WEEK'S MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, 1 June 1910, Page 28

WEEK'S MINING NEWS

May 25. The No Town Creek dredge obtained 260 z of gold for 128 hours' dredging last week. The return from the Chicago dredge last week was 6oz 15dwt for 54 hours' dredging. Tho return from the Paterson's Freehold .No. 1 dredge was 19oz 12dwt for 179 hours', and from tho No. 2 dredge lOgOz for 100 hours' dredging. The ma?ter of the Mystery Flat dredge reports that though tho wash is not deep it is extending along the face; otherwise there is no change in the character of the ground. The master cf the Waikaiq, dredge, writing on tho 21st ir.st., reported that dredging was interfered with owing to timber, and consequently he had a fairly broken week. Fair gold was got in tho crosscut on the top end of the paddock, but it did not extend on the downstream side of the face. -. The' master of the Masterton dredge reports that during last week tho wash put through was of fair quality, the best of it being on the west side. The depth of the ground was about 'the same as it was tho previous week. Two-thirds of it was from 25ft to 32ft in depth. . The drift on the bottom was still increasing, and there was up to 10ft of it in some places. The secretary of the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company reports that sluicing was resumed on the 16th inst., though the water was slack for efficient working, and was stopped until the 19th, when the water came through in. full supply. No. 2 made good lime and good progress during the week. Stones arc plentiful, but on the whole the ground is easier to work than some former paddocks. The dam was down about 3ft, but is steadily filling since Thursday. No. 3 is shut down for the Winter owing to a heavy fall of snow. Latest advices from the master of the Karaunui dredge (Mr Simon.sen) are to the effect that most of the machinery is now dismantled from the Waikeri dredge, and it is anticipated that the work of altering pontoons and erecting the pumping plant machinery will commence in about a week. The large cros~ girders for connecting the two pontoons have been made in Dunedin by Messrs Bennet and Sons, Anderson's Bay road, \>nd have now arrived at Alexandra. A- Press Association telegram states that a big batch of summonses has been issued against Auckland miining companies for neglecting to furnish returns of their business for the past year. May 26. The tribute report, dated May 7, from the Mount Rex (Avoea) mine, reads as follows:—"Battery crushing three shifts on stone from open cut face." The master of the Electric No. 2 dredge reports that the river is now again at a fairly low level, and dredging was resumed at midnight on Sunday. At the time of writing bottom had not been reached, so that no report as to prospects could be made. , ■;• The master of the Punt dredge reports that he has ied a fair run for the past week, and worked ahead 16ft on a threechain cut. The prospects have been verypoor since Tuesday, and are very poor right across the cut at present. There is atbout 2ft of good-looking wash right across ■fiie cut, but it is carrying- very Mttle gold. The depth is still keeping the same. The clay bottom is the same as last week. The Cromwell Argus-states that the Ben Kevis hydraulic claim is reported as having' had an exceptionally good season, the returns leaving a big margin, over working expenses and the future prospects being very bright. The directors of the Rise and Shine Gold Dredging Company have' declared a dividend of 2s a share, payable to-day. This makes a total of 47s a share, or '£28,200, paid since the company, commenced operations. In addition, the following sums have been expended in connection with the working of the claim: [Wages, £25,571 ; coal and cartage, £12,522; repairs and maintenance, £18,746; fir© and accident insurance, £1069. The master of the Electric No. 1 dredge reports that during the past week the Hredge worked 121 hours for a distance of 24ft ahead. He is extending th© cut to the Cromwell side on to the ground that gave' payable returns previously, but as there - will be some silt to clean out of the paddock the return, may be moderate. He is. now getting neat to where the last record return was got. The bottom is soft, and, if anything, the mats 1 are looking better than last week. Everything in connection, with the dredge is working well. The Rise "and Shine No. 1 dredge worked Bft ahead on the usual out last week. The depth was from 42ft to 48ft, and there was an improvement in the ground about the centre of the cut. The No. 2 dredge

