COAL SEAM DISCOVERED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 66, 11 December 1919, Page 12

COAL SEAM DISCOVERED

' RATJJ>FACTOIIY TRIALS MADE. 'By ToleKraph—Special Correspondent. I Palmerston North, December 10. Another sewn of brown coal has been discovered in tho Awahuri district, about ten miles from Palmerston North. About fivo feet of face is showing at the base of tho hill, and tho seam has been traced oyer fivo hundred feet away. A trial vas mado of a sample m a blacksmith's forge this afternoon, in the presence of a number of leading business men. A pair of horso-shoes were forged by its aid in seven and a half minutes, and exports present declared that so far as heating qualities were concerned it was equal to most of the coals now on tho market. A trial made of it in a cooking rango also proved satisfactory. It is of far better quality tlinn any of the lignites got in the South Island. Arrangements aro being mado for the development of tho seam to supply Palmerston and surrounding district. It it shuuld prove to bo anything 1 iko a permanent supply, it would bo of great advantag'o to tho district, as coal is very scarce at tho present time. In order to keep tho local gasworks going 250 tons had to bo borrowed from the Railway' Department, and owing (o tho scarcity ono largo concern employing a numlier of hands is . likely to suspend operation l ; until further supplies como to hand.