IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81839, 4 September 1906, Page 2

IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY.

PROCEEDINGS AT PARAPARA. Interviewed by a " News ' reporter on his return from Parapara, Mi D. Berry stated that when he went to Wellington from New Plymouth nearly a month ago, it was found necessary, owing to the presence at Parapara of two Welsh gentlemen with an engineer, spying out the land, that lie should immediately proceed to Parapara and put on the requisite numbei of workmen, instead of asking for a further extension of time, lhis was done and work was started with twenty .men on the morning of the 15th August in constructing a tramline from the sea to the quarry site, some i i miles, and this work is now in course of construction under an oxperiencod foreman and surveyor. "Unfortunately," said Mr l!ei|rv, "some of the men taken from Nelson had heard that 1 was obliged to have :o men on that day, and although tliey had been engaged at 8/ a clay, thinking that I was in a corner they tried to bounce me into paying 9/ a day, but without effect, as 1 let some seven men go and the rest admitted fairly that 8/ was the agreed wage end commenced work. These, with the surveyor and myself and some settlers who kindly assisted, made up the number, and since then I have had more applications than I require at present." "So that there may be no false impressions," continued Mr Berry. "1 would say that though the English company is not quite floated yet, we have reason to believe that a very i'<-w weeks will see its completion." "An important matter to us," said Mr Berry, "is that a good coking coal has been found some six miles from our works, and we are given io understand that it can be d'-li'vor-ed by a light line of railway at q/6 per ton at our works, instead of about 14/ per ton from Westport." Jones and Wayne,'the gentlemen above referred to, have made an application for a thousand-acre lease, being a continuation of our ore, but seemed much disappointed at our action, as they admit that we ,a\e tiie pick of the field, the other part being so costly to get at. Thee made overtures to us, but these v.ere not entertained. They were very reticent about their movements, but report at Parapara says that their intention was to bring small coal from Newcastle (N.S.W.), where they have a coalmine, and send pig '!'<>» .on'y hack again. This report ;a'n;ng ground (sad Mr Berry) he'p ed me. as it is. out intention to" make, ftn,shed iron there and at New Ply. mouth, wli.ch, of course, is much better for the d'stiict and colony at 'arge." Mr Berry purposes returning to Parapara s'lortly, as soon as he has 'i.insac'od a c ,11-'iderable accumulation of petroleum and private business hero. Choice samples of the iron 00. air 'lv coal mentioned above, m <y b< een at Mr Berry's warehous", b\ ■nyone interested.