THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1889.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 5459, 2 September 1889, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1889.

Thf. report or the Wcstland Coalfields Committee, of which we published the substance on Saturday, is a document of great interest, and exhibits a condition of affairs that may lead to a powerful monopoly. Happily no duty has been put upon the importation of coal ; and all who read this report will rejoice that the persistent efforts of West Coast coalowners have in that respect been unsuccessful. Practically the best and most accessible mines are controlled by tho Westport Coal Company and the Union Shipping Company, and this has been effected through a series of purchases and amalgamations which the evidence taken by the committee shows at some length. The coal companies have worked energetically and perseveringly, and no one will begrudge them a handsome reward. At the same time the public interests must bo conserved, and the claims of the public, at whose cost the harbours of Westport and Greymouth have been made available for vessels of large size, must not be overridden by powerful influences within and without the walls of Parliament which these companies can command. The West Coast coalfields are three in number : Tho Greymouth, Westport, and Collingwood. They Greymouth minesaresome of them on the south side of the Grey, in Wcstland, and therefore under the control of its Land Board. Tho others, on the north side of the river, and those at Westport and Colliugwood, are under tho Nelson Land Board. The only mine in West-land is the Wallsond, a lease of 853 acres held by the Westport Coal Company. The same company holds the Coal-pit Heath and the Cobden mines, 1017 acres together, which are on the north side o£ the river. Tho shafts and plant of the Wallsond company are on an area of 150 acres freeholded by the Westport company, whose extensive leasehold encloses this freehold on three sides. The royalty reserved in the lease ceased when the company completed its line of railway from Greymouth to the mine. The present output from the WalLsend is obtained by working seams which extend below the Grey River in the direction of the Coal-pib Heath lease, on the north bank or the river, beyond the original company's boundary. The lease of the Wallsend expires, however, in 1894, and negotiations for its renewal are in progress. These the committee recommend should not bo continued except on the general conditions they prescribe in the report. The Brunncr mine is being worked by romoving the pillars or supports which were left standing when the surrounding coal was removed. The danger of this system is declared by Sir James Hector to be very great, as a slip mayoccur, and the Grey Kiver be suddenly dammed and serious damage done. The Coat-pit Hoath mine, is fully at work, maintains ite output, and calls for no remark. Turning to the north of the Grey there are three more leases, the Cobden Railway and Coal Company mine, 4085 acres; Poi'nt Elizabeth Coa.l Company's, 2783 ; Masters and Co., 1280. Of these tho first and second hnve proved their mines, and have applied to Government for leave to construct a railway conneoting them with Greymouth. Another mine at Blackall Creek, ll| milee from Bruunerton, is also apparently idle but the Midland Itailway Company have constructed their lino to within 3i miles of this mine. Tho WostportVines aro on a plateau slop-

ing ..towards the north, and which in the neighbourhood of Westport is about 2500 feet above the sea level. From Westport the Government Railway extends 19 miles to Ngakawau, "from which place two valleys give access to the mine*. One ■of these valleys is at Waimacgaroa, and the other at Granite Creek. The frontages to these creeks therefore command the back country. and -this*' frontage has been obtained by the Westport Coal Company, which has purchased the leases originally held by three con panies in addition to its own lease of 2952 acres at Granite Creek. Two miles to the north of Granite Creek an Australian Company has a lease, the Ngakawau, of 3118 acres, which is being worked for coko to supply the silver mines in South Australia. The Coalbrookdale and the Kawaitiri, 2479 acre?, are also leased to the Westport "Joal Company. The Mohikinui Company holds a lease of 800 acres in this iielcl, and a Mr. Baytield one of 320 acres. Coalbrookdale, held by the Westport Company, has lately been re-leased to them for 99 years, from the Ist January, ISSB, on condition that there should be an annual output of not less than 20,000 tons. The length of the lease seems extraordinary, but the committee make no comment upon it. Five applications for leases of various areas are also mentioned. The committee recommend that they should only bo dealt with under new conditions mentioned in their report. There are six other leases held in the Collingwood field, but they are not worked to any extent, though of high promise. The committee then deal with Greymouth and Westport harbour work's, the Boards for which were removed in April, 1888, by an Order-in-Council, and certain local officials substituted. They had instructions to support the district engineer, who was appointed as chairman of both Boards, and was responsible to the Government in Wellington, from whom he received his instructions. This extraordinary ar rangeinent was made to keep to the letter of the Act, which required the Government to nominate a Board. That, including local residents, which they had at iirst nominated, entered into serious quarrels with the engineer. which gave rise to some scandal and much trouble, and proved unworkable. J The revenue from the railways, the : rents of large land endowments, and the royalties of the mines, are appropriated to repay the loan money used for the harbour works. The public expenditure has been very prrrcit, and yet, say the committee. "The mines now in operation at Grey mouth are in the hands of the Grey Valley Coal Company, of which half is owned by the Westport Coal Company, and the. other half divided between the former lessees ' of the Brunner mine and the L'.S.S. Co., while at Westport ■■■■the mines in operation belong to the Westport Coal Company. The carrying of coal j for these two companies between New Zealand ports is secured to the Union Steamship Company. This and the command of the back country at Waimangaroa and Granite Creek arc the cardinal points in the report to which public attention will naturally be directed. A monopoly is in itself bad enough, but that so many thousands of public money should be spent in developing it will cause deep discontent. The report is valuable, and ends with a series of practical recommendations to secure the safety of the miners, and to avoid the undue holding of leases by insisting on the conditions as to output and other matters being strictly enforced. No doubt we shall hear more of. the report before the session closes, and we can only regret that it could not be brought up at an earlier period. The threatened monopoly will, however, be now made clear, and the harbours of Greymouth and Westport be saved from the anomalous sham Boards by which they arp now nominally controlled. Clerks of Court, postmasters, collectors of Customs, district railway managers, and' resident magistrates now compose these Boards. No wonder that the committee is sarcastic upon their constitution, and recommends a speedy reform. :