COAL-PIT HEATH COLLIERY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 200, 24 August 1874, Page 2

COAL-PIT HEATH COLLIERY

Is owned by another company which owes its existence to local capital. The lease lies on the western boundary, and in juxtaposition to that of the Brunner, and the shaft or pitj as "coalmines are commonly called, is 200 yards from the upper boundary of the lease, ahd 300 yards from the Brunner Mine, at an elevation of 70ft above the river, and the position will be remembered by those who travelled this road three years ago — in the very spot where Duncan's Hotel once stood. This pit opens its gaping mouth, completely obliterating all trace of the cellar where " lang syne," was stored the beer with which the traveller was wont to be cheered and often inebriated. Although barely five months bave elapsed since operations were commenced, it will be seen that the progress has been sur-. prisingly rapid. Unlike the Grey Company's pit, it is of an oblong shape 10ft in length by 6ft wide. To those accustomed to the gold-mines of Australia, the dimensions of these pits must appear great indeed, but jwhen it is remembered tbat waggons containing no less than half a ton will have to be drawn up them the difference in size is accounted for. It is now over 100ft in depth, strongly and securely limbered, and divided into two compartments, one of which will be used for drawing up the coal and the other for pumping. The further siffking of the pit is bein proceeded with vigorously, under ths direction of the manager, Mr Taylor, whose lengthened experiences io coal and gold-mining in England and Victoria, eminently qualify him for his post. GREY COAL COMPANY. Work of an enduring and substantial character has, since a recent account, been completed. The sinking of the pit, which was suspended during the erection ot the poppet heads, has been resumed, and will be completed this week. The little engine used for winding does its work admirably. It will be remembered that a tunnel was driven in the direction, and to within a short distance to the main workings. To utilise this for the ventilation of, the mine, a shaft 20ft in depth has been sunk over it. To prevent the inconveniences inseparable from employees settling around the workings, a town ship of fifty acres will shortly be surveyed off at a convenient distance.

(For remainder of News see fourth page.')

