DOBSON COAL BORE HOLE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 11 September 1901, Page 2

DOBSON COAL BORE HOLE.

Locally the stoppage of the Dobson coal bore has caused a good deal of comment —and there is some cause for such comment—but pending the consideration of a letter addressed to the Greymouth Harbor Board, we abstain from investigation. An inspired paragraph in the New Zealand Mines Record dealing with this subject requires correction. The item in question is as follows;—“The Greymouth Harbor Board, after sinking a bore at Dobson to .a depth of 830 feet, and expending £l,lOO in the effort to find coal, has discontinued operations, and discharged all hands employed Had boring been carried on at No. 1 site, the same amount of work and expenditure would in all probability have resulted in the discovery of a payable seam of coal.” Now the paragraph is distinctly misleading on one point, and absolutely incorrect in another. The inference is that the Board has abandoned the work. As a matter of fact the Board has no such intention. It is intended to proceed with the work as soon as the necessary appliances are to hand. Then the paragraph “ inspired ” says “ had the boring been carried on at No. 1 site the expenditure would in all probability have resulted in discovery of payable seams of coal.” The position of the bore hole is on the si t te finally selected by Mr. M‘Kay, in the presence of members of the Harbor Board, and is therefore site No. 1.