THE VICTORIAN COMMISSIONERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6487, 16 May 1899, Page 4

THE VICTORIAN COMMISSIONERS.

. <, : VISIT TO OTAGO. ' INSPECTION OF DREDGING OPERATIONS. The Victorian Commissioners, the Hon R. W. Best and Mr W. A. Trenwith, accompanied by their secretary and by the representatives of the Melbourne "Argus" and Melbourne "Age," left Christchurch for Duuedin on May 6. At Timam the Commissioners were met by vthe Hon W. Hall- Jones and the Mayor, who showed them over the harbour works. The visitors were much interested in the works both at Timaru and at Oamaru, as there are no artificial harbours in Victoria with the exception, perhaps, of the Warmambool : breakwater, erected at considerable expense by the Victorian Government. At , both Timaru and Oamaru several vessels ' - were in port, and gave the towns an important appearance. The Canterbury Plains, displaying fine arable farm lands „ and giving splendid indications of their fertility, not only in cereals but also in root crops, excited admiration. These Plains are a source of extreme interest to .visitors from the Australian colonies, who are accustomed to farming under very different .climatic conditions. The . threshing machine at work at this time of the year was an unusual sight for Victorians, as threshing operations are ..rarely extended in Australia beyond the first week in February. The numerous stacks were particularly noticeable in the wheat producing districts. Here again the New Zealand f aimers' methods were in contrast to those of Victoria, /where the practice of "stacking the sheaves, when the cropa a^re cut,instead of being stripped, has practically gone out of date. iThe usual plan in Australia is .to thresh from the stqok, , neigh- ? • btroring farmers lassisting one another with - drays. ■■ ■"■'■ '" *■"""■■-•.•:-. j'^ The Commissioners spent a quiet Sunday at Dunedin, but next morning were busy inspecting; the construction of dredging machines preliminary to their setting out for the scene of the dredging operations in the Clutha Valley. Several dredges jin 'course of construction were seen. at the foundries, and one being manufactured by Messrs A. and T:. Burfc for Russian agents, t for use in Siberia, was of especial interest. } The Commissioners were informed of the ' ereat demand for dredges,, and later found , that so great was the stress on the Dunedin foundries that a large quantity of work in the manufacture of dredges had been executed in j Melbourne. On Tuesday morning the Commissioners left Dunedin to traverse the Molyneux . and Clutha Valley irighf through , to Queenstown.; At Milton, the party was joined by Mr W. C. F. Camcross, M.H.R., ' who accompanied- them 1 to' -Lawrence. There they were met by Mr J. Browne, Mayor of Lawrence, and during a 'short stay were. " shown the famous Gabriel's •' Gully. Several small dredges were seen around Lawrence, but no detailed irispection was made. From Lawrence the visitors set out by coach .for Miller's Flat, • under the guidance -of Mr Hugh Craig. The roads at the outset were very heavy, . * owing partly to recent rains and , partly to the increased traffic to Alexandra and Cromwell since the rise of the dredging industry. On Wednesday morning the Com--missioners began in real earnest their inspection of the dredging operations that have aroused so much interest in the other Colonies. The Golden Gate dredge was tlie first to be inspected, iand' although not of the most improved type, was" doing •excellent work, the returns yielding handsome \ dividends. The extensive sluicing opeFations of the Golden Run Pipes Mmv .1 ing Company were also visited. At Roxburgh an examination was -made of the • ■Roxburgh . Amalgamated Sluicing Com-, •^any's works, where , a large area was being operated upon. . .These . works axe fitted with a complete- electric lig] plant, , which enables Operations to be cari.'.i on both day and night, some twenty-two bands being constantly engaged.^ The monthly yields were stated -to average 160oz. Wednesday evening found the visi- , tors at Alexandra, where they were received by the Mayor. The Commissioners visited the Manorburn dredge in theManureka River, a tributary of the Molyneux. The operations of this dredge were of special interest to the Commissioners, as it , was confined to the river flats, and was floating in comparatively shallow water. It was the best evidence collected during the tour of the effective dredging work that can be accomplished other .than in the bed of the river. From the informa- , .tion gathered, it sesms likely that this class of dredging will •■ be of the most .frequent occurrence in Australia, where many of the rivers run through rich alluvial auriferous flats. The Manorburn dredge was not of the latest pattern, but was nevertheless performing good work, yielding some 260z a week. The ■ cost of this machine was about £3500, 'and as a weekly yield of lOoz cleared all expenses, . the