OUR STONE INDUSTRIES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 430, 13 September 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR STONE INDUSTRIES.

A meeting, called by circular, was held at Messrs. Julius and Balmer's offices yesterday afternoon for the purpose of considering "the advisability of forming a public company to develope our stone quarries." Messrs. StewarJ, Surnpter, Balmer, Munro (Kakanui), Johnston, Procter, Galbraith, Brown, and Captain Sewell were present, and his Worship the Mayor was called upon to pi'eside. Mr. J. K. Beown made a brief statement in which he referred to the abundance of our stone resources, and tingreat scarcity of the same material in this and the neighbouring Colonies, more particularly instancing Melbourne, in which the demand for building materials was simply enormous, and the great difficulty of obtaining a suitable supply the standing problem of architects, builders, and alf concerned in the trade. He thought that in a company having for its object the development of this great industry he could perceive a solution of the problem. To do so in the least effectually, the appliances for working the quarries must be greatly improved, the means of transi and shipment must also be economised, and above all things it was imperatively requisite that an abundant and reliable supply should be maintained to inspire those interested with that confidence which would alone lead to la ge operations in the stone. So long as the industry was left to private enterprise he h&8 certain the trade would remain comHrativelv unimportant. Oamarn stone Kuii% pretty much the position oi coal some 20 years ago, when

He Litter was exclusively in the hands of private individuals. N:>w an inimmse capital was employed and a correspondingly enlarged trade was developed, and !;■« port of Newcastle stood, lie believed, a!, the head of the ports of the souther/; hemisphere in the matter of her shipping. He was hupp}' to sa,y that so far as his inquiries had gone, they were eminently satisfactory. Mr. Munro, whom he was pleased to see at this meeting, was willing to merge Ins interests in that of sue!) a company as he proposed ; and. he trusted that no diffiexilty would-be encountered in meeting Mr. TVschemaker and the other proprietors fairly iu the matter. On all hands it appeared to be regarded as a.n eminently feasible and promising underdertaking, and would prove, if carried out successfully, as great a boon to Melbourne, as it would undoubtedly promote the growth and importance of Oamaru. In answer to a question from Mr. Snmpter,

Mr. Brown said that so far as he could I judge, no very large capital would be re-! quired—probably a company with a nominal capital of L 20,000 or L.25,000 would suffice—and he thought the matter might be put on a self-supporting position long before half that amount need be called up. A conversational discussion ensued, all concurring in the desirability of making further investigation, and eventually the following resolutions, drawn up by his Worship the Mayor, and seconded by Mr. Procter, were unanimously agreed to:—

That a Committee be appointed to enquire into, and report upon, the following matters, viz. : 1. What are the available sources of supply of Oamaru stone of the best quality, and

the probable quantities obtainable from each ?

2. Whether any, and if so what, quarries jcould be obtained by purchase or otherwise? J 3. What would be the cost of obtaining stone in quantity from quarries now in private use ?

4. What, under present circumstances, is the cost of quarrying, freight to the port of Oamaru, and of freight to Melbourne?

5. Whether the present charges are capable of reduction, by means of using better appliances ? 6. What would be the lowest price at which a Company, if formed, would be able Ito deliver the stone in Melbourne ?

[ 7. What capital would be lecessary for the operation' of such Company ? And that such Committee consist of Mes rs. J. K. Brown, Sewell, Johnson, and Sumpter, to report this day week. The meeting then adjourned.