WEEK'S MINING NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 2975, 22 March 1911, Page 28

WEEK'S MINING NEWS

March 15. The secretary of the Electric Company yesterday received a telegram from the master of the No. 2 dredge stating that he expected l to resume operations some time last night or early this morning. The master of the Good Chance dredge, writing under date 12th inst., stated that he started work at midday on Wednesday. There was an improvement in the ground, the gold coming in being of a very fine nature. The master of the Mystery Flat dredge reports that the dredge has now reached the higher ground at a point above the race, and was stopped on Monday pending the completion of the new pipe line, which will probably be ready to carry the water to-day. The master of the Karaunui dredge, reporting undeiv date March 11, stated that, as was expected, work had been suspended at the beginning of the week for boiler inspection. Since then the dredge had been working fairly well, and there was no change to report with regard to the prospects. The bottom remained unchanged. The river was very low, but did not affect the dredge paddock as there was always plenty of current to drive the pumping machinery. The master of the Masterton dredge reports as follows for last week: —"We dredged the full week on the eastern cut. The wash has not altered much in quality, and the deep gutter appears to be s widening again, and is getting deeper, as we cannot bottom it though the water is low. There is a tough clay false bottom overlying the deep ground on which the wash lies. The material below the fake bottom is mostly a 6andy drift." There is very little new to report from the Nokomai Hydraulic Sluicing Company this week. The weather keeps dry, and as a consequence the dam Jakes longer -to fill. On .Monday week it'was not full by about 2ft, and it was Tuesday morning before the paddock was pumped out. On Friday afternoon it bad run dry. Fair progress was made with sluicing considering that there is little room for tailings. The time spent in this work just about equals the time spent in elevating. The work of repairing the flumes and dame at the Island Block" claim is now well in hand. The water supply "is. very low on account of the long drought, but with the improvements now being carried out there should bo fewer stoppages en account of shortage of water than hitherto A case of unusual interest to mining men is set down for hearing in the Supreme Court to-day. It is an appeal by the H&mil- • tons Sluicing Company against a decision given by the warden (Mr Porritt) in the case reported some weeks ago, Stewart v. Hamiltons Company —suit for forfeiture of a water race.

The New Golden Run Dredging Company, whose dredge has been idle since November last on account of shortage of water for motive power has decided to leinstate the steam plant for driving the dredge, and to use the water supply for removing the top burden of clay. The dredge is to be equipped with a new tailings elevator of the best design, driven from ..the top instead of the bottom as I formerly. Steps are being taken to increase the capital of the company for the purpose of carrying out the necessary alterations. The company claims to have in its possession the richest ground ever tested by boring. Fourteen bores were put down with the Keystone borer plant,- a number of which showed very rich results, one bore yielding 4dwt of gold, obtained from a layer of wash Bft in thickness, on a very soft bottom. The master of -the Golden Bed dredge telegraphs that he has stopped work for boiler inspection.. Local shareholders have (says the Cromwell Argus) been anxiously awaiting developments in connect>ion .with raising the Rise and Shine No. 2 dredge, and always favoured something being done. Beyond the fact that a contract was let the directors were very reticent. It was understood that the contractors would make a fctait early this week, as some of their representatives arrived on Saturday. The agreement is that the contractors are to construct two pontoons 45ft long, 12ft wide, and 7ft deep, to cost £6OO, and the company take these over at the termination of the contract. A payment of £SOO is to bo made when the hull is raised, an additional £1062 when the contract is completed, and £687 10s 31 days after the completion, a total of £2750. In the event of the contractors being unsuccessful all the company is to bo liable for is £SOO, cost of pontoons, and all risks, insurances, etc., rest with the contractors. The contract time is three months, but allowance is made for floods. March 16. The Talisman Consolidated Company has despatched the following cablegram to its London offioe:—"Thirteen level south

