PUBLIC MEETING.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVII, Issue 77, 25 September 1858, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING.

On Tuesday evening a public meeting took place at the Odd Fellows* Hall, Nelson, at the instance of Mr. A. Gh Jenkins (the proprietor of the coal mine, about three miles from the town), who invited the public to meet him and hear his views oa the subject of leasing his coal-fields, and forming ft company fa'rth,with for mining the same. »,+,,» The hall was well filled, andD. Sinclair, Esq.,M,P.C o was called to the chair.

The Chairman read the advertisement convening the meeting, and called on Mr. A. GL Jbnkins, who alluded to the reasons which had induced him to take the steps he had. About two months ago, when his mine was in a fit state to be seen, and lie was intending to invite the public to view it, the rain set in very heavily, and destroyed all the workings. Having, with considerable trouble and expense again made the works good, several parties had visited the mine and had expressed themselves satisfied with its prospects. About 200 tons had been raised and distributed about the town ; and although the whole of it was surface, and of course inferior, coal, a better quality was now produced—a coal sufficient for borai domestic and steam purpoßes. His intention in calling the meeting was to endeavour to form a company to assist him in working the coal, and in laying down a tramway for a distance of about three miles to a shipping place which afforded a depth of water sufficient for vessels of large tonnage. %ithout attempting to make a speech, which was not necessary at a business meeting i of this kind, he would proceed to state his proposals. He came before them with the utmost certainty that the mine was a reality, and he had invited the public to view it for themselves. His proposals were these. He proposed to give a lease over his block of 1,800 acres for twenty-one years. He also proposed to give land for a tramway from the mine to the main road, and also land for a depot near to the main road, and land for miners' cottages. For these advantages he stipulated to have allotted to him 500 paid-up shares of £1 each, and to receive a royalty of Is. a-ton on the coal raised. He proposed that a capital of £10,000 should be raised, in shares of £1 each, and that a deposit of 2s. 6d. per share bo paid on the shares being taken. These deposits would amount to £1,250, which, after defraying the expenses of making the forty-fathom tunnel now in progress, and of the plant, baskets, &c, would leave about £1,000, which ne considered would be amply sufficient to develop ! the mine. Should the expenditure of this £1,250 be productive of no satisfactory result, no further call would be made, but the project would be abandoned. Mr. J. Maesden, at the request of the meeting, stated that during the five or six weeks he had been employed at the mine, he had driven a crosscut of 34 or 35 fathoms. In making this, he had come across two new seams, and he had advised Mr. Jenkins to endeavour to form a company to assist him in developing the mine. Mr. Marsden desoribed the state of the mine at some length,' and said that he was of opinion that it offered sufficient inducement for the formation of a company. Mr. B. JAOKBON proposed that Mr. Jenkins's proposals be accepted. Mr. W. L. Weet said that he had been asked by several gentlemen to attend the meeting and give his opinions. He had watched the progress of all the attempts to find coal in the province, and he was sorry to find Chat they had all proved abortive. He had not intended to speak at all on this occasion, however, and should not have done so, had it not been for an observation of Me. Joflkins, to the effect that the coal was suitable for steam purposes. Having visited the coal mine that day, he could speak from personal observation. There were three seams, and their position was decidedly advantageous, except that it would be an under-water colliery. His first impression of the coal was, that it bid fair to become a good household coal, And some persons thought it might do for steamengines. From what he had seen of the coal then burning in the stove in the room, he was convinced that it would not do for steam purposes, since as soon as the lumps ware poked they crumbled into small particles, which would choke the bars of a furnace. The coal was of the species called lignite, and he was of opinion that all the coal in New Zealand was of the same species. He alluded .at some length to the different varieties of English coal, and explained their uses and difference. The present colliery he considered was well worth Jthe working, and the torms proposed by Mr. Jenkins .were so fair, as to induce the public to invest a moderate amount of capital in trying the' coal. He hoped the experiment would be successful, but he disapproved of that 6tyle of self-glorification which assumed a fact before it had been proved.

Mr. M. Campbell had visited the pit several times, and felt convinced that the development of the coal would be a capital thing for Nelson. He gave the result of his trial of ihe coal in his steam mill, whioh had been satisfactory.. The heat obtained was much better than he had expected, and was far superior to the very best firewood that he could procure. He felt convinced that it would answer well for steam purposes. Mr. Tbavxbs thought that the previous speaker had misconstrued Mr. Wrey's observations, which had reference to the "duty" of coal, viz., the quantity of coal that it would require to raise steam a certain height. Unless the .coal would raise a certain quantity of steam it could not be used economically. But if it could be shown that this coal could be raised at a price that would allow of its economical use for domestic purposes, it would deserve the support of the public. He did not think sufficient .data had been produced to warrant extensive operations, with a view to the development of the mine. He thought, however, that a public meeting was not the proper place fb* originating a company ; but that it would stand more chance of success if the preliminary operations had been conducted privately. Mr. Huddbi,ston wished to know whether any analysis of the coal had been made, and any calculations as to the cost of bringing it to market. Mr. Jehkins said, that, as the operations had been merely preliminary, it was premature to analyze the surface coal ; but it was better rather to wait until it had been more developed. Mr. Mabsdkn differed with what had fallen from Mr. Wrey and Mr. Travera, In England crop coal was never raised ; but at this mine nothing but crop coal had been sent to market. He considered the seam of coal they were at present working was fit for steam purposes, and that the mine would not be an under-water colliery. He had nob the least doubt that the coal would improve as the shaft descended. Mr. Hkkdebson said, that since he had been in Nelson he had had opportunities of trying every description of coaL That from Mr. Jenkins's mine was quite equal to the best samples of Motupipi coal, and of about one-third less strength than the Newcastle Australian coal. He alluded to hia experiences with the Motupipi and other coals while he had been engineer of the steamer Taamanian Maid ; and at the steam mill of Mr. Campbell he had raised steam readily with Mr. Jenkins's coal, which, no doubt, would improve as the mine descended. With this coal he had raised and well maintained, in Mr. Campbell's high-pressure engines, 451bs. to the square inch, when grinding eight bushels per hour ("cheers]. Mr. J. Hooper also gave the result of his experience with Mr. Jenkins's coal at the Neteon Brewery, and he considered it far superior to and stronger than the Motupipi coaL Mr. J. Webb proposed that a preliminary committee be formed, consisting of Messrs. N. Edwards, Wilkie, A. Kerr, M. Lightband, J. Hooper, Everett, M. Campbell, and Lewthwaite. Mr. B, Jackson seconded the motion, and bore testimony to the excellence of the coal. The resolution was put and carried, and a vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings.