WEEK'S MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 2914, 19 January 1910, Page 35

WEEK'S MINING NEWS

January 12. The Paracale Company announces a return of 60cz for two weeks’ dredging. The secretary of the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company reports a wash-up from No. 2 of 156cz, and from No. 3 of 1940 z 14dwt —or a total of 5500 z 14dvvt. Water is still scarce. Preparations for resuming work at No. 1, when water is available, are completed. No. 2 has commenced sluicing off top material. At No. 3 the plant has been removed, and the old tail dngs blown back. The driving line has been shifted back and connected up, and everything is ready to start sluicing. The master ox Electric No. 2 dredge reports: —“ The early part of the week was spent in overhauling - the crop chute and feed pump, erecting elevator, fitting a new chock into the lower tumbler of the elevator, and other sundry jobs required before dredging was started. Operations recommenced on Thursday evening, 6th inst., and all the machinery is running well. The dredge is now opening out the old paddock which had become filled up with silt, and it will be the middle of the week, if the drift is not too heavy, before the paddock is cleared out. The best prospects have been obtained on the Bannockburn side of the cut.” The result of the breaking down of the reef in the Hauraki mine at Coromandel is very satisfactory, and' that another haul of 601 b of specimen stone was obtained. The stone came from the rise (400 ft level) from where the previous hauls of specimen, stone were secured. It is anticipated that more stone will be reported. At the 300 ft level the mine locks well.—Thames Star. January 15. It is stated on reliable authority that the syndicate owning the Golden Run dredge at Miller’s Flat struck a rich lead of gold on the eve of their closing down for the holidays. Since acquiring the property the syndicate has spent a large amount in prospecting its claim. The Rise and Shine No. 1 dredge worked ahead 4ft last week. The cut was 600 ft -wide and from 42ft to 48ft deep, and the wash was much the same a.s that of the previous few weeks. The bottom consisted of various clays and sandstone, with a little coal. No. 2 dredge worked a. cut of 520 ft, making Bft ahead. The depth ranged from 38ft to 46ft, and the bottom was of clay and coal—chiefly the former. The Punt dredge started work on Tuesday night of last w/eek, and "worked ahead 16ft on a three and a-quarter chain cut for a poor return. The bottom is still hard clay. There was a slight change on Friday in the middle of the cut, a little blue bottom coming up at times on the bucket lips. The bottom is dipping as the dredge works ahead into the freehold. The wash is still very drifty. The Hartley and Hi! toy dVcdgo will probably not make a Start until the river settles. The Centra! Charlton ' dredgemaster writes: —“We have been overhauling all the week, and have given everything a thorough test. We will resume on Monday .night.” The master of the Electric No. 1 dreage reports For the past five days the dredge worked 103 hours, gritting 6 A ahead. There have been two small rises in the river, and the paddock was completely filled up. At the time of writing the paddock is cleaned, but a little drift is still travelling.” Yesterday the masterwired :—“Ground being worked very rough. Prospects moderate. River going down.” The master of the Masterton dredge, writing under date January 9, states: “ Wc had a good run for the week ended December 23. washing up a day later than usual. We were only able to work the poorer end of the cut, owing to the very dry weather lowering the water in the paddock.” Writing on the 10th inst. the master of the Good Chance dredge stated that he did not. intend to resume dredging until the river was on the fall from the 6ft mark. Tire present height of the river was neither one thing nor the other. It Was not high enough to get into the bank, and too high to work in the centre of the river. The secretary of the Settlers’ Delegates informs the Cromwell Argus that he has written to the Commissioner of Crown Lands asking him to get the District Surveyor to measure the quantity of water in" the Hindis River at the present time, also that arrangements had been mads with the county chairman for the _ county engineer to be present. It is intended to "try to get the Inspector of Mines to attend also, so that there shall be no doubt as to the number of beads of water in the river. At present the river is at about the lowest level, and it is held bv rnanv local residents there are not 50 heads in the stream now. The result ot this test if carried out should be of some talus fox future guife^i

January 15. Besides flic dividend declared by the Moiyneux Hydraulic Company the directors have placed an amount to the reserve fund, bringing it up to £SOO. The secretary of the _ Electric Company lias received the following telegram from the dncdgemaster of the No. 2 dredge : “No wash-up this week; drift troublesome; "week spent baling oup paddock. Face now opened up. Dredge is working we 11. ’’ Mining at the Westport Stock loii Company’s works is (says our Groymouth coirospondent) proceeding briskly. The management hopes to lower the thousand tons record on© day this week, putting up a new record, and to have an output of over 5000 tons for the week —a record for a mine in New Zealand considering the brief time since the company commenced operations. January 1/. The Sandy Point dredgemaster reports that he has been repairing all the week, and that he expected to get a start about midnight on the 15th inst. The Rising Sun dredgemaster lias been baling silt out of the paddock, and will not wash un until the end of this week. i A conference of delegates of the Stone Exchanges of the Dominion is to be held in Auckland, commencing on the 19th inst. Messrs W. F. Sligo and Vivian will act as representatives of the Dunedin Stock Ex change. The return from the Golden Treasure for the week prior to the holidays was 220 z for 116 hours. last week the return was 260 z for 183 hours. January 18. The height of the river at Alexandra on. Monday morning was-6ft Sin above the normal mark. The weather was dull and it was raining. The Chicago dredge resumed operations on Saturday, after her overhaul had been completed. . The secretary of the Stanley Paracale Co. has receded cabled advice of a return of 6loz. for 6 days 15 hours’ dredgnm’ho master of the Golden Gem dredge reports a return of lOoz ISdwt for 90 hours’ work. Working in the eastern section, the New Trafalgar dredge obtained a return of ] soz. 12.1 vt. for 135 hours. The Electric No. 2 dredge washed up on Saturday for 660 z Sclwt. The master reports good prospects The secretary of the Nelson Creek Cold Dredging Co. reports a return of 14oz for 84 hours’ work. The manager reports that the dredge was stopped owing to no coal being forward. He has now plenty to go on. with. Under date 11th inst., the New Alpine mine manager reports : —" Owing to nothing of any value being revealed in No 14 level, “work was discontinued for the present in the lower workings, except to keep the mine unwatered. A start was made to chin up and repair No. 7 level, so as to get inside to drive a crosscut in a southerly direction from Prince s crosscut to try to locate the block of stone worked in the old times, and known as the north block. This block is believed by many to have never been seen below No. 6 lqve-1, where a split occurred in the Old Alpine reef. Repairs to No. 7 level have been effected, and work will be commenced to-morrow on the crosscut, which has been let out on contract for 120 ft.”