WANGANUI ITEMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 785, 7 April 1910, Page 9

WANGANUI ITEMS.

THE UP-RIVER COAL SEAMS,

(By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Wanganui, April 6. In connection with the. reported discovery of a seam of coal adjacent to tho Main Trunk . line, which -tho Public Works Department has-been interesting itself about recently-, the existence of coal seams in the vicinity of the Wangiinni River upper reaches-has been well known for many years. A member of a survey party brought some samples of coal, to' Wanganui some 15 or 20 years ago, and showed them to a member of the "Herald" staff.. Tho coal was found iu the bed ,of a creek leading into the Wangaiiui, and the discovere,i declared ho was positive there was an extensive seam. He intended taking stops later on to thoroughly prospeot the locality, which he kept secret. Somo ten years ago efforts were made to promote a company in Wanganui for the purpose of leasing a large block of land in the vicinity of the Oluira and Tangarakau Rivers, with the object of mining the coal that might be discovered". It was proposed to bring tho coal down to Wanganui in barges and steamers via the Tangarakau and Wanganui RivtTrs. To that end it was' further decided to try and obtain tho consent of .the Government to lock the Tangarakau Stream from its mouth to a point where the outcrop now, shows, a distance of about 24 miles from its mouth. Either for lack of financial support, or because of the doubt of being able to profitably carry out an undertaking necessitating the . towing of empty barges'up stream, and against the rapids, the scheme did not materialise.

: Tho New Zealand State Guaranteed Advances Office being unable to advise the Gonville-Castlecliff Tramway "Board wlien there is any -likelihood of- money being available for , tramway purposes, the board last evening decided to write to Invercargill, Napier, Gisborne, and other towns where tram loans have been carried, inviting their co-operation to have the .borrowing, limit of. tho Government extended so as to provide for tramway loans.

:The takings at the Corporation Bathslast year showed a slight increaso over the amount taken during the preceding year,, tho figures being <£135 and ,£l2B respectively. Tho -sum of' .£1212 was paid -tho borough last year for licenses, including hotels .£490; auctioneers, .£253; wholesale liquor, <6140; conditional, ..£72; carts, £61; and building permits, <£51. The number .of passengers carried on the Wanganui section- of tho New Zealand railways, during tho Easter, holidays of lillO was 13,500; in 1909 the number for tho corresponding period was 11,500. Tlio men engaged clearing away . the debris from tho recent fire at the soap works nro experiencing a lot of trouble from tho large quantities of caustic soda which literally burns the boots off the workers. Some of them have got through three , pairs of, boots in tho last few days. It is anticipated that the new factory will be,in' full working order, in less than seven weeks.'

A special meetinp; of the Gonvillo-Castle-cliff Tramway Board is to be held iii a week or so to consider the plans and specifications which will then be road.yl' Tho engineer, Mr. Crcagh, has completed the survey of (he line. Ho has expressed himself as more than satisfied with his inspection of the proposed line, and by a slight deviation at Castlecliff much difficult formation was avoided. Tho line would follow the Cnstleclii? roads after crossing tho Mosstown. Eoad, thus avoiding all sandy formations. The

proposed route was across the Mosstown Koad, down Cross Street (in close proximity to the public hall, the line running in the rear of tlio recreation ground and passing the school) to Poison Street, thence along Carson Street to Cornfoot Street, 'and along that street to the beach. Mi'. Bignell'added -that the lino would follow the existing road lines. No resnrvoy of the townships would be needed, and the route would pick up all tlio settled portions-' of Ca.stlecliff, and terminate at tlio reserve given by . the Matipo' Company, where a tea kiosk would be built by the board.

The borough profited to the extent of .£353 last year by the Opera House, the receipts for the twelve moiitiis up to March 31 last totalling J299G, and tlio-ex-penditure jEO-13, as against .£757 and <£51G in tho preceding year. "There' was also' a profit. of c £u3 ss. on the billboards. The gasv;orks paid .£2364 .in wages -to foremen last year, in addition to <£112 to other labourers at the works, <£765 on account of salaries, ,£297 office expenses; and .£2lO fitters'" wages, a total of <£4757. The wages-sheet of tlio tramways amounted to much tho same for the year . ending March 31—,£4592, including: Motormen, .£1490; conductors, .£1271; power-house wages, <£785; and salaries, <£438. -

Applications are invited for the position of curatqr of the 1 Wanganui Publio Museum, at a salary of <£200 per annum. . .