc wash-up on the Loch Lomond dredge last week resulted in a rei.iu-'i of 18oz lodwi. The master oi the Sailor'i? Bond dredge- wired the secretary on. Monday that ha haa mi* l-xl starting work that morning, but delayed doing so on account of the rise in the rivei. Mr S. E. Brent, secretary of the Baxewood Gold Mining Company, reports a return cf 68oz 13dwt melted bullion from 252 tons of stone., also 6oz 13dwt cyanide bullion, making a total of 750z 6dwt for the month of September. The Kising Sun Company's dredgemaster reports as follows for last week: — "Dredged 120 hours, and crossed the cttt two and a-hialf times. Eight hours were lost through a cracjr in the main steam pipe, and riveting the screen. Average depth was 40 feet, with a gutter about 10 yards wide and 50ft deep m the centre of the cut. This gutter was very, poor. The machinery was running well An Auckland telegram states that during September the New Zealand Crown Mines (Limited) treated 2041 tons ore for bullion valued at £6295.