NEW ZEALAND IRON.

Evening Star, Issue 3290, 5 September 1873, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND IRON.

The Melbourne Herald, of July 28, says : —The steamship Alhambra, on her last trip from New Zealand, brought up from Nelson a.small shipment which may possibly have the effect of creating a new industry here and at the same time of making the whole of the Australian group independent of tinmother country in an important staple commodity—we allude to iron ore. A parcel of about six tons of this ore arrived last week by the above steamer, which was at once handed over to Messrs Drysdale and Fraser, King street, for the purpose of smelting. The owner of the mine, being anxious that the ore should be thoroughly tested, engaged the services ci Mr I'atterson, assayer of the Bank of New Zealand, and the work was carried out by the above firm under the inspection of the latter gentleman, the result being in the highest degree satisfactory. By the return of the Alhambra, which left for New Zealand on Saturday, several “pigs” of iron were despatched, and their arrival in Nelson will doubtless convince the sceptical of this pretty but not very go-a head Province. The ore was brought horn a place called Collmgwood. To Messrs Anderson and Roythwick (both Melbourne men) bplopgs the credit of having discovered the ore, and these gentlemen state that the men can be worked at a comparatively trifling cost. To use their own expression, “ There are two huge mountains of the ore ready to hand ou the surface and only waiting to be smelted.” The prospectors have leased about two square miles of the ground from the Crown, the whole of which, according to their account, is incredibly rich minerals, and the lease includes the lately known as the Colliugwood coal-mine, which has, we are tp understand, been profitably worked. Besides the iron and coal, any quantity of limestone is obtainable, steatite or French chalk also abounds, and plumbago maybe had for the picking up. Messrs Anderson and .Borthwick, finding that it would be a matter of impossibility for any private firm to effectually work a mine of suoh magnitude, have determined to form a company. It is, we understand, their intention to endeavor to launch the affair in the Colonies, failing which the aid of English capitalists will be sought.