Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
69 
water forces the refuse and tailings into the triiek, and fills it in 
a rery short time ; the truck is then drawn away by a horse to a 
siiitable distance out of the way of any of the workings. 
Two puddling machines are supplied with water from the hutch 
at the tail of the sluice-box, and all the surplus water is conveyed 
back into the dam by a launder. The quantity of puddled dirt 
washed per day by the above machinery is noib less than, sixty- 
five tons by the following number^of men : — 
Two men feeding (shovelling wash-dirt into sieve) 
at 8s. each ... ... ... ... ... 16 0 
One man at head of sluice-box ... ... ... 8 0 
One youth behind do. ... ... ... ... 5 0 
One horse removing tailings by truck ... ... 8 4 
One youth driving do. ... ... ... ... 5 6 
One horse removing ho])perings, pebbles, by truck 3 4 
One youth di'iving do. ... ... ... ... 5 6 
One horse working engine, (fee. ... ... ... 3 4 
50 0 
One man’s labour must now be deducted from the above calcula- 
tion, for pumping water for theTwo puddling machines = 7s. 6d., 
which leaves the cost of washing sixty-five tons of puddled dirt 
per day at 42s. Gd., or less than eight-pence per ton. 
As Mr. AVesley has most kindly furnished me wnth a drawing 
of his tin-dressing machinery, I hereby take the opportunity of 
forwarding you the same, which will enable you to understand 
more fully the woi’th of his invention, for it has proved to be a 
most unqualified success. By it, tliree times the quantity of 
puddled dirt can he washed per day, at a more reasonable rate 
than by any system of sluicing or tin-extracting now being used 
in the tin mines. 
This machineiyis within the reach of any party of working 
miners, as it can be erected at a cost of £60 to £70, and is so 
extremely simple that it would he very soon understood ; and will 
prove of immense benefit not only towards developing the district, 
but in enabling the tin miners to make poor ground pay very 
remunerative wages. The excellence of this invention is being 
recognized on this creek, as the Vegetable Creek Tin Mining Co. 
are erecting one on the same principle as that now being used so 
successfully at the Great Britain Tin ^lining Company’s mine. 
Messrs. Mofiiitt and Tlarridge, of Stanthorpe, arc erecting a 
Tin-smelting Works at Tent Hill, four miles from Vegetable 
Creek, and they expect to be in full working order in March 
next, which no doubt will prove of great benefit to the miners, 
as at present all the ore raised in this District is sent to Newcastle 
or Sydney Smelting Works, thereby incurring a serious expense 
in carting. The number of mines of any note, raising tin oi’e in 
