NELSON COAL MEASURES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 8 June 1909, Page 2

NELSON COAL MEASURES.

THE WAI-ITI AND TADMOB OUTCROPS. At the instigation of Mr C. Y. Fell, the Council of the Chamber of Commerce recently asked that Dr Bell should make a scientific survey of the Wai-iti and Tadmor coal measures. The following reply from the Minister of Mines was received and read at last night's meeting of the Chamber of Commerce:— I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 10th inst., requesting on behalf of the Nelson Chamber of Commerce, that an examina-tion-of the- coal measures in the Wai-it ; and Tadmor districts be mado by the Director of Geological Surveys while he was in the locality. "In reply I have the honour to inform you that in accordance with instructions Dr Bell made a reconnaissance of the coal deposits referred to, and reports, inter alia, as follows : — 'Coal-bearing rocks occur along the north-westerly face of the range of hill? r-xtending from the town of Nelson to and beyond Tadmor, and in the past coal has "been mined at Enner Glynn. at the head of Brook-street, in Nelson itself and at Richmond Belgrove, and other points further south. The operationshave been conducted in a small way, apparently mainly owing to the irreeularity and inconstancy of the seams. However, as all mining fo far conducted has been carried along the base of the hills, where the strata are very highly tilted and faulted, and not on the flat, the utility of the coal seams can hardly be said to have been properly tested. "Near Tadmor a seam of coal 2ft Bin thick was inspected, on a small tributary of the Wangapeka, which enters on the. right bank just below the mouth of the Sherry. It is stated thai there were numerous- outcroppings of coal on the Sherry, Wangapeka, Baton, and other streams in this locality. The coal if generally subJbitumiHous (Jigniti,c) in quality — a gradi more suitable for household use than for steam purposes. The following analysis shows the quality of coal of the Sherry river — the sample having been sent some years ago to th' Geological Survey Office by Mr T. , McCarthy :— Fixed carbon 44.^0 Hydrocarbons 48.60 Water 1-°° Ash 5 70 100.00 Total sulphur 3.13 p.c. "At Wai-iti no coal seam apparently is now actually exposed, though, as al ready remarked, h- is mined in the past, anda few fragments of the coal now obtained show it to resemble that of Tadmor. There are, however, abundant out-crops of coal-bearing strata, and seams of coal undoubtedly exist whosr whereabouts could be proven by boring-" Mr Duncan stated that he had seen Mr McKenzie, and asked him if he ■would have a thorough peolopical survey made in Nelson. The Minister said he could hardly promise that, as it would be very expensive, and the geologica 1 staff had been reduced by one-half. Mr Duncan had also requested Dr Bell to indicate where boring should be done and it might be possible to secure a boring machine from the Government free of charge. Mr Bisley mentioned that private enterprise was doing what was wanted A syndicate was now at work, and h.-u' come on cood quality of coal, and he b<" lieved thnt before lons they would hocof something good beine struck. Mr Fell said he had hoped that a com plete survey would be made- before th' staff was reduced, and it was this tha-t had led him to move in the matter.