The New=Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 477, 9 November 1850, Page 2

The New=Zealander.

Be just and fear not : Let all the ends thou aims>'t at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Tiuth'b.

Fa i u 11 BTy," ~n 6 y em b e ¥ 9~ 1 8 5 0.

Waikato Coal Subscription. The General Meeting of Subscribers, to which we referred in our last, was held on Thursday at the Royal Exchange Hotel, the use of which, on this as on former occasions, was by the liberality of the Proprietor, Mr. Hardington, gratuitously aiforded for the purpose. Although (owing in part, no doubt, to the unfavourable state of the weather) the attendance was not very numerous, it was influential, including some of our leading commercial fellow-townsmen ; and we cannot doubt that the statements piesented and the conclusions arrived at will have the approbation of those Subscribers whom circumstances may have prevented from taking a personal share in the proceedings. Mr. Gorrie having been called to the Chair, the Report of the Committee was read by the Hon. Secretary, William Connell, Esq. As this document not only possesses immediate interest, bbt may be of considerable importance for future reference, we have pleasure in publishing it in exlenso, and giving it this leading place in our columns :—: — Gentlemen, At the General Meeting from which this Committee derives its power, a resolution was passed instructing them to inform the Subscribers and the Public, from time to time, of the progress of the experiment, with the management of which they were entrusted ; and although the Committee have not formally comp'ied with this insttuction, iuch information as they possessed ha«, by the kindness of the Editor of the New Zealander newspaper, been made public through the medium of that journal. Now, however, that the experiment draws to a eloie, the Committee have deemed it right to call the Sub* tcribers together, to lay before them a detailed account of their proceeding!, and to submit for tbeir consideration, some points of final arrangement. As soon as it was practicable, after the General Meeting allnJed to, the Committee engaged an experienced Miner, and sent him to Kupakupa to commence the working. To obtain this man's services, it was necessary to enter into an agreement to employ him for three months, as he could not be induced to leave his then employment for any engagement of a shoiter duration! The Committee also availed themselves of the services of Mr. Samuel Norman, of Onehunga, to super-* intend and assist in getting the coal, and to make arrangement for its conveyance by the natives down the river. Besides which, Mr. Norman entered into a contract, cm terms which the Committee considered very moderate, for the transit of the coal across the Manakau water to Onehunga, and thence to Auckland. The previous communications held personally and by letter with the natives of the Coal district, by the Rev. Mr. Purchas, whote zialom aid hat been at all times freely afforded to the Committee, seemed to justify the expectation that, so far at least, as the raising and conveying down the river of fiora one to two hundred tons of coal, the tteadiness of the natives, and their adherence to the terms of agreement might safely be relied on : and it is prob»ble, that but for one untoward circumstance, that expectation wi uld have been fulfilled. This circumstance was the occurrence of an angry dispute between some of the native tribes of the Waikato (on a qneition wholly unconnected with the objects of the Committee,) and which seemed so likely to lead to war that the whole attention of the people was given to erecting new pahs or strengthening old , ones, and the development of this important resource of their district, became in their eyes of little consequence. Such was the state of ufiVirs when Mr. Norman and the Miner arrived at Kupakupa, and very great difficulty and delay were experienced before the natives would allow the work to be commenced. Objections were raised to the price already agreed on, for raising the Coal and conveying it to the river, —and the canoeiand natives whose services were relied on for bringing it down to the Awaroa portage, were occupied in the works of defence above alluded to. Under these circumstances, and when, after having raised and brought down to the river's edge, about thirty-two tons of coal, the natives refuted to continue the work. Mr. Norman, deeming any longer stay on his part a useless expense to the Subscribers, returned to Auckland, leaving the Miner, who, as already mentioned, had been engaged for three months, to get the coal brought down the river, whenever the natives could be induced to bring it. The Committee finding it thus out of their power to carry out to the intended extent this experimental WOrh, and desiious of rendering the farther sojourn of the Miner it Kupakupa as useful aa possible, instructed him to employ his remaining time in endeavouring to ascertain the existence and quality of coal in other planes in that neighbourhood. And they learn from him tint he bus found coal equal in quality^to that first worked, in three other places ou the same side of the river, and at one place on the opposite bank, all within seven or eight feet of the surtuce. Also, lhac in pursuance of instiuctions to measure the actual depth of the seam from which he had ruised the thitty* two tons, he had worked through it and found its tliickne.-s to be ra her more than fifeen fuet, and from the appearances deiciilei at the other places above^ mentioned, there seems every reason lo suppose that the whole forms one continuous bed. Respecting the futility with which the coal may be worked, the Miner's repot t is ve.y favourable. He itates that if put down at either of the four places alluded to, he would engage to raise, by his Owa unassisted labour, tweity tons of co.tl within a week.