worked a similar distance ahead on a cut of 500 ft, having a depth of from 38ft to 44ft. There was clay bottom to within a chain of the east corner, the coal having cut out to a large extent and clay taking its place. The larga stone 9 were also disappearing. Writing under date the 23rd inst., the master of the Good Chance dredge reports:—" During the past week a number of buckets have been taken off the main, bucket bolt, repaired, and put on again, also a number of links have been rebushed. Some of the buckets were in very bad order, but have now been made nearly as good as new. The bucket string is in good order now. The river is faJlidg very slowly On Saturday, Sunday, and to-day (Monday) it looks very milky, the quantity of sediment in the river indicating that the drift is still heavy. I did not anticipate resuming dredging for another week. The weather is keeping very mild, only one or two nights' frost being experienced so far." The following report was received by the Dunedin Stock Exchange yesterday evening from the Waihi Grand Junction Company:—Running 35 stampers 24 days: crushed 6336 tons, value £11,371. No. 5 level: Crosscut north 640 ft: have cut a reef 72in thick; shall proceed to open on the reef. No. 5 level, Martha lode, has been driven east 560 ft, and shows low-grade ore. No. 2 lode has been driven each 254 ft, but there is no improvement. No. 5 level. Royal lode, has been driven west 397 ft. The width of ore is 61in, value £1 16s The east level has been driven 458 ft, the width of ore being 67in, value £l 14s 9d. A .crosscut has been nut in at 420 ft. nresent width 23ft, value £1 10s 3d. The east branch reef has been driven 220 ft, the width of ore being 62in, value £3 0s 3d. In No. 5 level the "-rosscut south has been driven 1250 ft. May 27. The return from the Masterton for the past wleek 'for 130 hours' dredging was 220 z 9dwt 13grs. The Koputai dredge obtained lOoz 9dwt for 139 hours' work. ■ For the past week the South Waikaia d.redge obtained 4oz 14dwt. The Waikaia dredge obtained 450 z 12dwt "■>" 125 hours' work.

Tho master of*the Manuherikia dredge wired yesterday stating that he had struck bottom, and' prospects were good. For 128 hours' dredging the Mystery Flat dredge obtained 20oz 9dwt. May 31.

The Molyenux River was sft lOin above the normal mark at Alexandra on Monday morning. The weather was overcast, and rain fell early in the morning. The secretary of the Muddv Creek Company reports a return of 240 z 14dwt for 132 hours' work.

The Electric No. 2 dredge obtained 15oz ldwt for five days' work last week. The master reports that the wash is improving. The master o c hhn Hartley and Riley dredge reports '" : dredging operations wevo resumed or . "'•" night. The drift is run too heavy in the gorge below Alexandra to allow of the Good Chance dredge starting operations. While the return from the Blackwater River' Gold Dredging Company's dredge was only 15oz for last week, the dredgemaster reports that the wash has begun to look tetter This is in accordance with his anticipations. The dredge is now on the recently acquired area which is supposed to be solid ground, and it is thought that when a paddock is cpened out. returns may improve. ■ - The Nelson Creek dredeie worked 115 hours last week, and obtained 250 z of gold. Owing to the shifting of the railway siding from which the dredgemaster obtains his coal supply a broken week was put in, as the dredge ran short of coal The dredgemaster expected to resume work this lnornins.

Writing under date May 27 the master of the Central Charlton dredge reports that the return of 16oz 18dwt was for 130 hours' on cut 3. The ground is better than the return indicates, as the buckets, links, and pins are in such a bad state that only a little stuff can be treated. He. is still dredging in the middle of the face, but will perhaps drop the dredge back to section 5 during the week. He hopes by that time to have the recently-purchased tumbler and buckets in, position. It will be the end of next week before the new buckets are ready The machinery is all running well. The master of the Rising Sun dredge reports as follows: —Dredged 127 hours, arid worked ahead 12ft on a cut 140 yards wide. There is an improvement in • the ground, as the wash is making again. No change to. report in the nature of the bottom. The machinery is running well. May 28.

The Lady Roxburgh dredge 16 in readiness to start work, but is still waiting for the river to- drop, the dredgemaster being of opinion that it is useless to start until the river has fallen below the 6ft level. The annual meeting of shareholders in the Lady Roxburgh Gold Dredging Company, which was to have been held on Mr-y 23, was adjourned, as only two shareholders were present. The repairs to the Island Basin dredge are almost completed, and it will be moved down to the claim in a few days. The suction gas plant to be installed on Fink and party's dredge is expected to be landed in Dunedin next week, when it will be immediately despatched to the claim. May 30. The Molyneux River was 6ft above the normal mark at Alexandra on Saturday morning. The return of 30oz 9dwt reported from the New Trafalgar dredge for last week was for 135 hours' work on the freehold section. The directors of the Mystery Flat Company have declared a dividend (the fortyeighth) of Is per share, payable on May The Otago Company's No. 1 dredge was closed down for repairs on Tuesday last. Consequently, there was no wash-up on Saturday. A return of 240 zis reported from the No. 2 dredge. In regard to the proposed local jrrisratiori schemes (says the Lake County Press). Mr W. Reid, county chairman, has received word from -Mr W. Fraser, M.P., to the effect that he had induced Sir Joseph Ward to send an engineer to report on, the Arrow River and Doolan's Creek schemes. No doubt Mr Reid will receive further word as to the date of the- engineer's visit. Then due notice will be given to those interested. It is satisfactory to know that steps are now to be taken to estimate the probably oo=;fc and see if the streams can be utilised for irrigation purposes..