THE WEST COAST COAL MINES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4858, 17 October 1876, Page 2

THE WEST COAST COAL MINES.

(FROM ODR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The existence of Vast Seams of coal of excellent quality along the northempartof the West Coast of New Zsaland has long been well known, and is now not only ah established fact, but has led to the establishment of a number of companies for the development of the coal treasure which lies far and wjde,over this mountainous region; development that must sooner or later 'transform these sterile wastes where the foot of man, except that of the hardy prospector for gold, has hardly trod. The mines at present worked or imcourse of formation extend from the Buller river to the north of Westport, along the coast in a southerly direction, to the Brunner, south of Greymouth, and are therefore in ; both the Nelson and the Westland provinces. The Buller mines are situated a few miles inland of the township of Westport, and although they are not yet in full working order, still some coal is obtained there, and a.railway has been formed to the foot of the mountain in which they are .situated. The coal is of excellent quality, superior, so it is said, to that of Newcastle. There are also several excellent coal seams along the coast both north and south of Westport. Notably those near the Ngakawau river; but these may be fairly included under the general head of the Buller mines. Near Greymouth; and on the Grey river from its month almost to its source, the. country has been discovered to be .carboniferous. The well-known Brunner-mine, which lies eight miles from Greymouth, and which is connected with that port by a railway, already supplies large quantities of coal of first-class quality to the steamers which, visit the pprt, besides exporting no- small tonnage by the sohooners ’and small craft whose draught of Water enables them to get over the bar. It may be mentioned that this bar, which, like that of Hokitika, 25 miles lower down, is the great drawback to the port, is both difficult and dangerous to navigate even under the most favorable circumstances, and it is at times entirely closed, some-

times for weeks together. ..This shows the necessity for railway communication between the [Grey Talley and Christchurch ; and now that a practicable saddle over the main range has been found and painted out by one of the old settlers on the Ahaura river, there is little deuht that those interested Will bestir themselves to press on the Government the desirability of such a,work. A mile nearer the town is the mine of the Greymonth Coalmining Company, and here the works, which have been progressing for years, ara of an extensive character. The mine itself;' which is a circular one of lift, diameter, is at present 415 ft. deep, and has been holed to a further depth of 180 ft. Coal has however not been reached, although it is expected to be struck every day, hard grit, similar to that covering a 16ft. seam half a mile further up, having been got at, and Mr. B, B. Simpson, the manager, being sanguine on the subjects The mine is worked by means of a pumping , and winding engine of 40 h.p.,' with another auxiliary engine of 14 h.p. There are three shifts of men at work, and Mr. Simpson thinks that when he strikes the coal and cleanout the mine, it will

supply 500 tons of coal per day, for fifty years to come. This is, however, mere.speculation, but speculation based on practical experience and scientific knowledge. The same company-struck a valuable seam of coal 'half a mile away some little time since,-but abandoned it on account of railway communication, the present workings being nbt many yards distant from the railway line, find .within SO yards of a station. On the other side of the river, and therefore in the Nelson province (it may be mentioned here that the Brunner mine is in the Nelson province) two distinct seams of coal of the best quality have also been found and traced to some distance. The land on which these lie has been leased by a small company, but at present, for want of sufficient capital, nothing is-being done. Much depends for the future of this part of the country on the success of the Greymouth Company’s mine, for if that succeeds ih striking coal as the Brunner has done, It will be a satisfactory corroboration of the statement! of fractioal men that the whole district, mountains and all, conceals vast beds of coal, and will induce capitalists to invest. Should this come to pass, and should the Christchurch and Grey railway be formed, then Greymouth- may expect to become once more the busy port she was not many years since, when hosts of miners were flocking into her daily, miners who have now scattered themselves over the numerous gold, diggings that Cover the entire coast.