Coal Prospecting at Springfield.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4791, 7 September 1883, Page 3

Coal Prospecting at Springfield.

«. The Springfield Ooal Company have for a few weeks past been endeavouring to utilise their latest acquisition— a powerful diamond drill— with the view of determining with some degree of precision what coal measures underlie their property. Before the arrival of the drill a shaft was put down at a point about three-quarters of a mile from the old pit, to a depth bf fifty or sixty feet. The objeot was to go through a shingle layer existing there, and in which a diamond drill cannot work, compaotness of the material being essential for boring. A great quantity of water bad to bo contended against in this preliminary work, and ultimately operations had to be suspended. When the drill arrived no time was loat in setting up the massive derriok, and piling the maohinery in position. Then came an awkward pieoe of work ; a powerful Tangye pump, whioh forms a part of the drill, haa to be placed at the bottom of the Bhaft, whioh unfortunately proved to be far too small. Then strenuous efforts were made to inorease the - area of the shaft at the bottom ; the men sometime working hip-deep in water, and occasionally succeeding— thanks to the haulage power of the engine— in getting the bottom olear, and sending up a few bucketß of dirt. The moment the shingle was touched, however, the case was hopeless, the water rushing in with suoh force and volume as to compel tbe abandonment of the shaft. Probably during the summer work may be resumed there readily enough should an attempt be deemed desirable. The boring apparatus has now been shifted to a point nearly opposite the mouth of the Company's old tunnel, where, a long time ago, * bore wa3 put down to a depth of 190 feet. At this plaoe the requisite shaft will not need to be deeper than perhaps a dozen feet, whon the drill can be set going forthwith. In this locality there are a number of known coal measures at comparatively shallow depths, but the seams are thin and extremely li-ble to faults. The opinion has often been expressed by praotioal coal miners that below those some valuable seamß will be found. One thing is certain ; the Springfield Coal Oompany will have hearty wishes tor their ultimate success. For a long period of yearß they have carried on coal prospeoting and coal winning with pluoky determination, and have fought against adverse circumstances suoh as might well have daunted them. Much good money has been sunk at Springfield. We hope that ere long the Company will be getting a liberal interest on its buried capital. It may be added that this diamond drill apparatus is one of three sets obtained by Government aid. Of the other two sets, one, it is understood, is te be used for prospeoting in the Beeftsn distriot, and the other in the North Island. The pity is that suoh appliances were not obtained long ago.