ROXBURGH.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4870, 3 July 1901, Page 3

ROXBURGH.

During the week ended Monday, July 1, returns were' reported' from 34 dredges, the total yield being 7460 b lOdwt 17gr, or an average of 21oz per dredge. Apropos of a recent paragraph on mining syndicates, a good story is told of the formation of one in London. A lump of quartz, bristling with the precious metal, had been discovered in a certain oolony by an enterprising speculator, who forwarded it to the world's emporium, where it was greatly admired. A wealthy syndicate was immediately formed, and money subscribed to " work the reef," whioh was forwarded to their representative in the colony. A long period elopaed without the syndicate hearing a syllable about their El Dorado, so the members despatched a oablegram to their oolonial representative, enquiring how the reef was turning out, to whioh they received the laoonio reply, " You have it all."

The Cromwell correspondent of the " Daily Times" writing on Monday, says:— Tbe majority of the dredges have started work again, the river having fallen to about 6}ft above winter level. — The Hartley and Riley, Electric Extended, Ranfurly, Alpine No. 2, and Kelly and Casey are amongst those whioh have begun work. The Great Central and Central Electric would probably start yesterday A trial run of the machinery of the Long Valley dredge will take place to-day. Mr J. H. Jackson (chairman of directors) and the engineer (Mr Cutten) left Lawrence yesterday to be present at the trial. The Eclipse dredge started work on Thursday, the maohinery giving every satisfaction. The river is at ordinary summer level, but is going down at the rate of about 61n daily. The Lawrenoe dredge, after a stoppage of eight weeks for repairs to pontoons and the putting in of a new ladder, resumed dredging at tbe end of last week. The Golden Cresoent Sluicing Company washed up on Saturday last for 290z 16dwt 9gr for two weeks' actual sluioing. The Golden Gravel and Golden Reward dredge 3 commenced operations yesterday morning. The engineer (Mr E. Roberts) and a number of the directors were present.

Our Waitahuna correspondent writeß! — We now have five dredges at work, the lateßt being the Waitahuna Gully, which started about eight days ago and is running well. Great difficulty is experienced by the dredge owners in preserving the boiler tubes. Several remedies have been tried, but all to no purpose. Mr M'Ara, seoretary to the Havelock Dredging Co., placed himself in communication with Professor Black on thn subject and has forwarded some of the water out' of the pool for analysis. The professor advises that an analysis of the water will show the cause of the mischief and that the remtdy will then be easily found. It might be explained that when working in the river where a plentiful supply of water is ooming into and passing out of the pool the damage is not near so great.

[Own CoRRBepoNDENT.j 'Severe frosts have prevailed for the past . eight or nine days, and have every indication of continuing. They are causing the liver to drop considerably, and a large number of dredges will be able to resume work this week. It is. to be sincerely hoped that dredging operations will be continued steadily for the rest of the winter. The amount of lime lost already is very great, and has put 1 temporary damper on the dredging interests, which want livening up again. \ The Teviot, Gold Queen, Moa Flat and Oibbs Beach dredges -commenced working on Monday, but the latter had an accident to the engine the same day and is stopped. The Gold King dredge is now practically ready for the ereotion of the machinery, Whioh iB arriving regularly. The Ettriok machinery is also coming forward regularly. The Main Lead Hercules pontoons are not yet ready for laanohing. The contractor, Mr Rhodes, expects to launch the Golden Chain pontoons towards the end of the week. The fitting np of the Excelsior maohinery It proceeding apaoe. ■ ' The Golden Bed dredge is evidently getting on to better wash, for she obtained over 40oz last week— the wash-up being about 420z Udwt. I notice that applications for dredgemaster ■nd engineer for the Endeavor dredge are being called ; also tenders for coaling. The dredge is not far off completion. The fitting up of the Gold Deposit machinery ia advancing steadily* The Long Valley dredge will be starting very shortly. Owing to the absence of the caretaker of the Boxbnrgh Jubilee dredge she managed to get slightly aground at the end of last week through the fall in the river. Mr Rhodes, builder of tbe dredge, fortunately visited her '■ on Saturday and noticed the state of affairs. Aotion was promptly taken, and. by the aid .' of a screw jack she was r< floated without much ' trouble. It is luoky that several days did> L< not elapse before the position of-the hull wm' ; notioed. The Roxburgh Amalgamated' Co., Lady* . tmith Gold Dredging Co., Hanghton and \, party, and Robertson and party, have bad to ' eeue sluicing operations owing to the severe , frosti freezing np the water supply. The : penstock at the head of the Amalgamated Co'« M pipe line froze over on Wednesday night allowing the pipes to empty themselves suddenly. This caused a collapse, through atmospheric pressure in the pipe line, but repairs were speedily effected. Sluicing etnnot be resumed till a thaw sets in, which, from present indications promises to be two or three weeks at least.

Following are tbe returns for the week •nded Monday, Ist July :— Ozdwtgr

Junction Electric 128 10 0 Matau 48 0 0 Golden Bed ... 42 1* 0 faolden Gate 85 3 0 Waimoma Qaeen ... ... 33 1 11 FeneTennce 31 16 12 Golden Link 27 0 0 Jtoiertic 24 10 0 Macnetta 24 0 0 Enterprise Ho. 2 24 0 0 Waxmamn Ettended 23 16 0 . Waimnnro Central ... ... 22 12 0 Her and Annie ... ... 22.3 0 •aefiSS" 1 ™. =S J * Alexandra Eureka 21 0 0 E*rnm4oughNo.l 20 0 0 White Star ••« ••• ••• lv x o CllSltonCreek '.'.'. '"> ••• }§ 2 n Bal* Hill Flat ?, S 8 EntytrpriM No. I }\ M « Eransflgt ... „. ... U0 0 Onteal CbMltoß .„ ... 10 17 0 tff 10 0 0 ', JHonunnStar » 18 0 % MolyneuxHydrauUc 8 8 0 LadyCharlton 8 0 0 Otaco 7 0 0 . Central Matanra No. 1 ... ...5 15 6 Central Mataura No. 2 3 12 12 Tottl .... 746 10 17 , - WEST COAST DEEDGES. \ Jlokoi* 44 0 0 ;■■ , OurSirev M . 80 s o ' ? fistolui ... 80 0 6 Votd'fdwek .., ... „, |6176 17 0 •; Boiler Junction ... ... 25 5 0 '.• GrfT Hirer Consolidated ... 14 2 0 >-■ >; ■■■ Bricksdn's Bvmrd ... ... 90 0 - ~ Maori Queen 7 6 0 Ajmnmßiver ..• t« «« s %*^% *^ Walpuna -- -— - ~ — SW.O .