And this statement is borne out by Hie fact that the thirty two tons already obtained were raised by him the assistance of two or three Maoiies in less than pive days. So far as relates to the question whether an abundant supply of this valuable mineral exists in the vicinity of the river WaiKato, the Committee congratulate the subscribers upon the result of their experiment. Of iti excellent quality the subscribers will be enabled to judge for themselves* A considerable part of the quantity railed has been brought into town and the remainder may be daily expected — although the Com' mittee regret to say that many embarrassing difficulties respecting tti conveyance, have arisen to letard the completion of this experiment It is difficult from a trial so limited in its extent as thii, to deduce any satisfactory conclusion os to the price at which the Waikato Coal can be delivered in Auck'nnd — but after carefully separating those charges which are accidental and ex Ira -ordinary fiom those \kliich arc ordinary and constant, the Committee are of opinion that this experiment will fully verify their original estimate, and that the encreased cost of the coal which they have now procured is attributable to the circumstance, that preliminary and other expenses ate charged upon this small quantity, which, but tor the unfortunate hindrances already mentioned, would bare sufficed for the production of 200 or 300 tons ; and farther that work, which for a large quantity would be performed at a low rate per ton, necessarily costs double or treble that iate on so small a quantity. This will be fully understood when it is lemenibered that, the Miner being hired for three months, his five days mining cost the lubscribers £18 15 0, being thirteen weeks and three days, at 30s. per week, and the cartage of the coal across the Awaroa portage which for this small quantity costs ss. per ton, would be done by the same party at 2s. 6d. per ton for 200 tons or at Is, per ton for ICOO tons— so that the Committee have no hesitation in expressing their opinion that if the Kupakupa minei were in the hands of Europeans possessing adequate means and skill, and that tbe like appliances were employed in its conveyance, this valuable coal could be put down in Auckland atffrom 20s to 255. per ton, or be delivered to iteamers in Manukau harbour at from 10s. to 12s. per ton. The following it a summary of tbe charges incurred and to be incurred (so far at least as can now be ascertained) divided into ordinary and extra-ordinary expenses. Charge« incurred in procuring 32 tons of Coal from Kupakupa, on the river Waikato—

Taking the ordiuary charges then at present rates for any considerable quantity, it ii plain that this coal can be put down at Auckland at 255. per ton. But it is easy to sec how very much theie ordinary charges may be reduced by the judicious employment of capital, by the employment of steam on the river Waikato, oud by Public Works for opening the approach to this important district. In reference to the lait mentioned topic the Committee have the pleasure to inform the Subscribers that they have been in communication with Government on the subject of a canal to connect the waters of the Waikato will) the harbour of Mauukau, and that His Excellency the Govehnor has at the request of the Committee caused a line to be surveyed, and levtli to be taken, in order to ascertuin the practicability of such a work. And although the Surveyor General's Report has not yet reached the Committee they have eveiy reason to believe that no insurmountable, or very serious difficulty, either in the elevation to be overcome, or in the character of the ground, opposes itself to euch an undertaking. Judging that the result of this enquiry will be generally interesting, His Excellency the Governor has expressed his intention to cause the Surveyor General's Report, when completed, to be published in the Government Gazette. It is also proper to state that the Committee having represented to the Governor that a portion of the Onehunga and Epsom road was in a very bad itate, immediate instructions were given for its repair. The Committee have anticipated what they have no doubt would be the wish of the Subscribers, by sending a sample of this coal (about 2 cwt.) to the British ilXliibiuon of 1851. , It now remains for the Subscribers to determine in what way the coal shall be dispoied of. Whether it shall as originally intended be divided amongst the Subscribers in proportion to their seveial B ubscriptions, or be sold by Public Auction and the proceeds proportionately divided amongst them. The Committee after some consideration recommend the adoption of the latter plan. By order, W Connell, lion. Secretary. The results demonstratively shown in this able Report are very important, considering that it would be only a nanow view of the subject to look merely at the benefit which Auckland might derive from a ceitain and cheap supply of coal for the domestic or manufacturing uses of its inhabitants— (although were it confined to this, the advantage would be well worth more than the small exeition which ■would be necessary to secure it) ;— but that the view reaches to the shipping and other inleiesls which would be so influenced by it as to confer ' extended benefit upon the community at large. This must be so evident to all, that we the less regret our being prevented by the piessure on our space from entenng into it at any length to-day. The Report is what our readcis will look for with most solicitude, and thai we have given them in full.

