Districts which a few years ago were enlivened by the noise of the dredges and the hustle and activities of the alluvial mine are now practically deserted, or in many cases taken over by the agriculturist.
The latter is now asserting his claim to the water which has for so long been used in mining operations and the Government has shown itself inclined to support the legitimate demands of the orchardist in preference to those of mining prospector.
The Cromwell District Warden, in reserving judgement recently in the matter of an application for an alluvial claim on Cromwell Flat and 1000 heads of water, probably voice the opinion of the majority of settlers when he said that, although the land was very probably auriferous, the interests of the public would be far better served by creating a fruitful settlement than by destroying the land in mining operations, even although a fortune were obtained for a few people in so doing.
A glance at the returns reported during the year shows that there has been a drop of over 50 per cent, compared with the yield for 1912.
The already greatly diminished fleet of dredges has been still further reduced by the liquidation of at least six public companies during the year, they being the Waikaka United, Koputai, Sandy Point, Golden Treasure, Masterton, and Hartley and Riley.
Among these interest centres around the demise of the Hartley and Riley, a company which, in the days of the dredging boom, held pride of place for the price of its shares, on one occasion 1 shares bringing close on 24.
The company was voluntarily wound up on October 16, after an existence of 16 years, this course being adopted owing to the poor prospects and the exhausted condition of the finances of the company.
During its lifetime 32,508oz of gold, valued at 125,810, were won, and dividends amounting to 84,337 10s, or 12 19s 6d per share, were paid to shareholders.
The dredge won some phenomenally large returns.
For the week ending March 23, 1900, 1187oz 14wt were washed up for one week's work, and for the week ending October 16, 1903, 1158oz were secured.
• The eventful year, which is today brought to an end, has witnessed a considerable alteration in the map of Western Europe, the continued expenditure in the rest of the continent of enormous sums upon armaments, the existence of industrial unrest to a disquieting degree throughout the world and the occurrence of a succession of industrial disturbances, and the assassination of one of the crowned heads of Europe and an attempt on the life of another.
Peace, however, continues to have its victories, no less than war, and the completion of the stupendous undertaking for the construction of a waterway in Central America to connect the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean was one of the most noteworthy events of the year.
A tragic occurrence, which, since it belonged to the sea, the great international highway, may conveniently be mentioned here was the loss through fire in mid-Atlantic of a British steamer the Volturno, carrying over 600 emigrants from Rotterdam to New York.
The gloom of the tragedy was relieved, however, by the most wonderful story of rescue that has ever been recorded.
By means of wireless telegraphy a fleet of nine liners, flying the flags of five different nations, was summoned to the aid of the burning vessel and 521 persons were safely removed. - ODT, 31.12.1913
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
