The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, July 4, 1944. GREY COAL DEPOSITS.

Grey River Argus, 4 July 1944, Page 4

The Grey River Argus TUESDAY, July 4, 1944. GREY COAL DEPOSITS.

Those with visions of future industrial development in this district will be disposed to regard as auspicious the latest disclosure of coal deposits in elose proximity to the town. The Minister of Mines announces that recent drilling has penetrated a seam of good hard coal between Greymouth and Dobson. In taking over collieries the Government has had in contemplation not merely the extraction of coal which already had been proven to be within reach of existing facilities, but the testing of the adjacent areas for further deposits. Thus it has been with the object of reaching a decision upon the scope of possible development in connection with the Dobson State colliery that drilling to a greater-depth in the vicinity was undertaken. It has, however, been found that there is a need for improved drilling facilities, to enable deeper levels to be examined. Consequently the Government, is now sending to the United States one of its experts .to study the latest developments both in drilling technique and in the equipment for the work. It is, of course, recognised •that in deep drilling the Americans have attained exceptional capacity. The seam newly revealed between here and Dobson lies.at a depth of fifteen hundred feet where it. has been struck, and has a thickness of over ten feet, which means that, if. the deposit is extensive, it will be a most valuable one. The fact of the matter is nevertheless that private enterprise could not be relied on to undertake its exploitation, considering that the initial outlay of capital is bound to be considerable. State enter prise in this field, to which the present /Minister has certainly given a big impetus, is proving definitely advantageous. In the original area of governmental initiative, boring to a depth of six teen hundred feet having already been conducted at the Liverpool mine, disclosing a seam of coal of dimensions similar to that in the Dobson area at a similar depth. The presumption would seem therefore warranted that at depths decidedly greater still this district contains coal in large quantity and possibly of better quality than the deposits being worked nearer to the surface. It is satisfactory to note that there has been mapped out a very extensive programme to study the country’s coal resourcs which must, gradually increase in value as greater and more numerous uses arc found for coal, and especially the bituminous 'variety in which the fields abound on the West Coast. The necessity of improved sea transport facilities is thus illustrated, but that is not the only prospect opened up. In the location of various industries, economy in the national sense dictates the closest proximity to the source of fuel supply. It might not be the.most desirable environment for a community to be in the midst of such industry as is identified with coal and the working of metal, but the.prior question is whether the presence of coal may not have rendered such an environment the destiny of a locality. To-day it may be generally evident that our coal resources exceed greatly estimates which formerly were regarded as accurate, but what those resources mean for the future of the district it is scarcely possible adequately to foresee. It is enough to say that they will certainly shape that future in a very great measure, and that every step towards their utilisation will be one in the right direction.