RIVER DREDGING IN OTAGO.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 376, 14 October 1868, Page 3

RIVER DREDGING IN OTAGO.

The following interesting account of dredging operations on the Molyneux is taken from a report in the Otago Daily Times, of 2nd inst : —Three dredges are at present at work on a bar of the river, nearly opposite the Dunstan Hospital. The Alexandra occupies the highest position up the stream. It is constructed on the barge principle, 55 feet long, with feet of beam. It was built originally for the conveyance of timber on the "Wakatip Lake. In this trade it was unfortunate, and after running through a chapter of accidents, it came into the hands of its present proprietors. They fitted it up as a dredge and placed it on the river four and a half years ago. For some time past it has been working in a good " patch," and at present it is netting something like 10 ounces of gold per " shift." It is wrought day and night by two shifts—each taking a shift of nine hours at a time, so that this little craft is doing a fair share of work in the 24 hours towards developing the auriferous wealth of the Molyneux. The beach on which it is engaged has a depth of 13 feet of water, and each " lift " of the spade brings up from eight to 1200 cwt. of silt composed of a dark coarse gravel intermixed with waterworn boulders and quartz reef. The i process is carried on entirely by manual I labour. One man guides the dip of "the spoon, three men work the crabwinch by which it is dragged along the bottom and elevated to the deck. One man is employed in shovelling the stuff on to the cradle, while another is engaged turning a crankwheel, serving the double purpose of moving the cradle and pumping up water to wash away debris. The process is laborious, and any one not acquainted with its peculiarities weuld imagine that a deal of labour could be saved by the application of an undershot wheel. This opinion, however, was deprecated by the miners, for reasons, I must confess, not altogether intelligible to your reporter. The application of steam power was spoken of hopefully, and I would not be at all suprised if, before very long, steam dredging in the Molyneux became an accomplished fact. During my visit to this dredge, I saw the results of the day's shift washed up. Being a Monday, the shift was a short one, work not having been commensed that day till about 11 a.m., and the hour at which the washing took place was 5 p.m. The result was a really splendid sample of heavy flaky gold, inclining to be shotty. The weight was between eight and nine ounces ; and when I add that this was the day's work of not more than six men, you will agree with me that the shareholders of the Alabama have no great reason to complain. These dredges generally work up mid-channel a distance of twelve feet. They then come back and draw up twelve feet nearer the beach; after which they plough their way up stream again throwiug their tailings into the gut made by the previous passage. The second dredge is named the Galatea, and works a bar a few yards lower down the river, in the same line. It is working in five feet of the wash being similar to that brought up by the other dredge. The Galatea was built specially for the Molyneux, little more than four months ago, and can boast of some improvements as compared with the others. It is only at present wrought through the day and ever since it was launched, it has' been wrought to good advantage. The third dredge is named Clyde, working at present about a quarter of a mile further down. It has been two years in operation, and although at present upon very good ground, during the past six months of its career it did not earn more than half wages.

The wash, at this place is of much lighter colour, intermixed like the others with quartz and boulders. The . prospect shown to me was very good ; indeed the average returns were mentioned, but having been mentioned under non-publication pledge, I am ' precluded from communicating them. ' They were very handsome. [ Before dismissing this subject, per- ! Mit me to add that this is a branch of 1 mining which made a very favourable ' inprcssion on my mind. A large additi on to the present number of dredges ■ is talked of, and I can quite believe > that there is good ground for the re--5 port. The two pioneers of the Moly- " neux dredging operations—¥m. Gerdon and Bennight, are at work in their

dredges. They are a couple of really intelligent miners, and but for their pluck and sticking to their work, the auriferous deposits of the Molyneux bed would not hare been in such a fair way of being developed as they now are.