NELSON.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 204, 16 August 1860, Page 3

NELSON.

Dr. Hochstbtter.: —We are gratified ."to learn that our late eminent scientific visitor, Dr. Hochstetter, has received a Professor’s chair since his return to Germany, and has been raised to the dignity of a Baron by the king ,jf Wurtemburg.— Examiner. Coal. —In the neighbourhood of the town we have a tertiary or brown coal, found upon Mr. Jenkins’s property, and now .worked bythat gentleman. The demand for this coal is far beyond the, supply, for although of comparatively little value, for manufacturing purr poses, it is found, by consumers to be superioto wood for ordinary domestic use. The extraordinary disturbances apparent in the strati-, fication in the immediate vicinity of Mr. Jenkins’s . mine, induced Dr. Hochstetter ‘Mothink it doubtful whether a mine iu.that,particular- place could be successfully worked but as the formation extends for several miles along the base of the hills towards the Wairoa river, he “ thought it not improbable that in the same line of stratification-a place might,bo found, where, at a greater depth, the coal seams might lie in their natural position, and, workings be carried on with success.”

We come next to the coalfields of Massacre Bay, containing both tertiary aiid secondary coals. The tertiary coals are found of great, extent afMotiipipi and in the valley of the 7’akaka, and are said by Dr, llochstetter to be of the same geological age as those found at Drurv, near Auckland. At Motupipi these coals were, until lately, worked on a large scale, but the - undertaking.-was-abandoned by the proprietors “ as a losing concern.” [ It is not our province to inquire into the causes of the alleged failure, but we cannqt help thinking that the limited consumption of coal was mainly due to the high price demanded for it in iVelson, a price which , was found by experience to be far beyond its relative value as fuel. It wouhl be impossible to find mines of coal more advantageously situated for working. Cropping out in a block of hills; boun'ding a small natural haven-,-hundreds, of thousands of tons can be obtained level free; whilst at the very mouth-'of the mine adit, vessels can lie for transporting the produce to Nelson. 'The works are described as having been "“ commenced with regularity and judgment,” and are such that the coal can be produced in unlimited ' quantity; and there is uo doubt that if the price charged bore any reasonable proportion to its value for consumption,* t-hs demand-for this* coal would be- very-' largo. Next in order "comes the Pakawau coal, which, until the discovery of the Grey coal I fields, was undoubtedly the best coal Jjjio'wh'in

the coiony. Dr. Hoehstetter described it as “ a dense, heavy black coal, of a laminated structure, breaking in large pieces which do not crumble, yielding a large amouut of flame and heat without sulphureous or other disagreeable snlell, and burning away to a clean white ash and moreover he was of opinion “ that this coal inust contain at least 70 per cent, of carbon, and that it would be found a very ex cellent coal for steam pnrposes.” In allusion to the seam already worked upon (which only contained two feet of pure coal), he also said, M that in a coal field of such extent, it might with confidence be assumed that seams of much greater thickness existed.” These mines, like those at Motupipi, present great facilities for working. Situated in a block of hilly ground, the coal crops out in various directions in the ravines and gullies, and, there is little doubt that good workable seams will be found considerably above the water level. The produce can be shipped cither from the township of Seaford (within a mile of the mines), where barges or other vessels drawing from four to six feet of water can be employed, or from Collingwood, only six miles distant on a dead level, a railway to whichplacj would enable the coals to be shipped in vessels of two hundred tons burden. We are informed that Government have granted a lease of two square miles of this coal field to some gentlemen here, who are about, to try tbeir luck with the black diamond. Last in our list are the coal measures of the G ey. Mr. Haa-T speaks in the highest terms of the mineral wealth of the district, In the bed of a stream flowing into the Grey, and at a short distance from that river, he found one ream of pure coal, which, so far as it had been exposed by natural causes, was twelve feet fix inches thick; whilst at a short distance above it another seam of the same coal, six l'eet in thickness, cropped out. Mr. Haast is of opinion that the extent of the coal field, stretching north and south of the Grey, is very considerable; and he states that it offers unusual facilities for working.

The seams are above the water level, are situated at but a short distance from the harbour, to which a railroad could be laid at a moderate expense, and the harbour itself is available for vessels of considerable tonnage, Nels&rt Examiner.

James Mackay, Esq., the native interpreter and resident magistrate for Aorere, has returned from his trip to the west coast, having succeeded in satisfying the native land claimants in that district by the payment of £3OO for 7,500,000 acres of land. The native claims to land in this province are now extinguished, with the sole exception of D’Urville’s Island and the small parcels of land set aside as native reserves.— lbid.

The erection of a General Lunatic Asylum for the colony, in accordance with the recom3nendation of Dr. Prendergast, is about to be proceeded with. The buildings are intended to cover an area of about three acres, to be 600 feet by 300, and to be built in the Old English style.— lbid. Taranaki Sufferers. — l have made many inquiries with the view of finding out exactly the position of the Government of this province with respect to them. The town and province have done much more than can be generally understood. Not only has the Government given a handsome contribution to Taranaki itself, but it has taken the responsibility of maintaining with rations all the refugees W'lio need that assistance. There are said to be about 400 or 500 of these unfortunate people, women, children, and old men, who were driven in from the out-districts, and were ultimately forced to leave the province altogether. Almost all were certified by the Superintendent of Taranaki to be in need of immediate assistance. When they arrived a committee was formed to billet them off among the inhabitants ; all welcomed them and made room for them ; some even vacated their houses, and gave them up to the refugees; others contributed articles of furniture, clothes, and necessaries; and the Government issued rations to all who required it, doing so, I believe, nominally as an advance to the Taranaki Government, but virtually out of provincial funds, unless the General Government will repay them. The disbursement has been going on for a considerable time, and now stands at the rate of .£BO or £9O per week.

The town does not seem crowded, and none complain of inconvenience from the presence of the refugees, but they must tax the' generosity and self-denial of almost all, ’ More are expected to come, for if the rest of the women and children are sent from Taranaki they must come here, or go to Auckland. They say here that they are quite willing to receive them. Besides all this, frequent supplies of good things are sent up by steamer to Z’arainaki for the sick and wounded. Captain Johns of the Airedale informs me that he has taken charge of great quantities of such little matters of late. This spirit of benevolence so universally entertained, is beyond all things gratifying to observe. —Correspondent of Lyttelton Times.