THE COAL DISCOVERY NEAR WESTPORT.

Colonist, Volume XVI, Issue 1603, 31 January 1873, Page 3

THE COAL DISCOVERY NEAR WESTPORT.

(From the Westport Times.)

In our issue of the 17th instant we mentioned that another well-defined eeam of coal 20 feet thick, has been discovered at Mine Creek, Ngakawhau. We hare now received further information from Mr. John Rone, of the Government Survey Servioe, which confirms the supposition that a deposit of coal exists there of an extent far beyond any previous conception. In cutting survey lines, Mr. Bone and his companions discovered, about fourteen days ago, on the south branch of Mine Creek, a horizantal seam of coal, some five feet thick, cut by the creek, and the face of the coal lying bare. Thirty chains further up the creek they afterwards discovered another team equally thick. Half a mile beyond this seam they came upon the twenty-foot seam, previously mentioned. The coal here as far as could be judged from cursory examination, extends for a considerable distance, and thousands of tons may be got by merely stripping off about nine inches of loose surface soil. In fact, in many places the upper surface of the coal is bare, the soil having been washed away by the rain. On the south branch of the Ngakawhau, under the foot of Mount Frederiok, Mr. Bone counted no less than seven distinct faces of coal, each from fifteen to twenty feet thick. The last discovery made was about two miles on the south side of the Ngakawhau. A Bmall creek, unnamed on the map, there runs into the sea among the rooks. Following the windings of the creek up for about one mile and three quarters, at a point distant, in a straight line, about 60 chains from the sen coast, they came upon another seam of coal dipping seaward, and from ten to fourteen feet in thickness. All the coal thus discovered is the trueblack coal, precisely similar to the Mount Eoctforfc, measures, and the presumption is that the present discoveries when compared with the result of previous explorations will prove the eiistenoe of a coalfield nearly eighty square miles in extent. The same paper, of January 28th, states:— X A. memorial to the Minister of Public Works, praying that preliminary action may be- at once taken toward* the expenditure of money voted for railway works between Westport and the Ngakawhau coal mine*, has been very numerously signed,, and should meet with favorable consideration at head quarters. We hear that umbrage has been taken by some promoter* of the Ngakawhau coal mining scheme at the action of the memorialists, as tending probably to prejudica {heir nlanof abating • company to work th* «Q%

trad* from the Ngtikawhau river | butonconiideration it would really seem that any such fears are groundless TheNgakawh.au district teems with coal in countless thousands of tons, underlying hundreds of - wide spread acres, and there will be room there not alone for one company but for scores, whenever railway communication with Westport beoomes an accomplished fact. The interest of the entire district is centered in the speedy development of railway communication; and individuals, equally with communities, will reap lasting gain therefrom."