CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 154, 1 July 1874, Page 2

COR RES PONDE N C E.

* ♦ We arc desirous of affording every reasonable facility lor the dtaeusataa of pablie subjects; but It mast be understood that ws arc in no way responsible tor the opinions expressed by conespaadents. ■

To THB EDITOB Off THE EVSMNG HAIL.

Sir — Herewith I beg to hand you the latest report by Dr Hector on the prea? Nt position and prospects of the Collingwood coal mine, and it will aerVe as the best possible correction to the erroneous paragraph published in the N. Z. Times.

Dr Hector is under a misapprehension as to the area of land held by the Coal Company, which will reduce his estimated quantity available from the tunnel to one half. I am, &c, M. M. Webster. M. M. Webster, Esq , Dear Sir, I return the plan you kindly lent me with the position of the east boundary of the Company's Leasehold, marked in pencil. 1 make the mouth of ilia tunnel, 7| cbuins from this boundary, at 23 chains from its south end. This reduces the coalbeating area within the leasehold from 640 acres to 580 acres, or about 500 acres if the broken ground cut l>y gullies is also excluded. The tunnel has proved, at a low estimate, two yards of workable coal. This will make the quantity in the Company's ground about 2£ million tons, ot which nearly one million tons ie available from the level of ihetunrel. This is without letkoning on the No. 1 or main seam, which I consider has not yet been cut. The exploration has proved that the coal seams on the whole improve in thickness and purity as they are followed to the dip, but, on the other hand, they do not merge into one or more thick seams as was hoped, but are separated by an increased thickness of sandstone.

I propose to recommend Government to continue the " up rise " bo as either to cut the No. 1 seam, or to prove that it is represented only by the 21 inch coal that was reached with the drill when I was over the other day. If the Company contemplate further exploration, I would suggest that a drive to the dip might be advantageously made in the coal seams cut in the up rise, drainage being effected by a syphon. As the dip is so flat (1 in 8), this method would be more expeditious and less expensive than continuing the tunnel. This would at any rate be the best way to examine the nature of the fault the existence of which is indicated by the strong rush of water from the " face " of the tunnel. Sincerely yours, - James Hecxok. To ths Editor of thb Evening Mail. Sir—^ln your issue of the 29th iost. I notice an extract from a letter received by his Honor the Superintendent from his Excellency the Governor. Of course it is very gratifying to the Nelson people generally to know that the representative of her Majesty has expressed himself as highly pleased at the loyalty evinced upon the occasion of his visif; but I think you will agree with me that the ambiguity of the latter paragraph of the extract is anything but pleasant to the feelings of the "kind family 'mentioned in it. The phrase " with whom I was lodged " is certainly calculated to be misunderstood by many, especially by those to whom " the wish is father to the thought," and I think it only due to the Mayor of Nelson; to state that of, my personal knowledge I can positively affirm that the entire cost of entertaining our illustrious guest was borne by Mr Dodson, and that neither the Superintendent oor any other person contributed a shilling for that purpose.

1 should have taken no notice of the paragraph alluded' to had! not Beard opinions expressed (in consequence of its appearance) which called for a statement 01 the true facts of the case. I have therefore thought proper to ;put the matter in its true light in common justice to' the Mayor, who in placing bis house at the disposal of the Governor is certainly entitled to the warmest thanks of the citizens of Nelson. I am, &c, VIVB ET VIVUNTO. June 30, 1874.