THE DREDGING INDUSTRY.

Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 9383, 28 June 1899, Page 4

THE DREDGING INDUSTRY.

As there is a probability oi dredging k lor" gold anakiiig an epocu in Uie industrial history oi tue I'nauies, some extracts lro ( in a lengthy article in the Urey Kiver Argus in reference to the dredging industry will be of in terest. Uur contemporary remark that "the era of dredging will introduce a phase of goldmimng to the whole world wherever gold has been found that was undreamt of until the last few years. To the enterprise ol the people of Otago is due all the credit of it. But' for their perseverance the development ol dredging aurilerous s. earns would have rejtnained i as an unopened book to the inquiring minds of ail who were interested in ill luvial mining for, probably, jmany years to come. But little by little the industry has cqme to be what it is. The effects are something pkenomenaL The use of the dredge has given a new lease of life to alluvial mining, which was steadily decaying, and, according to all appearance, had seen its best days, and must, be shortly registered amongßt the have beens. The, olu gullies, niilsides and terraces had been p_ t tty well exhausted, and tiu. occupation of the aiiuvial miner seemed to be as a played out game iv the industrial progress of the colony. But the dredge has cojme to rescue n. from speedy oblivion; and now, wherever there is a running stream or a lagoon on an auriferous area the dredge affords pwana'pf getting at the hidden treasures of gold that were not gettable in any other way. The initial idea of dredging was of a very hu^nble character. The miner who worked the banks of the streajms :n Otago found with the system of "blind stabbing" with his long-handled : shovel that the water covered as good ground as he had worked on the bank of the stream, and he was set thinking as to some means by which he could tap the hidden riches. The | clumsy and very inefficient spobii dredge was the first result. This he the way to the suction dredge, -jut that seemed only as a hint to the bucket dredge, which was an existing idea turned to a new purpose.; In that was found the realisation of the (miners',, dreaiins. And it is left for the bucket dredge to solve the problem oi extracting aduviai gold from deposits that can not be done in any other way." . :'-' -; - ■■.. .;■■.■ :.\ :• ], , ■;