shareholders had every reason to be satisfied with their venture. Proceeding' up the Molyneux River, the Earasdeugh No. 1 and No. 2 were next inspected. The Earnscleugh No. 2is perha.p.9 the largest dredge on the Molyneux, ,' and afforded a striking example of the progress that has been made in the manufacture of gold dredging machines. • Fitted with two enormous screens and with buckets of a capacity of six 'cubic feet each, working to'a,depth of forty feet, this dredge could treat 150 tons of dirt J an hour with surprising ease and regularity. ..The fittings and appliances connected with this dredge were all of the 1 latest design. The weekly yields were not disclosed, but are Tmown to be very handsome. The Commissioners arrived at ' Clyde at mid-day, and were received by ,[ representatives of. the \ Vincent County > Council; A number of- dredges were seen here, including the Clyde, Vincent, -Unity anil Matou. A special inspection of the Vincent dredge was made by the Minister • for Lands, and it was. found to be a beautiful piece of machinery, under most efficient management, and working- with great precision. The last weekly yield from this dredge was 920z. Durinrr' t^e afternoon the visitors proceeded to Cromwell, and. saw two fine dredges, t^e Alpine and the Hartley and Riley. The position of the latter was the .'historical snot where gold was first discovered in the Molyneux in the ear^v sixties. In th" evening the Gommissionprs were visited by 'the Mayor of Cromwell and o*her persona interested in dredging operations. Late in the eveni"f* Mr B«>st went on bnnrd the -Electric No. 2 dredge at work in the Kn-waran River,' a~*d saw. the efficiency ■with which operations could be carried on by nisrht in the bed of this roaring stream. Next morning the Commissioners ipsnroted the T--»cK Ra-furlv dr°de"?, ■ which was one of the most completely V equipped; dredges inspected during the trip. The fittings were most elaborate, and the additions of a travpVrnjY cran**. tu r nins; ■ 'lathes and blacksmith's shop mnrked it. as the most efficient and reliable dredge that :" could be found on the river. The cost of this drpd"«> V"* unward" of £QCihO. , and it was treating 120 tons of dirt an hour. The Electric No. 3 was working a lit'le higher ud the rivrr, and was also a most efficient drptf^e. Thpse dredges have Iren •gi^nie ex^e'l°rit T-*nr"s. HCTe the Commissioners' inspection of the k <lredees and drpdiHnE; operot.-o^s. vns /^rac^.allv concluded, but- they had made, ■ in addition, a cprefiil of th.p. cou".;trv, 'nofirnr 7H p-eiiliariti o s. p^nef'al'v in ..(l lo <?fl'''d to i+s for^'v'inn a.^d +*>c c'-w^m. of the rivers and flats wrere dredging! .oneraf ions -wprp b^i"" «-!icoa.c<-^,,TIT- f.<.rH«><l •: on. -As IShey proceeded! Hip' the 'Hv?rsHhe • C^TmruffsioTiprs four/ 1 t}i(>_ r-i^il^v;.' r "oVI trotting coarser. ''The srold nt M'lW'* IHp.t wns- -fi'-'p .r:nTnr>»red- *o . tN?** ■'^■"•'•-■'•-(i >.t- Crony"!!, b<if. this "a" n^t o^- c -'' I °i' d b" thp. dr^dgo-iraster of a l^" m-.t°r : nl c "i- --■ On Fr'dav .iftp-nnnfi tlip P--*»m'«inn-<rc •proceeded from Victoria Bridge towa"ds A parson s^ood in his pu'pit hirjh, Hn'd los f wni w'tl 1 f-nH w~V viTh : Hn t l -mi''h+lp«' s<»id. Tct 's nl! .r"'-i<" 1 . H"'*l'hnvo to oir-o f "f h" 1 " l" c t M*- vm ; re. But *»>> *oc'c some Wnods' Great P"pper : : . m : n*; C'" 1 ?. . . • I His vo?f«> grew ' ftrong. his refnrVs no fewer. /-. ■ . • ./Advh. x , FaßhionaMe Wedding and Engagement Rings, extra heavy 18ct jnld Deal direct with the nranufacfurcrs, S Cl? r lrp nnd Co., 148, Colombo Street. New ?t"dc jiis* npenoa 1 /op of Spectncles tn suit. -.ill «!»'■+*. Clarfa *nd Co., opposite Rsece's.— (Advt.) , 4

Queenstown, and saw a number of small ncu farms. The last stage of the journey to Queenstown was most interesting. On Saturday morning the party proceeded by steamer through Lake Wakatipu, catching the train at Kingstown, and arriving at Dunedin by the southern express. The full and careful investigation made by the Commissioners cannot fail to have good results in Victoria, where the question of dredging for gold is receiving the attention of the Hon H. Foster, Minister for Mines. The Commissioners were pleased with the courtesy extended to them by the Government and private persons in affording them facilities for making their exhaustive inquiries. Mr Maxwell, of the Labour Department, and Mr March, Superintendent of Village Settlements, accompanied the Commissioners from Dunedin to Queenstown. The Commissioners, with Mr A. G. Brown (private secretary) and Mr J. Grattan Grey (representative of the Melbourne "Age"), returned to Christchurch by last night's-, express. , To-day they will visit various industries and places of interest, and leave 'this evening for Wellington, where they will,. make further inquiries into .the labour and land legislation- of the colony. _ They will tour the. .North Island and visit the Hot Springs before returning to Australia.