Coal Commissioners’ Report.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume VII, Issue 67, 12 September 1901, Page 4

Coal Commissioners’ Report.

The following are extracts from the Coal Commissioners’ Roport, in so far as the report effects the coal measures in the Collingwood district. The extracts are taken from the Mines Record for August : PUPONGA and PAKAWAU.

We visited these coalfields in May, and first directed our attention to Puponga, and especially to the leases taken up in the names qf Mr Joseph and Mrs Annie Taylor. Puponga lies on the eastern shore of Cape Farewell, about 14 miles from Collingwood, and is protected by the long sandspit which runs almost due east from the point of Cape Farewell. There is no navigable river or inlet, but the shore is so well protected that vessels can approach in safety, and a wharf could be erected at which vessels might load. The flimsy structure now existing is evidence of the safety of the place from heavy seas. About a mile and a half to two miles by the nearest approach the leaseholds of Mr and Mrs Taylor are situated. They"comprise 100 acres in the name of Mr Taylor, 100 acres in Mrs Taylor’s name, and 200 acres applied for by Mr Taylor, which last has been recommendby the Warden, but not yet issued. (Since issued.) A company has been formed in England, with a nominal capital of £70,000, and arrangements made for the immediate raising of .£12,000 for the purpose of opening the mine. The evidence of Mr Taylor discloses the financial arrangements between himself and the company, and we deem it unnecessary, to. comment, on them. The Taylors will convey all their interest in the leaseholds to the company, and will receive an equivalent in shares arid some in cash. There has been some prospecting done on the property, but very little actual mining ; a wooden tramway three miles long has been laid down to the foreshore, and it is explained that this was a, cheap temporary means of getting some coal out to market and carrying the necessary timber and material for opening the mine, and its place is to be at once supplied by a good iron tramway, on which a small locomotive can work. Two small sailing vessels or scows have been obtained, but so far, owing to the difficulty of getting the coal from the mine on board a vessel, it lias been shipped at a loss. The price at Nelson has been from <£! 4s to £1 10s per tori, and £1 8s at Collingwood. It has been sold at Puponga at J6s f.0.b., and 'as much as 6s a ton freight from Puponga to Nelson has been paid. The

.output so far has been so small that it is impossible to gather from a state, merit of cost hitherto what the price for large quantities would be. Mr Taylor says that the tramway and new pier will be finished before the end of the year. We entered three short drives, which have been put in on a seam varying from 7ft. Gin. to, say, 9ft. ; the longest of these has been driven 400 ft on coal. The coal appears to be of very good quality for household purpose, and not unsuited for steam. Ac a steam-coal it would rank as somewhat inferior to Grey or Westport, but in the absence of a better quality at a low price would be valuable for steam purposes. There are only a few men employed in coal getting at present, and were the quantity ascertained it would be quite right to defer mining until the means of transit are completed. This is a dilemma in which mine owners frequently find themselves. To drive far on coal without being able to profitably sell the output means great loss, and to first provide railwaycarriage and means of loading involves the risk of finding all such expenditure wasted if the quantity of coal in the mine turns out to be insufficient. Between Mr Taylor, who professes great expert knowledge on the subject, andMr A. McKay, F.G.S., Government Geologist, there appears to be a sharp difference of opinion as to the conformity of the seam and the quantity of coal likely to be obtained! We beg to refer your Excellency to Mr McKay’s report (4900, C.—6) on the Puponga. Coalfields, and to say that, so far as we have been able to judge, Mr McKay’s conclusions are the sounder of the the two.

It is greatly to be desired that this coalfield should prove a source of supply not only to Nelson, but also the country round that city, and every possible consideration should be shown to those who are endeavouring to establish a coal supply within the area of Golden Bay. (fare should, however, be taken that, while allowing each person or company interested access to the foreshore and anchorage, no concession should be granted that would prejudice the right of all to such A. Peart's Leasehold. —Adjourning Taylors’ leases is the lease held by the Cape Coal Prospecting Company in the 'name of Alfred Peart. The area is 400 acres, and it lies to the north and west of the Taylor leases, and is believed to take the coal to the dip of Taylors’ seam ; but although some £4OO has been spent, the party have not been so successful in striking the seam. A shaft 66ft. deep has been sunk, passing through four small seams, the thickest of which is said to be 2ft. Sixteen shafts have been sunk on this area, but without succes. Efforts arc now being made tc provide new capital and continue the operations. . The Puponga field appears to be especially one in which no speculations as to what is beneath the surface can be made of any use, and therefore one in which the pick alone can solve the question, Pakawau. —We also visited the mine in this place, which is some 7 miles south of Puponga. There is an area of 39 acres actually granted, and the owners (Messrs Caldwell Bros.) have applied for another 100 acres. The mine has been open for five or six years, but in a very intermittent sorb of way. Eight men and a boy are afe present employed on the coal, and three truckers, but we understood that this number has not been employed regularly. The output rose to 400 tons in April, but this was an exceptional output. The drive has been carried in 150 ft., and the mine is worked on the usual pillar-and-bord system. The coal is put on board vessels at a small wharf, erected on the foreshore of the bay, and is charged for f.o.b. —15s for screened, and 10s. for nuts. The slack is washed away at the tiphead and sent into the creek. The mine is a mile and a quarter from the wharf, and there is a good iron tramway. The width of the seam is from 2ft. 6in. to 4ft., and there are two bands of clayey pug running through the seam, which detracts from its value. The coal is a semi-bituminous coal, and answers very Well for household purposes ; its place as a steam-coal depends upon the supply of belter coal for steam purposes. A few years ago it would not be used ; a few years hence it may be gladly take; .