THE DUNEDIN CORPORATIONS' KAITANGATA PROPERTY

Otago Witness, Issue 2087, 22 February 1894, Page 5

THE DUNEDIN CORPORATIONS' KAITANGATA PROPERTY

The following memorandum from his Worship the Mayor with regard to a recent visit of inspection to Kaitangata was Tead at last week's meeting of the Dunedin City Council :—

"I have to report that, acting on the resolution of the council of the 31st ult., accompanied by the chairman of the Reserves Committee, Cr M'Gregor, Cr Swan, and the town clerk, I visited sections 2 and 3, block 111, North Molyneux district, iv connection with the coal raining lease to Mr Thomas Johnston. I took upon myself to request Cr Swan to assist in the inspection, as I felt that his expert knowledge would prove of assistance to us ; and in this I was not mistaken, as Cr Swan's experience and technical knowledge proved of great service, and enabled us to understand matters of detail that would not otherwise have been so intelligible. 1 The mine is situated about three-quarters of a mile from the township bridge and railway station, the river running about three chains from the mine, with the road between, the sections on which the mine is situated being part of the wellknown coal-bearing line of hills on the other side of the road. We found that operations had been commenced and were being vigorously prosecuted, and, so far as we could see, with sound judgment. " A company called The Matau Coal Company has been formed and registered, and by, and in the interests of, that company the works are being carried on. A level has been driven into the body of the hill (with a rise sufficient to allow the mine to drain itself) to a distance of 600 ft. This level has already passed through two small seams of coal which, although of small dimensions, yet show a good quality of coal, from one of which (a 12in seam) we procured and submit samples taken at random. A variety of different strata havo been passed through, all Bhowing themselves to be in order and regular, and without any appearance of ' fault,' and this, we need hardly point out, is in favour of the future economical and profitable working of the mine. "A ventilating shaft has been put m, about 400 ft from the entrance, and preparations made for further ventilation as the mine is further opened out. We were informed that work proceeds in the level uninterruptedly (Sundays excepted), three shifts of eight hours each keeping the work always going. "At present and for some considerable distance the level proceeds through a hard conglomerate, and the process is necessarily somewhat slow. Progress is, however, being made at the rate of from 20 to 22 feet per week. The work has to be carried another 200 ft before the larger seam of coal which it is intended to work will bo reached, and this, it is hoped, will be effected during the early part of the month of May. "There will then be a scam of coal of ni-st-rate quality available for market purposes, and of volume sufficient to enable the market to be supplied for many years to come. I think we may fairly congratulate the corporation upon having a very valuable property, and one which, so far as we are able to judge, is at present being methodically and advantageously handled. , „ __ „ "H. S. Fish, Mayor." The Mayor said the only thing he had to add to the memorandum was that he thought ere long — perhaps in seven or eight years— the corporation would be in receipt of a large income from this property. The parties who had a lease of it seemed to be working it in a perfect manner for the end which they had in view. He would move that the memorandum be received. The motion was agreed to, and the council then went into committee.