PROPOSED STATE COAL MINE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 31 October 1901, Page 3

PROPOSED STATE COAL MINE.

Report upon the Cardiff Goal Mine.

[our parliamentary reporter.]

Wellington, This Day,

The report by Messrs Gordan, McKay, Hayes and Jamieson, in the Westport Cardiff colliery has been presented to the House. As to tho Cave area they said : “ From a general inspection of tho ground and consideration of working requirements, we are of opinion that with judicious management a capital expenditure of £15,000 or thereabouts, should open up and equip an endless rope tramway and provide the additional trucks requited, and put into working order the plant, railway and sidings now idle. Soma of tho plant (and especially the trucks) show signs of considerable depreciation. Taking the minimum ot 1,000,000 tons, an output of 70,000 tons per annum would give a working life of over fourteen years. A royalty (of 6d per ton) amounting to £1,750 per annum, and assuming a profit of 6d per ton annual profit of £1,750, or over 11 per cent on the capital now required to bo expended.’ “Before this expenditure is incurred, prospecting works are recommended at an estimated cost of £IOOO.

As to areas in the neighborhood of Westport-Cardiff Colliery, it is recommended that boring should be undertaken, the bores commencing at some convenient place where the micaceous sandstones appear on the surface. The report has no reference to the Greymouth Point-Elizabeth mine.