C—3a.

Dredges visited by Acting Inspector of Mines, Dunedin — continued.

68

Name and Situation of Dredge. Owners. Dredgenmster. So ha a P Safety Appliances. B ., t . Life- LifeBoats - belts, buoys. Remarks. Roxburgh, Coal Greek Plat, Roxburgh (Molyneux River) Endeavour Dredging Company (private), Roxburgh A. Eennie The Roxburgh Dredging Company (Limited) has gone into liquidation. Present party bought the dredge. Fencing fairly satisfactory except at forward end of hull. This is to be attended to. Working in the river. Well-hole partially fenced. Hull needs fence-rails forward of deckhouses. Working in stream. (Not paying.) A current-wheel dredge. Working in the stream. (Not paying.) MoLay's, Lowburn, near Cromwell (Clutha River) Current-wheel Dredge (Clutha River), Lowburn Crookston (Clutha River), Cromwell McLay and party George MoLay 6 1 Bryce, Klough, and Talboys, Cromwell .. William Bryce .. 3 1 Crookston and party, Cromwell William Crookston 6 2 Machinery well protected, but the hull requires more secure fencing beyond ends of deck-houses. Working in a rapid current. (Not paying.) About to be moored in Kawarau River. On river near Bannockburn Bridge, working in rapid current. On river near Cromwell Coal-mine, working in rapid current. Hulls well fenced. Well-holes not fenced. Large dredges, well equipped. Owing to floods bringing a lot of loose drift down the river, these dredges can only work about eight months in the year. One man per shift can work this dredge (a current-wheeler), but two men are always on board, the off-shift man being provided with a bunk. Dredge works in midstream in Molyneux River, just below mouth of the Manuherikia, but is now undergoing repairs and overhaul. Hull well fenced. The well is protected by a movable platform, in short sections, which is a very satisfactory arrangement. Fencing of hull very inadequate. Well-hole not fenced or protected. Iron decks. Working in banks (out of current). Electric No. 1, Electric No. 2 (Kawarau River), Cromwell Electric Dredging Company, Dunedin (S. Crow, Dunedin, Secretary) A. McGeorge 7 7 2 2 i 4 2 2 Manuherikia (Molyneux River), Alexandra Manuherikia Gold - dredging Company (private) John Maokersey .. 2 1 Enterprise (Molyneux River), Alexandra Enterprise Dredging Company (No Liability), Rattray Street, Dunedin (C. S. Reeves, Secretary) Ngapara Dredging Company (private), Alexandra Samuel Lake 7 2 ,2 1 Ngapara (Molyneux River), Alexandra Eobert Boss 6 1 Working in flats away from current. Boat was on beach half a mile away. Iron pontoons and decks. Fencing was very moderate. Stern fence-rail gone, stanchions only left standing. The largest dredge yet at work. Working in banks at side of river, and out of current. Face —say 30 ft. above water, and 28 ft. below = 58 ft in all. Most of the hull is housed in. A few slight matters of fencing require attention. No fence to well-hole. The ground above water-level is sluiced down, a duplex pump being used to supply a " director " for the purpose. A large modern dredge, working in the river. No attempt to fence the well. Some additions to fencing of hull and machinery to which I drew attention. Consider this dredge should have two boats, also a full complement of life-belts, and that it should be compulsory for men to wear life-belts when shifting lines in connection with this and all other dredges working in swift currents. One of the earliest dredges, and very small. Formerly a currentwheeler, but converted into a steam-dredge. Fencing, &c, well attended to. Well-hole platformed over. Short length of fencing wanted on hull aft of boiler. One man per shift only. No one sleeps on board. Arranged with the dredgemaster for attention to the details referred to. He promised to provide for accommodation for an off-shift man so as to always have two men on board. Molyneux Hydraulio (Molyneux River), Alexandra L. G. Ryan, Secretary, Alexandra L. Gards, managing owner 1 Moa (Molyneux River), Alexandra Clyde Dredging Company (Limited), Dunedin (E. R. Smith, Secretary) W. S. MoOallum 2 Eureka No. 1 (Molyneux River), Alexandra Leon and party J. McDonald