THE COAL-FIELDS OF THE COLONY.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 189, 13 December 1873, Page 3

THE COAL-FIELDS OF THE COLONY.

Now that the double excitement of the elections and the Exhibition is over, we may begin that renewed effort 1o develope the mineral resources of the colony, on which so much stress was laid during the late contests. A report, or rather a series of reports on the coalfields of JNfcw Zealand, presented to Parliament, and just issued from the Government Printing-office, comes to hand opportunely, aud contains a large amount of new information furnished by Dr. Hector, as to the coal-fields in both islands, which we shall summarise for the information of our readers. Taking Auckland first, we find that in the neighbourhood of Mongonui, a bore baa been put down on Parapara Flat, in which a seam of coal of moderately good quality has been found, while another seatn 'has been reported at Wangaroa, creeping out on the mud-flats near the harbour. A fresh discovery of coal has been made uear the harbour of Wangarei; a good brown coal has been found in Waikato, on the line of the railway; and near the fine harbour of Raglan, from which the mine is easy of access. A deposit of iron ore, yieldiug 67 per cent, of iron, has ' been found at the same place. Jn the Province of Wellington brown coal has been! found near "Waugauui and Uaugitikei, although it is of an inferior quality. In Otago, the presence of coal is | reported from four different localities. The j field at Preservation Inlet is pronounced as being of but little importance. At Nightcap Hill, in the Province of Southland, a seam of common brown coal, ten feet thick, and easily accessible, has been reported, but as the quality is inferior to the pitch coal at Moreley Creek, further researches are recommended before the field is connected with the existing railway. The coal reported to have .been found at Waikana, iv the southeast of Otago, is found to be nothing more than masses of driftwood converted into coal. At Green Island and Shag Point, however, in the Clutba district, there are valuable deposits, which the extension of the railway system will &oon bring fully into use. At JVldlvern Hill, iv the Canterbury district, there is an extensive area of brown coal, with occasional patches ot true coal, which a branch railway now in course of construction will immediately bring into direct connection with the Canterbury market. A very large field of true coal was supposed to exist at Ben More, at some distance from the Malvern Hill, but, on examination, Dr. Hector found it to he only a brown coal of common quality. Writing as to £Jelsou, Dr. Hector has a very much more favourable report to make. Speaking of Colliugwood, he says :—: — "The chief work at this place during the past year has been the extension of the tunnel for the purpose of exploring the coal measures, which was recommended in last year's report. The tunnel is now in about 390 feet, with favourable indications; and there still remains about 300 feet more before the maiu coal seam can be cut, which ia expected to be accomplished about tho end of this year. The total estimated expenditure for this work is about £1,500, of which tmm the Government have undertaken to provide one-half, the remainder being borne partly by a graut from the Provincial Government, and partly by tho Collingwood Coal Oompauy. The importance of cariying out this work, with the view of exploring coal measures that extend over a very large area, and containing a very valuable description of coal, and in the"vicinity of a good shippingplace for vessels of the largest size, has already been urged ia a former report; aud since the discovery

of ironstone bands along with the eoi', under circumstances that favour their being economically worked, there is still further reason for tho i'<cpenditure in » this district." ' Speaking of Mount llochforfc, hs states that J the coal seam at the Ngakawli-ia Kiver haa been traced on the high tavul plateau, and that it outcrops at various iioiuts over a .very extensive area. One block has been t proved by actual observation to contain 7,000,000 tons. The main seam is a trough- , shaped deposit, extending north and south for many miles, twenty-five feet in thickness in the hollow, and thinning out to about three feet at the margins. This coal is all above the water-level. At Waimangaroa, in the bed of the stream, an out-crop of coal was observed some time ago, but the explorations undertaken to trace the vem have not, so far, been successful. They will, however, be continued. Dr. Hector reports that a rumour that a change had been experienced iv the character of the Brunner Mine, by which the quantity of coal it contains would be diminished, is without foundation ; aud that several areas of coal that can be worked by shafts on the south side of the river have j been marked out, so that when the railway is opened there will be enough of coal raised to keep it in active work. He reports unfavourably of the field at Eanieri, -whieli is limited in extent, while the strata are highly inclined, aud it does not appear as if it could be worked with profit. Tho report ia accompanied by sketch-maps of the coal reserves on the Grey Kiver, and of the JNgakawhau uoal-iield. Dr. Hector states iv his summary of his own report :— " It is evident that the source "of supply ' of coal adapted for marine " steamers in the colony was narrowed down " to the coal-fields at Collingwood, Mouut " ltocbfort, aud the Grey, and it is desirable " that the effort to supply the market from " our own coal-fields should be concentrated "on those districts." This is highly important aud encouraging. If IS T elsou, as Dr. Hector states, contains the only important .supplies of steam-coal as yet known to exist in New Zealand, the fact implies a great deal as to the future of the Province. JNo ettbrt should be spared to develope these fields with the greatest rapidity. The brown coal, so abuudaut in both islands, he speaks of as a useful coal for household purposes, which will become valuable as the mines are brought by railways into communication with markets ; but they are never likely to compete with those of .Nelson in the market for steam-coal, which may literally be said to extend " from China to " Peru." Dr. Hector recommends that in " the ensuing year the following explorations " should be charged against the graut for " the developmeut of the coal-fields," viz., completion of the exploration tunnel at Collingwood, £500; traciug the coal measures on the south side of the Grey River, £500 ; proving the down-throw of the fault in the Brunner mine, and determining the best way of working the coal on the north side of it, £200 ; subsidies to assist local committees iv searching for coal, £1,000 ; aud grant already allotted to the Kawa Kawa Company (Auckland), £1,000.