THE COMPANY'S EARLY DAYS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2159, 27 May 1914, Page 14

THE COMPANY'S EARLY DAYS.

A.HARD STRUGGLE

For many years the coal resources of the Buller coalfield were known only to .i few, but amongst them were Bomo enterprising won who clearly foresaw what a vastficld of wealth these would be "for the colony if ■tlioy could bo opened up. Mining leases' over tho now famous ' Denniston and Milierton areas aero taken up by Mr. R. B. Denniston; of Dunedin, and the efforts of the Hon. R: Oliver, M.L.C., Messrs. B. C. Haggitt, E. B. Cargill, R. Gillios, Fisher,'Cablo, Dmmmond, and many others were eventually successful in 1881 in forming a company—the Westport Colliery Company—with a capital of £100,000. ' Oporatibns were started but this company's capital waa exhausted before the coal was placod on the market, and in 1882 tho present company —the Westport Coal ' Company—was formed with H capital of £400,000. Three i:ollie,rs werd specially built for , tho trade, and tho work was' carried on vigorously.' Tho company very soon found, however, that if any extent of tiade was to be done the harbour must bj- improved, and, after great effort, they wore- successful in carrying through Parliament tho . Westport Harbour Hoard Act .of 1884. By this Aot all tho profits on tho local railway lino, and the-rentsf-.of ■certain- sections in-West-port wero created an endowment for tho boar,d. The harbour works as recommended by Sir John Coode were carried out with the result that Westport is now tho best harbour on the West

Coast. • ■ . The Westport Company's property comprises tho Coalbrookdale leaso 'of 2480 acres, lying between the headwaters, of the Warcatea Creek and the Waimangaroa River, and the Milierton lease of 2950 acres, situated about 10 milos north-east of that area. These leasos, situated about 2000 feet 6na level, aro traversed throughout by tho celebrated Coalbrookdale seam of coal, which varies in thickness from 8 feet to 30 feet. The seam is worked at different sections of the leases, and the coal is conveyed from, the underground workings to tho tip or brakeheads by endless rope haulago for many miles, thence after being sorted and picked it is lowered to tho railway lines by special inclines. Unlike- most mines there aro no shafts and the workings are entered by tunnels in the hillsides.

Tho development of the field was a matter of great difficulty and expense. The high and broken nature of the country and the lack of uniformity in tho inclination called for considerable engineering skill before tho coal could bo put on tho market on a profitable basis. .The plaut required for tho handling of tho output -was extraordinary, costly, and expensive, and during the oarly : years of development work the resources of the company were taxod to the utmost.