of Wednesday s~- The House of RepreK^ntativiss was engaged yesterday in a W^jf solemn bit of business. It arose pwit'of the petition presented by an Rejector of Waitemata against the |||||'uVn of Mr Von der Heyde. A "Bar erected— Tery like a Brob|||dignagian towel-horse, or the head |gp*Qrtiou of a modern English bedstead p2?r-behind the centre cross-bench, and I^Bbind it again were two chairs, one ||of modern and the other of mediaeval l^tyjjey, for tbe accommodation of or prisoner*?— the strangers ||in the gallery were unable to decide p^vrhich. " Then the Sergeant-at-Arms as instructed from the Chair to ipffltamine the precints of the House, arming himself with the authority |gbf= a lethal weapon, in the shape of the ptiniiee, be duly did so. Returning, and tbe emblem of the authority |p|ipf :- the House io its accustomed place, pfthe Speaker mildly inquired whether •jt any hon. member knew whether the -was represented by counsel ? |-yThe hon. member for Dunstan ventured iflm-aahild whisper to say tbat he thought rjy counsel were in attendance. Therefy7Qp6ri the Sergeant-at-Arms was again to make a voyage of disy^ covery in the precincts, and he speedily yy^yetnirned, bringing under his convoy Moorboase and Buckley, in full "pk professional robes, who took tbeir iy stand behind the bedstead, the former H tbe sitting member (Mr derj -Heyde), and the latter the The Speaker then invited ||^Mr.;Vo7n der Heyde to name a member |77oJ^tbe Select, Committee about to be to take care of his interests. yyyThe hon. member named Mr Reader |*KWo6d. Counsel for the petitioner was %- then asked to select a member to repreIfyient the petitioner, and Mr Buckley by naming Mr R. C. jl^Gfeiehtou. The Speaker next named g^yMr Walter Johnston as chairman. Ii y|7waa then arranged that the Committee, gSitself, on tbe suggestion of Mr Von ypyder Heyde, ahould be nominated at an |%Jarly .hour, this forenoon. The gentle-y.-inen iu the long robe wore then inIJfprined that tbey had the gracious |p;Myeof the House to retire. They yr^did go, and- this most solemn piece of was over. Ig^fjA- report of one of the oddest meetwe recollect bearing of appeared |Cf_tf a^New Sooth Wales newspaper, tbe spgYaes' Courier, of the 21st ultimo. IgljlThere was what waa termed a burlesque |-/baSqciet, presided over by an alderman, another civic dignitary as his vis 'yJo vii. -■ The room wbs decorated for pytita occasion — a black banner bearing a lyjdeatb's head and bones being imabove tbe Chairman's head. i^Tbe chairman, io proposing tbe toaat of llP^The Governor," explained that they Ig^were simply met in a spirit of fun ftyyand drollery to celebrate the release of jgj^ibHr great captain, Frank Gardiner, ||7fl/£cw Christie, alias a dozen names p7fb|Bidea It waa- on that account that grjtey (the* chairman) felt such great in proposing tbe health of bis §y^%eelljdncy the Governor, who, as the of her Majesty in New l&Sootb Wales, had gone out of his way |g to release unto tbem their noble captain g^and brother robber, Frank Gardiner." I^Thta ivas received with loud cheers, py and then came the toast of the evening P^-«The health of Frank Gardiner, \ m^-tZto* Christie, whose release we now |y|c»lebrate. ,, .Gardiner, said the chair'^yipaaq, was the illustrious chief of Austrajfljliaa banditti, and, though holding " no gf brevet from the Horse Guards, had for himself a more than military |^Ktle7 by daring deeds of rapine and He had set a never-to-be-|jfforgotten example to theColonial youth. |||It must be owned that those bigots who ggfiyfooliably imagined that virtue and gfe honesty were proper objects of emula\W£s* n received a ' backhander,' a |pfloorer, w a stab in the dark, at tbe glands of tha Governor and of those |||hunorable Hounds who had come forthis memorable occasion to gffrelease their friend and brother from E§4_ioße cruel bonds of captivity with ||^rbich humbugging justice bad shackled might such "Honorable gPHounds* live to enjoy their honor. As 7 each recurring llih of July came round, 'Here ever be such au honorable feljjpack''* -ia existence to release to |J*be;y people tbe Barabbas of their g§h>a«s." Afaer the baud bad played pi'* When Johnny comes marching home,'' !feiS?i yjce-cbairman felt confident " tbat pglbose present would drink a bumper to Jir^dmer'B pals, his associates in crime, gfhur companions in exile," which be g|woQld propose. » He could not help ||>tKinkiog that those poor injured gtiinhocents had been ill-used in a very j^harsb way." The band played «•" For |jcjthey sure jolly good follows." Then a |? gentleman present proposed the |p?Navy, n spelt with aK, and another §tfg* ve "The Honorable Majority who looted for tbe release of their Brother W3^^ x " Afier this the band played enough '«Tbe Rogue's ||yMarch." The next toast was tbe H^Bu-branging loterest," and the band p played "The Dead March in Saul." |s|Thß Press was then honored with three l^eiMty groans, and tho gentleman who r ai.i ih«t the editor of the Gazette ought to havr |p*ccupit;<i iri,* pnuition. J U8 t tDei)| Wr&- ,h<s Coarie r, "three men, with M^ 1 * lbaßkß °*« r their facts, rushed KAo y the; room, and, calling opon the to 'bait up/ fired afc the ch.irJE$&- $F * bo <ell back M H shot. This i|fawdent caused great excitement and gaagbt.r. The chairman, on recoverKlS|§?J' , ? Brk9d that t»ll then he bad >he iinpressiou that there (bing as i>honor among (

thieves.' But now even that belief had been rudely shattered. There was no such thing as honor I" The proceedings, which were said to have been marked throughout by a sense of fun, tempered with decorum, were then brought to a close. The Marlborough whalers have at length met with sufficient success to induce them to continue the fishing with a prospect tbat they will be well repaid for their labors at the end of the season. On Monday last, says the Press, two '* right" whales were captured near Tawhaite, which are calculated to give upwards of twenty tons of oil, besides a quantity of bone. At a late meeting of the Paisley Police Commissioners, Bailie Clark gave notice that, as there were now several sorts of apparatus by which furnace smoke is effectually consumed, manufacturers should no longer be excased who caused nuisance by the emission of smoke from their works. The Australian and New Zealand Land Company are at present, according to the Southland Times, carrying on extensive operations on their property at Mataura. From thirty-five to forty double- farrow ploughs are constantly at work, and each day, when the weather is at ail favorable, from seventy to eighty acres of virgin soil I are broken up. It is calculated tbat jat the end of the season some eleven j miles of country win have been operated I upon by the plough.