POUNAMU.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15922, 7 May 1912, Page 9

POUNAMU.

A MOUNTAIN OF GREENSTONE. STARTLING FIND ON WEST COAST. The almost unbelievable find of a mountain of New Zealand greenstone on the West Coast, reported some time ago, is now a certainty, and particulars of the very valuable discovery are disclosed in the prospectus of "New Zealand Greenstone Limited," a company which has been floated in a surprisingly short space of timo in Sydney, to work the greenstone mine. The shares have been fully taken up already, and the interest in the venture as far as most New Zeahuiders are cojicerned, will lie in the prospects ot having greenstone mantelpieces, carvings, table tops, and other ambitious articles of furniture, which could not have been dreamed of a year ago. Greenstone is a semi-precious stone, found solely in New Zealand in varying qualities from ordinary Pounamu to Tengawai, the most beautiful _ stone. It was used by the Maoris for meres and axes, owing to its hardness, and also for "tikis" their little gods, as the stone' was to them the most I 'precious known. Nowadays it is used for rather banal articles of " jewellery," such as. heart-shaped pendants and bar brooches, but it is capable of better things, and the goldmounted cigarette case presented to Captain Amundsen by his fellow-coun-trymen in Ghristchurch, was an elegant piece of carved "tengawai" that any connoisseur could ha.ve been proud of. The new mountain, however, will enable the stone to tako the place of marble for many purposes, as green is a colour greatly demanded for iuside and ont6ide decorations, although architects have been unable, to'lay their hands on stone showing a natural green colour with nice markings. There appears to bo little doubt, therefore, that, with the price in reason, greenstone will be taken up eagerly throughout the world, and the company handling the West Coast lode will have a monopoly of the world's supplies, as no similar deposit is known. Greenstone, in fact, has been found only in the district where the find is located. The property is situated in the Griffen Range, Tara Tama, and the mass of greenstone available is computed I by measurement at 270,000 tons, the poorest stone possessing a substantial monetary value. The mining and quarrying conditions are ideal, and the site is only fortv or fifty miles from Greymouth. It has been reported on already v,ery favourably by Air R. Speight, of Christ-church, ,Mr John Hayes, late inspecting engineer ,of mines to the. New Zealand Government, and other eminent engineers, and the success of the venture is assured. The''prices at which it can be j quarried are very promising. TJio prices ruling for jewellery stone run from 6d to 6s a lb, or from £56 to ,£672 per ton. Estimates show that the stone, can bo put aboard the steamer at Greymouth r.t an outside cost of £3 a ton.

Mr Thomys Moynihan, a "West Coaster who has just returned from floating the company in Sydney, was in Christcliurch last evening and spoke most enthusiastically of the find, which he said was a very good thins; for the dominion. Tu Sydney, he said, ho lmd met Sir Arthur Guinness, who was delighted to hear of the good fortune that hi]s befallen " the Coast.'' To-day Mr Moynihan and a party will leave Christchurch for the " mountain " which lies in an area leased by the company from the Government for sixty-three years. -Accompanying him will bo Mr G. A. Julius, consulting engineer, of Svdney, a son of Bishop Julius, who will make a report on the best moans of transport. The partv will be mrav about a fortnight.