COAL AT WAIKATO.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 156, 8 January 1864, Page 3

COAL AT WAIKATO.

(From the Daily Southern Cross, December 22). Although the letters of our correspondent at the head-quarters of the army, have been devoid of stirring* incident of late, one matter of the utmost consequence to the country bad been stated in them. We allude to the announcement, in Saturday’s paper, that the crew of the Pioneer had coaled that vessel from the coal seam that cropped out of the ground at Kupakupa, the entrance of the mountain gorge, through which the Waikato lias forced a passage on its way to the sea below Ngaruawahia. This practically removes a main drawback against navigating the Waikato by steamers, and points to a means of providing profitable employment for labor and capital on its banks. If it had become necessary to import coal from elsewhere, to the depots to be formed at the Waikato heads, the expense of keeping open the steam navigation of the river until a population settled on its banks, creating a profitable trade for steamers, would have been very considerable. As it was, a necessary part of the Government plan was utilizing that great artery of commerce, and settling the country and developing its resources, however costly, it must have been done. Now, however, the thing becomes simplified. The coal is available on the banks of the river, and at a point about mid-way in the course of navigation of the Waikato and its affluents. It has been tried, and found to answer well; and we are satisfied that the quality of the coal will increase the deeper the seam is worked. One great difficulty to the navigation of the Waikato is thus removed ; and besides saving expense to the Government in the first instance, the working of this coal seam will supply cheap and abundant fuel to all the settlers, many of whom would have felt the pinch for firewood at no distant day. We trust the authorities will take early steps to utilize this discovery. The Avon, Pioneer, and the two steam gunboats from Sydney (which we hope soon to find afloat on the Waikato), ought to be coaled from the produce of the coal deposit in the Whawhapunga range ; and there jS uo good reason >vhy the Lady Sarkly the Sandfly, and her Majesty’s ships on this station should not, likewise, get supplies of coal from the same source.

We say nothing whatever regarding an export, because we think a great deal more is often said on this subject than is rational. First, let us produce enough coal from the Waikato mines to supply the requirements of the very expensive fleet of colonial steam vessels in commission for the war, and save to the country the difference between the cost of its production and the price paid for imported coal. That would be a practical result, and it would not be inconsiderable. As the Government settlements are formed

along the banks of the river—some at places, no doubt, where firewood will not be available—the working of the coal seam ought then to be proportionately increased, to supply these people with fuel, which may be* done at a fraction beyond the mere cost of production, seeing that the fair charge for carriage by the small steam vessels on the river would be very small. This would necessarily involve the employment of more hands, and we think that as it would enable the settlers to devote themselves entirely to the improvement of their land, without exposing them to risk in bush felling, unless in a hush district, a small charge ought to he made for the fuel; but it is a question entirely with the Government, whether fuel should he free for the first year of settlement, or whether it should be charged for. In any case, the matter, simply as a question of money, need not cause much anxiety, and probably the wiser would be the more liberal course. It will be something gained, however, when we are able to save to the colony the large outlay now necessarily incurred on the item of coal; even a great deal will have been done if the flotilla on the West Coast can be supplied, without providing for the ships on the East Coast. It would be best, however, that both should be coaled from this source, or at least in part from an equally available coal seam, which we have been given to understand, crops out on the south bank of the Thames. We do not recommend the formation of a company to work this deposit on the Waikato, because we think that at present it is a purely Government affair. The time will come, doubtless when private enterprise can step in with a chance of success. At presest, such a chance is out of the question. The Government alone are able to work the coal deposit, and the Government vessels, and settlers introduced by them under their great settlement scheme, are and will be for some years to come the only consumers. To the Government, therefore, the work must be left in the meantime, and we trust they will take early steps for carrying out what would effect, as it appears to us, a very great saving of expense, assist materially in making the outsettlements established by them self-sustain-ing, and, by consequence, help forward the development of the country. There are other aspects in which we might treat this subject, but we prefer dealing with it as a practical question rather than as a speculative one, however inviting the latter may be.