A NEW ENTERPRISE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 223, 14 September 1908, Page 2

A NEW ENTERPRISE

In view of the very high rates' ruling lor coal throughout this district, and of the fact that dealers find a difficulty in securing supplies, the opening of a new coalfield is a matter of great importance. For some time past developing work has been steadily proceeding at the enormous coal deposits close to Ngaruawahia. The existence of a great coalfield has now been proved beyond a doubt. Not even content with the favorable reports of a dozen certificated mine managers, the owners of the properties recently got up Mr. John Hayes, F.C.S., M.E., specially to mike an exhaustive examination and full report. Mr. Ha_ve s has for years been the Inspecting Engineer of the Mines Department, having been specially imported from Home some years ago to report on the West Coast coalfields. He is the author of several standard works on coalmining, (he inventor of the Hayes Mining Level, and for years had full charge of a group of English collieries with a daily output of 50110 tons. ][ o is noted for his extreme eaution, and his reports may be relied on. After spending ten 'days on the coalfield, he reports that it has rai'elv been hi s lot to see so promising a field. There is beyond a doubt ample coal to keep a great colliery going for a. hundred years with a weekly output of 4000 tons. One seam ranging from lift to 13ft has a frontage extending close on half a mile, and can be traced back for over a mile. Already a large tunnel has been driven into (his solid mass for over 200l't, the coal turning out a splendid sample. The very high quality of the coal has been confirmed by scientific and practical tests, Professor MacLauriil, D.'Se.. F.C.8., the Government Analyst, reports tlie coal as ''clean, bright, hard, and non-caking, similar to the Taupiri coals, and excellent for household use." A sample lot of 13 tons was tested by (he Waihi Cold Mining Company n't their Waikino works. They report ir as ''an excellent steaming fuel, free from clinker, and better than Tanpiri." Our enterprising brokers, Messrs. R. Woodlruise and Co., have secured a parcel of 5000 Cl shares in Hie Company recently formed to take over and work what promise* to be a great ami nourishing enterprise. Mr. W. -leniison, who js a loeal resident and an old mining expert of English and colonial ex- 1 perience, recently spent a week carefully investigating (his coalfield. He is enthusiastic in his praises, ami in the course of liis report states lie has never i ill his long experience seen a coalfield ] with so few drawbacks and so many i advantages. From an investor's point 1 of view, Mr. Haves, in the course of ,1 ' conversation, declared there was nothing ill llie Dominion lo equal it. f