TARANAKI’S RESOURCES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 23 March 1901, Page 4

TARANAKI’S RESOURCES.

Proposed Development of the Ironsand Industry.

What Is Being Done

The Hopes For Ironsand.

A telegram published in a recent issue of “The Star” announced that the Hon. A. J. Cadman and Mr E. M. Smith, intend visiting England at an early date, in connection with the dcvelopement of the rosouces of Taranaki, The real object of the visit is to float a company for the purpose of exploiting the ironsand deposits. The question is not a new one. For years past the irrepressible member for the district has assidiously prosecuted his endavours to establish iron works at the capital of the land of butter and other things, and during a resent session of Parliament, ho succeeded in inducing the Government to grant a conditional bonus if the industry is properly established. Since then a number of business people in New Ptymouth and other parts of the Colony, including the Hon. Mr Cadman, having taken the matter in hand, and the visit to England of the gentlemen is the outcome of their efforts. Whether they will bo successful in their undertaken it is hard to say. About four or live years ago, Mr Smith went Home with a similar intention, hut owing to a combination of circumstances his mission, so far as the flotation of the company was concerned, was futile, though the visit served to bring under the direct notice of English capitalists the existence of the ironsand. The chief difficulty seems to be the cost of working the raw material—whether iron and steel can be manufactured at a sufficiently low cost to enable those products to compete with flic manufactures of other parts of the worldAs to the quality of the material, Mr Smith is satisfied beyond all shadow of doubt that it will satisfactorily stand the most exacting of tests, and his opinion has been confirmed by several well known experts. The future alone will decide whether Mr Smith’s ambition of revolutionising Taranaki in particu'cr, and the colony in general will be realised.

Coal. At the present time a strong effort is being made to place the Mokau coal mine, on a sound basis. A Sydney syndicate has purchased the old company’s interests and with increased capital as a lover, it is hoped that the output of coal will bo largely increased. That part of the district is undoubtedly a rich coal-bearing country. Just below the present mines is an area of some hundreds of acres, with seams from four to six and seven feet in depth, running at all angles. Mr French, the well-known Auckland expert, was recently asked by the owner (Mr Owen) to inspect and report on the deposits, and he was so favourably impressed with what he saw that he immediately took up a large number of shares in the company then being formed. Ho has with him the Hon. W. Jennings, M.L.C., and several other prominent gentlemen. Provided proper and adequate means of transit can bo obtained, there is every reason to believe that Mokau will become an important place as a coal-exporting centre.

To preserve magnificent Scenery.

Another, important and what should bo, it judiciously cultivated, valuable asset, are the magnificent scenic attractions of the Mokau River. For miles and miles the river banks are studded with scenery of rare loveliness, in the opinion of many, the much-talked-of New Zealand Rhine. Just recently steps have boon taken to get a certain width of land on each side of the river reserved, in order to protect the bush from the ruthless hand of civilisation. And the step has not been taken any too. soon, for already the buzz of the sawmill is to be heard at different stages along the upper reaches of the river. Petroleum Possibilities. Unfortunately the petroleum operations at New Plymouth, about which' so much has been heard, are still a very dim uncertainity. Four or five bores have been laid down, several of a depth ranging between 1000 and 18C0 feet. Petroleum has been obtained in variable quantities, but not sufficient to recoup by a long measure the large amount of money expended. One gentleman in New Plymouth has sunk between three and fonr thousand pounds in the enterprise, and is still undaunted. A staff of workmen is at present quietly working, but for the present the Taranaki people have reluctantly ceased to build castles on the petroleum prospects.

The Dairy Industry. One very solid, and rapidly spreading foundation of prosperity, however, is the dairy produce. The output of butter within the last few years has increased enormously. The factory system is spreading its tentacles in all directions, and the farmers arc reaping the benefits. With the establishment of freezing works at the chief port quicker and safer methods of transit have been secured, and the. advantages so obtained are well realised by the producers. All things considered, Taranaki, to quote the energetic Parliamentary representative of New Plymouth, “with its fertile country, its sparkling river, and snow capped mountain"—the pride and joy of the district—is a country that is fast looming large in the public eye. •