PROGRESS AT WESTPORT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 8698, 5 January 1907, Page 2

PROGRESS AT WESTPORT.

Per Press Association. Westpoet, January o. Advices received from London state that tke Westport Railway and Naval Company, of Loudon, to work a colliery area, known as Cook’s Lease, m tlie Westport district, lias been successfully floated, and that money for the development of the mine was available at any time, and would be placed in the bank at the discretion of the New Zealand directors. The High Commissioner in London ■ had informed the members of the company that he was satisfied as to its bona fides, and was quite prepared to cable to the Government for confirmation of his statement if necessary. Westport Harbour Board receipts for 1906 totalled £83,698, expenditure £64,949. In 1885 the total revenue for the year amounted to £BIO7. The coal output in 1885 was 78,094 tons, last year (1906) it had increased to 607,608 tons.

The tonnage of shipping dealt with in 1885 was 120,000, while during 1906 tonnage was dealt with aggregating 576,222. The Board recently reduced port charges on coal shipped for hunkering purposes. Elat lands along the sea coast are being taken up with a view to boring for coal at low levels.