drive; progress, 12ft; width of reef, 6ft; assay value, £4." The Rise and Shine No. 1 dredge worked the usual cut last week. The ground was similar to that dealt with in the previous week, carrying a fair prospect over the main part of the cut. The master of the Central Charlton dredge, in his report for last week, stated that he obtained a return of 15oz lldwt for 126 hours' work on cut No. 2. The width dredged was about 40 yards. Some 25 yards of the shallower ground on cut No. 2 have been worked to the boundary, and the returns from cut 3 and part of cut 4 should show an improvement. He had stopped the dredge that day to haJf-lip and re-bush the string of buckets. He added that if, after the repairs were completed, rain had not fallen it would be impossible to recommence work The following is the report from the master of the Lady Roxburgh dredge for the week ended 11th inst. : —" The ground has changed, the jointy bottom having cut out, and the average depth has increased, while the gravel is much finer and the bottom soft. The soft bottom has enabled previous dredges working here to pretty well clean up all the gold. If the coming ■week's return does not hold, I intend trying to get the dredge astern and open up at the lower end. The river is very low, and there may not be sufficient water to allow us to shift. We closed down on Friday night for boiler inspection, and resumed dredging again at midnight on Sunday."

The master of the Waikaia dredge reports that work was continued across the full width of the • face until Wednesday, when the face was divided into two sections to test the values' of each. The west part of the face will be operated' on this week. The ground showed a slight improvement during the week. All the gear was running well. The master of the Golden Bed dredge reports by wire that he started work ye~terday. A dividend (the third) of 5s per share is payable to shareholders in the 909 ComI pany cm Monday next. ! _ The master of the Sailor's Bend Company's dredge, writing under date 13th, says that the prospects are about the same as last week, and the ground is very rough, with a hard bottom. He expects the prospects to improve us soon as he meets with soft bottom. The master of the Golden Sun dredge, in his report for last week, states: —"We had a fair run this week, and worked ahead 20 feet on a face 40 yards wide.. The wash is looking better as we work ahead, | but is carrying very little gold as yet; it is only about six inches thick. The bottom changes nearly every cut ahead; at times it is. free, and at other '.imes it is hard clay. It has been running- level since Wednesday. I am in hopes of the wash getting thicker at any time now, and getting better returns. The machinery is running fairly well." The report of the master of the New Trafalgar dredge states that advantage was taken of the lowness of the creek to push on' with work in the boundary corner. A ..change in the range of the headline was made to square up the face, and so gain room for turning the dredge to work up stream, thus doing away with the necessity of altering the dredge's main position as to the direction of work. Owing to this movement the full width of the face was not dredged, and less ground was gone over than usual, and is now opened out as far as is at present intended, and will be dredged as at present for a few weeks. 1 Writing under dati March 11, the master ' of the Electric No. 1 dredge stated that he moved ahead two chains and a-half for 121 hours' work The prospects during the week were moderate, and continued so at the time of writing. A coarser sample of gold was being won, and the river continued at a very low level. Everything in connection with the machinery was working well, i The master of the Electric No. 2 dredge, . reporting for the week ended March 11, says: "The dredge worked ahead 27ft for the week. The prospects were good since the middle of the week,, and the last cut across produced lOoz. The richest wash is still on the Cairnmuir side, but the ground is exceedingly rough, the ladder being foul i.of big stones and bumpy reef most of the time. Nice-looking wash is also coming in on the roadside on a fairly hard crevicy I bottom, which tries the machinery severely, I the buckets having to break off the jutting .portions of reef to get the soft reef and wash between. A big stone rolling in bent I the crossbar at the beginning of the week, I an dit had to be replaced by a spare one i while being straightened, as the hanger was shearing the pin. On Thursday at 7 p.m. i the crossbar broke, and the division tor# ; the ladder line badly. I hope not to have ! many breakdowns like this, but must be prepared for them, as this dredge has to j obtain the gold from the sides which were | too rough to be worked by the other | dredges." Since receiving this report a | telegram has been received stating that dredging operations were resumed at 7 p.m. I on the 14th inst. There will probably be a wash-up on Friday. A meeting of the directors of the S'ham- ' rock Sluicing Co., was held at ArrowI town on Saturday last. The principal busiI ncss was to elect a director in place of Mr I R. J. Cotter, who had retired in order to ] take up the position of secretary. Mr P. i M'Carthy was appointed to the position. Accounts amounting to close on £SO were passed for payment. It was reported that everything was working satisfactorily and that there was still amplo water to work the claim, notwithstanding the dry season. There will be no wash up till the frost sets in when it is expected that there will be a good return. —Wakatipu Mail. ! • March 17. The secretary of the Waikaia Dredging Company reports a return of 16ozs 12dwts for 136 hours' work The master of the Masterton dredge- yesterday telegraphed advising a return of ' 20ozs 3dwts for 126 hours' work The secretary of the Chicago Company ad- I vises that the attempt to aret the dredge out ' into the river failed, and the members of the crew have been paid off till such time ! as a rise takes place in the river. The | paddock is from 18in to 2ft higher than the river, and if the intervening wall is | disturbed it would leave the dredge high I and dry. The dredge will now be idle till the river rises. The secretary of the Koputai Company reports a return of 350 z 17dwt for 135 ' hours' dredging. • March 18. ' The directors of the Hartley and Riley ! Company have declared a dividend of 2s per share, payable on. the 24th inst. The master of the Sandy Point dredge, ' writing under date March 11, stated that

