THE WEST COAST COALFIELDS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 14060, 15 May 1906, Page 9

THE WEST COAST COALFIELDS.

AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. [Per Press Association-.] WESTPORT, May 14. An important discovery of coal on the Westport-Stockton Coalmining Company’s property at Ngakawau is reported. Tho find practically proves the extension of a lower seam, similar to the Coalbrookdale, underlying about 1000 acres of tho property, and an upper seam of hard, bright coal of excellent quality and about six feet in thickness, underlying an area of about 500 acres. Tho lower scam is from ICft to 30ft in thickness, and is stated to be equal to the very best quality of coal produced from tho Buller coalfields. In addition to the above, on the_ western boundary 300 acres contain a visible extension of tho Grunity Creek seam, with about 3] million tens of coalj bringing the aggregate up to 26] million tons, or equal to an output of a quarter of a million tons per year for a century. The discovery has been verified by Mr Broome, the company’s engineer.