THE WHAREKUWA COAL MINE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4639, 8 July 1872, Page 2

THE WHAREKUWA COAL MINE.

A few days ago we drew attention, to the formation of a company to work the coal seams found in the districts between the Surrey and Miranda redoubts. It is called the Wharekuwa coalfield. The company have secured the freehold of 10,480 acres of land in ono block, and the coal is found cropping out at a small waterfall in one of the creeks on the property near the western limit. The coal seam at present opened upon dips to the eastward, &t an angle of one in seven. There will therefore be a very large body of coal to be obtained, seeing that the seam at the place where it is cut through is 10ft. 4in. thick. About 40 tons of coal has been taken out. Some of it was sent to the Thames, and very favourably reported upon for steam-raising purpoies. It is of the brown coal series, and a quantity has been brought up to Auckland, a sample of which can now bo seen at our publishing office. It is said to burn brightly,with an intense heat, and ii reported t to be wholly free from sulphur. Where the coal now on exhibition ,'was obtained was about 10ft. below the ordinary surface of the ground. For a, distance of about Bft. the shaft is through clay ; after that comes a stratum of hard cement. Underlying the coal is a bed of excellent fire-clay, which the company intend to utilise when they g«k rightly under w*y. About a couple of miles from where the preaent shaft is sunk is found an excellent limestone, and in the immediate vicinity of this are found considerable deposits of iron ore. We were shown several samples of these minerals on Saturday afternoon ; but we understand that a chemical aaalysis of lamples of them is being made at tlio present time, which in due time will be made public. As these minerals are abundant on the company's property, we hope that no delay will take place in opening up, the coalmine ; but that blast furnaces will be erected upon the company's ground, and thus establish the first ironworks in the colony. A more commanding position could scarcely be desired, for — with the Thames mining district on one side, Auckland on the other, and the large Waikato district on a third — it is admirably situated to supply these different markets not only with coal, but with iron also. The present shaft is only distant from Mercer — irhioh is the terminus of the Auckland and Waikato Railway — about 12 miles, and from this point the various productions of the company could be sent up the Waikato valley to the different settlements there, or northwards to Auckland and the intermediate settlements. To deep water in the Firth of tba Thames, at the Fukorokoro Creek, where the Miranda township is to be laid off, is a distance of about 9| miles by a tramway line, which has been roughly surveyed. It believed, however, from the detailed survey of the cdm. pany's property which is now being made, that a practicable lino considerably shorter will be found. Three-fourths of the whole capital of the company comes from England, and wo feel satisfied that the more accurately our great undeveloped resources are known by British capitalists the more freely will British money flow hitherward for investment. The consumption of both coal and iron is yearly increasing, and will continue to do so in an increasing ratio »s settlement progresses, as flax, and flour-mills are erected in country districts, and as our railways and tramways are extended. The market open i to the company i* a large ono. '