the time worked during the week was 115 hours. Work was stopped on Monday to allow the boiler to be inspected. The width of the cut was 100yds and the average depth 30ft, while the distance worked ahead was Bft. The tailings were much finer, and the bottom did not look so good. He also stated that water was very scarce, and that there was very little- room on the inside' to stack his tailings. The master of the Masterton dredge, reporting under date 16th inst., says: "We dredged the full week on the centre out. The wash is looking somewhat the same as it was when dredging this part last. There is still a considerable quantity of tough clay false bottom across most of the centre cut. The depth of the ground is from 17ft to 27ft, and it is inclined to be tight for dredging." March 20. The Rising Sun dredge lost a day's work last week on account of a new bottom tumbler being fitted. The directors of the Manuherikia Company have declared a dividend of Is per share, payable on the 27th inst. In reporting a return of 440 z for 124 hours' work the master of the Blaokwater dredge mentioned that two days were spent on the poor corner of the out. The master of the Golden Bed dredge reports that since effecting repairs by fixing plates on tumbler, etc., whilst stopped for boiler inspection, he was pulling the dredge' ahead through drift, so there would be no wash-up for last week. The number of dredges at work in this district last week (says the Cromwell Argus of March 13) was in excess of any known for some months, and the gold output showed a proportionate increase. The returns reported from seven dredges aggregated 3750 z, giving an average of over 50oz per dredge. Mr MTntosh's 'syndicate has bottomed a paddock in the Arrow River, some 150yds beiow the Arrow footbridge. Solid ground was gone through, and bottom was reached at about 12ft. It is statedl (says the Lake County Press) that good payable wash was struck oil the way down. If this is correct, and there is reason to believe- it is, the news will be very gratifying both to the syndicate and to the public. The secretary of the Sailor's Bend Company reports that in a letter received on i-iaturday from the dredgemaster it was reported that the return for last week waonly Goz 9dwt The ground was so rough that the bottom could not be reached, and so the dredge was pulled some distance up the river. It'was stated that where the dredge was then operating the wash looked well, and gave strong 'indications of leading to something good before long. March 20. The Molyneux River was 4ft above the normal mark at Alexandra on Monday, and the weather was fine. The secretary of the Nelson Creek Company reports that the dredge resumed work on Saturday afternoon. The return of the No Town Creek dredge for 126 hours' work totalled 390 z. The master of the Central Charlton dredge reported that the repairing work, which was begun on March 11, was almost completed, and that he expected to resume operations about Wednesday or Thursday. Our Greymoutif correspondent reports that the New Big River mine will have to close down this week on account of the drought. The Rising Sun dredge worked 120 hours last week. It was still shifting tailings. The dredge is now working old ground, as the shallow part was worked by the old current-wheeler and the deep by the Punt dredge. A day was lost shipping the new bottom tumbler. As soon as the river rises sufficiently the dredge l will be dropped down to take up another cut. The machinery is running well.