KYEBURN.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 117, 26 May 1871, Page 5

KYEBURN.

(From our own Correspondent.) 11l my last I informed you that Messrs. Brown, and Co. had opened a new coal seam, and thai the district would not run short of fuel this winter. My statement was rather premature, for t!ie above part-, have been obliged to suspend their labors by order of the squatter. The ease is rather peruliar, and stands thus ;—Messrs. Brown, Colling-

; wood, and Co. purchased the coaisaan* formerly worked by Mr. Samuel tiall, I and adjoining that of Brown, arid Macread.y's. T.ie top of t.ie seams, (three in number) have been what is, termed muilocked over, or, in otherwords, destroyed i\o more toil being obtainable from this quarter, Mr. Col-, lingwood w :ted upon tiie squatter, and. asked him whether he would grant their company a lease if they should, strike coal at a lower level. Tno .squatter's reply was to the effect that, t.iey could go lo work with all safety, as he would grant the lease if they struck coal, lie also expressed much satisfaction that a fresh pit should beopened. On the strength of this pro. mine Messrs. Brown, Colliugwood, and Co. put in two tunnels at different levels ; the distance driven amounting' to three hundred and eighty feet?,' through tough sandstone. \Vhen they reached lhe co I they |>egged out theirground, and applied to tiie runholder for his consent. It appears tiiat in the., interim the adjoining leaseholder, Mr. M.icready, had visited that gentleman. and represented tiiat, should the lease be granted as pegged oat, it would, completely block ;nm up and prevent. his working his lease. The runhotder, therefore, withheld hi 3 consent until he visited the ground himself and adjudL cated upon the matter, lie also informed Messrs. Brown, Colliugwood, and Co. that they must cease work until he had visited tiie pits. I will say nothing at present upon the anomaly of the squatter having the power to grant or refuse leases lor working our mineral resources, hut I trust t.iat ihe good sense and equity of the geti:lcinuii in question will prevent ; iis depriving t;ie district of the benefit of a new coalpit. The only way La w\u-h the granting of this new lease will affect the proprietors of the old one is, tiiat they will have to stack their mullock on t.ie lease of applicants. This will not interfere with them, as the coal will be taken out by driving. Messrs. Brown, Colliugwood, aud Co. have gone to considerable troubLa and expense, and are sound, practical miners. T.iey have opened the new pit in a very work uanlike manner, it will be a crying shame if tuey are not allowed to reap the benelit of their labors.

It further behoves the inhabitants of Xaseby to look after their own interest, as the proper working of these seams is of vital importance to your town. tivury credit is due to the prospectors, for t.iere were few indeed who thought that they would ever get coal at tni» depth. Jt would, further, be rather hard if Mr. Mac ready should reap the benefit of their labors, when he hunaelf was of opinion that coal was not to ba obtained there.

It is time the Government took the coal seams in hand. As tuey have been worked to the present time they have simply been spoilt. More of this at & future date.