PLEDGING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4819, 5 January 1901, Page 3

PLEDGING.

WAITAHUNA. A correspondent writes :—: — Claims in the Gully have resumed work after the holidays. The Bailor Gully Company has a quantity of hard clay to contend with, making its removal somewhat difficult. The Norweigan party have the advantage over them in this respect, their stuff being principally gravel, enabling them to put immense quantities through the boxes in comparison. The M'Cormick dredge was plosed down during the holidays, while the Imperial improved the time by effecting necessary repairs to machinery, etc. I heard that they had some difficulty in obtaining hands, although they were offering 103 per day, the ordinary hands preferring the holiday to an increase of wages. . The Havelock dredge was only stopped for a few days, the rest of the time it was more profitably employed in raising the precious metal, of which there appears, so rumor hath it, to be a goodly quantity in this claim, for which the shareholders are no doubt thank-

fnl. The Waitahuna Gully dredga is proceeding slowly towards completion, and the same may be said of the Adams Flat dredge, which has been carted up to a olaim between the M'Cormiok and the Havelock dredges.

Mr A. M'Nab, the local director of the Eclipse Gold Dredging Company, is at present in Lawrence and he reports that the work of erecting the machinery is well in hand. All the heavy parts, such as boiler and engine, screen, winches, etc., are on board and in position. The contractors, Messrs Fleming and M'Kenzie, expect to get away by the end of the present month so shareholders may confidently look for a ran about the beginning of February. All the dredges in tbe district have got to work again after the holidays. . The Gabriels Gold Dredging Company has now got to work in earnest. Only a few hoars' dregding was got before the intervention of the holidays and the prospects obtained were, we believe, very encouraging. -•The machinery is giving the greatest satisfaction. While closed down for the New Year's holidays, the Evans Flat dredge sank in her dam. Fortunately there was only a few feet of water under her and no difficulty is anticipated in raising her. The Tnapeka and Evana Flat Dredging pompanies have each' declared a shilling dividend. A start will be made with the erection of the Happy Valley pontoons next week. Me6sra A. and* T. Burt's men are at present oh their way from the Dart' and are ' expected to arrive here at the beginning' of next week, when they will immediately proceed with the work. The machinery is in a forward state and will be all forward by the time tbe pontoons, are finished.

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