TARANAKI COAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7914, 25 September 1911, Page 1

TARANAKI COAL

AN EXTENSIVE FIELD TAPPED BY NEW RAILWAY LINE. SHOULD A SURVEY BE MADE? Not a little has been heard of late respecting the development of the coal industry of the North Island, and there have been movements afoot to induce the Government to establish at least ono coal mine in tho Auckland province. This step will probably be taken sooner or later, but there are other .portions of the North Island with extensive coal measures, though as yet there has been no effective attempt at development. These known deposits lie right in the heart of the North Island, but the knowledge of their existence is practically confined to the Mines Department and the. Geological Survey branch of the Government service. Yet even that knowledge is insufficient to enable any reliable estimate to be eetabiidhed aq to the real value of tao field or the possibility of utilising the coal which, like tho diamond of Golconda, lies "neglected, rough, concealed in common clay." The territory in which these deposits Ho extends from the Wanganui river to the mouth of the Mokau, and is even supposed to run as fax north as Kawhia. Practically Hie whole of the north-west portion of the Taranaki district is scored with coal seams, and reconnaissance surreys made from time to time show that no less an area than fonr hundred square miles contains deposits of coal repnted to be of an exceptionally high-class household character. There is, of course, as yet little close settlement in a considerable portion, of these bockblooks coal areas, and the absence of transit faculties render them valueless for the time being; but it so happens that the Strat-ford-Ongarue railway, now in course of construction, will cut right through the centre of the coolbeariug strata, and pass directly over some of the known, seams.

The reports of geologists and geological surveyors, epitomised below, give ' a fairly clear idea of the carboniferous wealth lying , dormant and almost ini proximity to a number of important agricultural and industrial centres—including Stratford, Wanganui and Palmerston North. Whangomomona, which, within a month or two, will be the terminus —for the time being—of tho new liuq, is within a .dozen males of the located coal seams, and the futbhex extension of the lino will bring a large field of workable domestic coal into immediqto, touch with transit facilities. What is required at the present time is a detailed survey of the area under notice, or at least so much of the field as might come within, profitable reach of ;the railway. All the reports of the flying surveys and inspections are sufficiently encouraging to warrant expenditure upon a more thorough. investigation of the deposits. If the coal industry oould be profitably established in, the neighbourhood of the line the carriage would .probably add very materially to the railway revenue. A detailed survey would probably cost, about .C4CKX), arid if there is a reasonable prospect of opening up, a rich coal field the cost of investigation should not be allowed to bar the way to so desirable an end. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY REPORTS

Erom inquiries made at the Geological Survey Department a “New Zealand Timas” representative was informed that no detailed survey had ever been made of the district, hut there had been several reconnaissance surveys. In 1839 Dr E. W. Diffenbach, naturalist to the New Zealand Company, examined the coast between Taranaki and Mokau and published the result of his observations in the first volume of his “New Zealand,”’ He described the tertiary strata of the coast north of Wadtara as stiff blue clays, which he said were overlain by a ‘‘great drift formation” consisting of yellow clays, sands and conglomerates, with heavy deposits of lignite and drift timbers near its base. ■ , , In 1860 Dr Von Hoohstetter passed through the 1 Upper Mokau district on his way to Lake Taupe, and in his work on New Zealand, published in 1867, classified the limestones and nnd'eriloamg clays seen at the Wairere Falls and Mokauiti, in his Lower ■ Tertiary or brown coal series. ■ Between 1861 and 1864 Mr J. C. Crawford, F.G.S., late provincial geologist of Wellington, devoted some time to the geological exploration of tho Rangitikei and Wanganui areas. He traversed the valleys of the Manawatu, Rangitikei and Wanganui rivers, and having acquired an intimate knowledge of their rock systems, divided the tertiary strata, which occupy by far the largest area, extending info Taranaki, as follows; (1) Upper sandstones; (2) Blue clays; (3) coal shales. Mr Crawford found coal outcrops at the Tangarakau river, at tho Ohura junction and above the junction of the Ongaruhe; and in his remarks on the coal measures of the Upper Wanganui he says. "An inspection of the map will show that these three points lie in, a straight line, pn a strike of about N.N.E. r consider that there is little doubt that this formation extends throughout to tho westward to the coal seams of Mokau and tho Wert Coast. It may be faulted and in places beyond reach, but the probabilities are of its extension throughout this district.” In 1886 Dr. Hector examined the coast section between New Plymouth and the White Cliffs. Speculating as to the true origin of the petroleum at Taranaki, he said : •“ It is most probably to be looked! for in the ooal seams that belong to the brown coal formation that is believed ,to form the base of tho series of tertiary strata that extends under Monnt Egmont and the valleys of tho Wanganui and other rivers which enter tho sea along the coast between Mokau and Otald.” In 1878 Dr. Hector made a further 1 examination of the WaitaxaWhite Cliffs section, extending his exploration to the Mokan basin. In. hie report he mentioned the occurrence _ of. several seams of coal at Mokau, varying in thickness from two to six feet, and in his remarks as to tho coal formation said he believed it struck _ N.W.-S.E. from Eawhia Harbour till it met the Wangamri river in tho upper part of its course. IN THE MOKAU DISTRICT. Reporting on his reconnaissance of 1885-6 in the Upper Taranaki district. Dr.; Park mentioned the existence of a , bed of lignite of variable thickness, and

quantities of drift timber, evidently obtained from an old submerged forest, of which traces can still be seen.. About seven miles below the junction of the Panirau and Mofcau rivers the green aa-ndai he said, contained several seams of coal varying from two to eight feet in thickness. At Nhngangarongaro Greek three seams were exposed, and about a mile up the Mangakawhia four seams cropped out in a sandstone face, varying in thickness from two and a half to eight feet ; while a mile farther up the river two additional seams were exposed, the thickness being five and five and a half feet respectively. Dr. Park mentioned that the New Plymouth Coal Mining Co. was working a mine when ho visited' the district. "The seam this company is working,” he said, "is seven feet six inches thick, but, is divided by a hard shale band one foot six inches thick, which greatly increases' the cost of output. Tliis is one of the four seams seen in the sandstone face in the Mangakawhia Creek- a mile further up the river. . At this place tho shale parting is only seven inches thick, which shows that it is thinning out on tho rise. The coal is exceedingly friable, and will not stand much handling. The ooal seams in tho Mokau- lie very flat and rise to the north-north-east into sound, dry ground, and with a deep water channel (o tho outcrop • offer exceptional facilities for working to advantage.” " PATCHY AND INCONSTANT.” , The foregoing information, was given by Mr P. G. Morgan, director of tho Geological Survey. Speaking of tho possibilities of the district, he said there was undoujytedly a very large area of possible coal-beaing country in tho Taranaki district. " New Zealand coal scams.” ho said, "are notoriously patchy aud inconstant, and there can be no certainty as to the amonnt of coal there is in the district until a thorough exploration lias been made. A geological survey party in the field costs about XUK'O a year, and it depends upon the nature of the country how" much work can bo done in the twelve mouths.' It would probably take three years to make an adequate survey of the whole district; ,but the area that will he .tapped by tho Stratford-Ongarue line might be properly explored in two years. Apart from its high ash, it is a good brown household coal —one of the best qualities of brown coal —ranking next to the bituminous coals of Newcastle and Westport."