Let us remailc, however, that the facts substantially bears out and justifies all that hail previously been slated by even the sanguine amongst those who oiiginally pioposcd the trial which has now been practically made. As to the excellency of the Waikato Coal, there can remain little doubt indeed ; and, if there be still doubters, let them just attend at the sale on Monday, purchase some of it, and by the test of burning it for tlieir several purposes, asceitain for themselves, whether or not it is really as valuable a mineral as they have been told it is. Then, as to the price at which it can be laid down in Auckland, — without pledging ourselves altogether to the figures in the Report, (although we know they have been stated on the best grounds and with the most single-minded desire to lay the whole truth before the public) — it is yet abundantly evident that, subject to such arrangements as the lleport suggests, the coal can be had heie, at a price very much lower than coal can be procured from those sources on which we have been hitherto dependent for our uncertain supplies. Recurring to the Meeting of Thursday, we have only to add that it passed off with the utmost cordiality. W"e could not have wished a new-comer to our colony to see a better example of the good-humoured, hand- in-hand, manner in which those of us who do not per • mit our minds to be waiped or embittered bypolitical animosities, work together for objects which are for the public good, and thercfoie for our own good as members of the public. The Report was adopted with entire unanimity. One Subscriber, equally strenuously and generously, urged that the remainder of the subscriptions, after defraying the expenses of the experiment, should be appioprialed to some public purposes ; but the proposition found no seconder, — the general sense of the Meeting being that, — as the money had been subscribed for a speciiic object, whatever poition of it was not actually expended in carrying out that object should be returned to the Subscribeis, to be by them disposed of as they may themselves judge proper. Thanks were voted to the Commit' tee, with a well merited special notice of the gentleman who has acted as its Honorary Secietary, of whom a member of the Committee observed, " Though several of us on the Committee have tried to do what we could, yet Mr. Connell had really done more for the actual promotion of the object than all of us put together." We shall probably return to this subject when we have more space at our disposal than we can command to day. Meanwhile, we give in the Report the gist of the case.

Extra ordinary— Travelling charges of Superintendent and Miner, and conveyance of baggage, tooli, &c, to and from Kupakupa Paid for kits for coal, dwelling house and coal vrurre Three weeks' pay to Superintendent .. ll£ weeks' pay to Miner Tooli and implements Extra charge for carting at Awaroa portage, 32 tons, 4s, Incidents „ ... .. .» •• •« £ s. d. 5 10 0 5 19 0 COO 17 5 0 7 13 1 6 8 0 2 0 0 Ordinary charges — Superintendent, 1 week .. . . •• •• Miner 1 " .. .. •• •• Owner's share, 32 tons, at 6d Labor, mining, and carrying, 32 tons, at 2s. Cd. per ton Boatage to Awaroa, 32 tons, at ss. per ton Cartage across to Waihuku, 32 tons, at Is. per ton • Freight to Onehunga, and cartage to Auckland, as per contract, 32 ions, at Us. per ton 2 0 0 1 10 0 0 16 0 4 0 0 8 0 0 1 12 0 22 8 0 Totul ordinary charges for 32 tons, being 255. 2d. per ton 40 C 0