Correspondence.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 72, 27 March 1867, Page 2

Correspondence.

PAKAWAU COAL MINE. To the Editor of the ' Evexisg Mail.' Sir — The appearauce of Mr. Wiesenhavern's letter in yesterday's Evening Mail, affords me au opportunity, which 1 •will avail myself of, to clear away some misconceptions that are prevalent as to the recent visit to Pakawau, and especially as to the out-cropping seams lately "discovered. It is satisfactory to be able to state that every single person in our numerous company on this occasion, comprising several gentlemen of large experience in coalmining, pronounced the Pakawau coal-field a genuine one, containing millions of tons of coal at a greater or less depth, and possessing unusual facilities for taking it to market. All who already believed in the mine had their belief confirmed and

strengthened, and any who went as sceptics returned complete converts. There was also a general concurrence of opinion as to the position of the shaft having been judiciously selected by Mr. Wiesenhavern. The friends of Pakawau are, therefore, amply justified in the pertinacity — call it, if you like, the obstinacy — with which they have adhered to it, and meau to adhere to it in spite of disappointments, derisive sneering, the difficulty of doing a great deal with small means, the absence of Government patronage, aud, I must add, the un tempered and precipitate enthusiasm of the original promoter of the undertaking. The Committee have been very desirous of finding an out-cropping seam of coal that could be worked to a profit, not, of course, in preference to deep-lying seams, which are pretty sure to be the best, but as a means of raising money to siuk to these. They were, therefore, much gratified at hearing from Mr. Wieseuhavern that he had discovered -a payable seam on the out-crop. It was, however, outside our lease, and I instantly foresaw that this circumstance would pi'obably lead to embarrassing complications from Mr. Wiesenhavern's interest conflicting with that of the subscribers, or being in a position to command it. I went to him at once, and frankly explained the difficulty, which I asked him to dispel by making over his claim to a lease to us on equitable terms, bo that we might continue "in the same boat." lie consented to do so in the honorable and unselfish spirit which has marked his transactions with the Committee from the first, stipulating only for n very moderate return, which was to he contingent on the mines on either of the leases being successfully worked. Mr. Wiesenhavern accordingly accompanied the Chairman and myself to the Land Office, and withdrew his application in our favor.

In the agreement prepared by Mr. Pollock and myself for tlie approval of the Committee, a small royalty was made payable to Mr. Wieseuhavern on coal raised on the old lease as "well as on the new, because it had always been intended to offer that gentlemtm, in consideration of his unceasing exertions on the old lease, some substitute for the large interest which he held in it, and which lapsed by the forfeiture of that lease last year. And another reason was that by this arrangement it became of no consequence, either to the Committee or Mr. Wieseuhavern on which lease the coal was worked, thus avoidirg any ri«k there may have been that a worse seam might be selected for working in preference to a better one, if the former chauced to be on the east side, and the latter on the west side of the boundary line between the leases.

Soon after Mr. Wiesenhavern discovered along with Mr. Flowers the scam on the new lense, he received (in town) information that Mr. Flowers had found two others, one or both of which were considered much better than the first. Mr. Wiesenhavern certainly left Nelson under this impression, and during his threeweeks stay at Pakawau he did not send me a Hue to a contrary effect. On our arrival, Mr. Wiesenhavern being inopportunely absent, Mr. Flowers acted as guide, and showed us six seams, all on the hill-side, and some of them doubtless portions of one and the same seam. I must say we were disappointed in what we saw (with one exception), as the coal though excellent, was thin, and the bulk of the seams consisted of bituminous shale, probably excellent household fuel, but not coal. The exception was a seam of very pure coal two feet four inches thick, in a capital situation for being worked.

Mr. Flowers did not take us to see the seam which he and Mr. Wiesenhavern found together, assigning the excellent 'reasons that the situation was almost inaccessible without a ladder, that the roof had fallen iu, that the quality was very inferior, and thut Mr. Wiesenhavern had given it up. If, jis we now learn for the first time, Mr. Wk>senhavern considered it the best of the set. I can only express my regret that he left us for three weeks under another impiTssion; that he did not stay at Pak;twiui to show it to the Committee; and ih»t his locum tenens (who presented .1 leircr of credentials) was so little to be d« j p<?ndft! on, as to show the inferior seams timl excuse himself from showing the superior.

As Mr. Wie.scnbavcrn, however, still lays stress on his si\-un, it may yet be inspected and its valuo estimated. I may mention that Mr. Waits' experience at Pakawau was ulmusc always to (he effect

that the coal thickened and the shale thinned out the further he weut in, and good judges gave it as their opinion on the spot that this 'would probably be" the case with the seams we viewed.

But whether the coal is payable there or only at a great depth in the shaft, certain it is that a mine of vast value exists at Pakawau. It concerns the people of this province to strain every nerve to develope it, and most of all does it concern the inhabitants of this town. The vast wealth of the West Coast is being developed, but with little advantage to Nelson. A railway will confer an immense benefit on it by bringing the trade in gold, and what gold buys, through our port ; but it is very doubtful if even a railroad could secure a coal trade to us, at all events, from the Buller. This vast source of wealth, as important and more lasting than the gold, must, if it is to benefit this town, be worked in Massacre Bay ; and if half the money which has been lavished on Mount Rochfort, without any result whatever, had been expended on sinking a deep shaft at Pakawau, I think there can be no reasonable doubt but that Nelson would ere now have become the coaling depot of the colony. But let us hope for better times. Both the candidates for the Superinteudeucy are pledged to a more enlightened policy as regards our coal ; and if the support and pressure of public opinion continues to be exerted after the election as well as before it, something effectual will be done. I must beg you to excuse the great length of this letter, but I do not know that I could have made it shorter without omitting something that needed to be said. I am, &c, F. W. levine. Nelson, 26th March, 1867.