OUR ILLUSTRATIONS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXII, Issue XVIII, 30 April 1904, Page 45

OUR ILLUSTRATIONS.

GOLD AND GOLD-DREDGING IN NEW ZEALAND. (Continued from page 39.) ly amusing. >'or instance, we hear of one mechanical genius who suggested that an iron pipe should be sunk in the bed of the Molyneux, sufficiently large to carry away the whole of its waters. This simple device would, it was stated, enable miners to work the bed of the river oh either side of the pipe. Another inventive enthusiast recommended that the Kawarau River should be dammed back at its junction with the Arrow; while others urged that the course of the river should be turned at various points, as suggested in Sir Julius Vogel’s “A.D. 2000.” All idea of turning the river at any portion of its course, a costly if not a useless process in any case, has long since been abandoned, owing to the state of comparative perfection to which the modern gold dredge has been brought. The idea of dredging the river for gold dates as far back as the later “sixties,” or early “seventies,” when a spoon-buck-et dredge was put on tiie river near Alexandra. This in its primitive form consisted Simply of an iron ring and oxhide bag attached to a long pole. The apparatus was dropped in the river, the ring being forced to the bottom by means of the pole, and then dragged to the shore by a rope attached to a winch. An improved spoon-dredge was not long in making its appearance, the winch being placed on a punt, strongly moored in the river. The wash-dirt lifted by this process had to be cradledWn order to separate the gold. At first the returns from the various dredges of this pattern were often as high as 70 or 80 ounces a week. The expenses of working, however, were much higher proportionately than those of the modern dredge. The next improvement was the introduction of a paddle wheel driven by the current to work the spoon-dredge, the dredge being known as a current wheeler. This did not prove the success that was anticipated, and it was followed by a steam spoon-dredge, which, however, failed to satisfactorily deal with the tailings that were constantly being discharged into the river from the sluicing claims on the banks. It was not until 1881 that the first steam bucket and ladder dredge was placed upon the Clutha. This was the “Eureka,” but unfortunately it was not at first a success. It was speedily followed, however, by the Dunedin Company's large dredge, which was running a year or two ago, although considerably altered and improved from its first appearance. During its 16 years of working, this dredge has obtained gold exceeding in value £60,000. The gold-dredging boom that reached its height in 1899-1900, really commenced with the phenomenal success of the Sew Hoy Company in 1889. With a small steam bucket dredge on the Shotover, a tributary of the Kawarau, such extraordinarily rich results were obtained that the £lO shares of the company were soon selling for £250. The immediate consequences were somewhat disastrous, as so many dredges were placed on the Kawarau. in good, bad or indifferent positions, that very many of them failed to pay. A number of these were then placed on the Clutha, between Alexandra and Clyde. This was about the beginning of 1893. Here good results were obtained, and after that the dredging boom went ahead with leaps and hounds, until it reached its flood tide in the unprecedented and phenomenal operations of 1899-1900. Both in Otago and in Westland hundreds of companies sprang into existence, or were in process of formation, for the purpose of dredging the rivers or their adjacent alluvial flats. The demand for dredges was far in excess of the supply. The foundries were working day and night to try to meet the demand, and scores of companies were in operation to whom the dredges under order could not bo supplied for three or four years to come. The state of excitement and unrest in Otago and on the West Coast, and even throughout the whole colony, was

•oinething unprecedented. The shares of all sorts and conditions of companies

were eagerly rushed for and taken ip. I’arsoiiH, teachers, shopkeepers, labourers; in fact, members of every class of the community, were eager participants in the great gamble. Needless to say that this huge wild-cat scramble ended in disaster to the great majority, and in utter ruin to not a few. It is not the purpose of this article to give an account of the great dredging boom. It is sufficient to notice for the present that the collapse of the boom, although it brought loss and ruin to large numbers of shareholders, had the effect of purging the field of numberless wild-cat schemes and companies, and of freeing the dredging industry, to some extent, from the wild gambling mania that, had infested it. This industry seems now to be on a permanent footing. The various dredges that are at present in operation are yielding fairly good returns, and the value of their shares is now determined by the actual net returns, rather than, as formerly, by a fictitious competition for shares. While it remains in this condition the future of gold dredging in New Zealand as a permanent industry is assured, and its value to the colony and the community is everywhere abundantly evident.

OUR TIMBER INDUSTRY.—TRIPPING A DAM. Not the least interesting and exciting operation connected with the important timber industry of the North is that known as “tripping a dam.” The huge logs are jacked into some eonvenit ent stream after being felled, but as the flow of water is insufficient to carry them down to the sea coast, a substantial wooden dam is erected at some suitable point, and the water backed up till an adequate power is secured, and then the dam is opened, or “tripped.” The water surges forth and carries the waiting Jogs down towards the coast at a great rate. Sometimes it is necessary to “trip” several times before all the. logs come down.