THE SEAWARD DOWNS COAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1643, 4 October 1872, Page 3

THE SEAWARD DOWNS COAL.

From certain, indications known to exist in the neighborhood of Seaward Downs, it has for some time past bepn surmised that coal of a .superior kind might probably be found iv that district, and in such a position as would permit of its being worked with successful commercial results. A number of gentlemen who took an interest in the matter recently formed a Coal Prospecting Association, and raised the necessary funds to defray the expense of a preliminary examination of the country. The task was entrusted to Mr T. J. Thompson, who proceeded to the locality, and was successful in discovering, at a place on the New Zealand and Australian Land Company's property at Seaward Downs, not far from the manager's house, two seams of coal, at a depth, of fourteen feet below the surface, with samples of which he returned to town. The following is extracted from Mr Thompßon'a report on the subject : — To the Chairman of the Coal Prospecting Association. Sib, — I beg leave to hand you report of my mission to examine the geological formation of the Seaward Downs districr, particularly to Bali9fy you in regard to what underlies the shale discovered in that locality. The rocks, I am of opinion, are of a secondary formation, composed of sandstone and carboniferous shale 3. The average elevation of the hills near the home station is 150 feet above the Eiver Mataura. They are of a gently undulating character, and appear to have been elevated to their present position by a gradual process of upheaval, thus warranting the conclusion that there will be few breaks or faults in the strata, which is an important matter in practical raining. My first object was to sink through the shale, and at the depth of 14 feet I penetrated two coal seams — the thickest 2 feet 6 inches, the coal being of good quality, but the seamjbeing intereecteJ by a little grit. It is capable of welding iron. I had it put to a practical test at the blacksmith's at the home station, having had the eye of my pick welded. The bulk of the accompanying Bamples of coal are from this seam ; the samples irom other seams you can distinguish by the carbonate of lime plainly visible on the surface of the pieces. My principal mission being performed, I then proceeded to examine the country in the neighborhood, and found that about 5 miles to the south the formation entirely changes, and is replaced by the oolitic formation. I send you

samples of the stones of this formation, which were soft as clay when I foun i them, but are now, by exposure to the atmosphere, quite hard enough to be used, for building purposes. lam of opinion that a payable seam of conl could be found sit Seaward Downs, but. as the necessary surface prosi ectintr will require some expense and lab 11, I th'Mi^ht it best to report in the meantime, and get further instructions. The samples o? coal thus obtained were forwarded to Dr TTector, at, Wellington, j whose iv port we also subjoin : — Geological Survey Office, Wellington. 12th September, 1572. Sib, — Tn reply to your letter of the 29th u!t.. forwarding samples of stone, with fossils, find cod, from a locality in the Seawir.l Downs, I haft 1 the honor to report tlvit there is no doubt of the formation to which the former belong bein.' the ! same description as that at Waikava and Otapiri. The coal, which I understand is from a different locality, 6 miles dis ant, is superior to that found at either of the above places, on account of its containing less ash, and, wi'h the exception of the thin seams at, Mount Hamilton, it. is the best sample of coal I have yet seen from the South--1 land district. The composition of the two varieties you indicate is as follows : —

One pound weight of A should convert 640 Ib 9 of boiling water into steam. It does not cake in ' coking, but adheres slightly, and when completely consumed leaves a pale buff ash. It is a free burning coal. Bis the bright coal that is mixedwith reins of carbonate of lime, and is remarkable horn its ash being chiefly OS\de of iron.— l nm, &.0., James Hector. James Brown, Esq., Secretary Coal Pros pectin^ Association. The highly favorable character of this report requires no comment ; and still less is it necessary to insist on the immense advantage which must accrue to the district from the discovery of a payable seam of coal of the above description, within easy reach of the railway. It is stated that a seam oi' four feet in thickness will yield pood commercial results, if it can be worked at an easy depth from the surface. The New Zealand and Australian Land Company are understood to be willing to give very favorable terms for a period of yeirs to the dis. covervrs, should the coal be found on their property. We trust the matter will not be allowed to rest where it is, bufc that some practical steps will shortly be taken to pursue an investigation which at present seems to promise so well.

Sample A. Sample B. C-.rbon 49-fil ... 614 Gaseous 3508 ... 276 Water 806 ... 93 Ash 725 ... 1-2