TARANAKI COAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 81, 26 September 1911, Page 2

TARANAKI COAL

AN EXTENSIVE FIELD. TAPPED BY NEW RAILWAY LINE. (Wellington Times.) Not a little lias been beard of late respecting the development of the coal industry of the North- Island, and there have been movements afoot to induce the Government to establish at least one coal inline in the Auckland province. This step will probably be taken sooner or later, but there are other portions of the North Island with extensive coal measures, though as yet there has been no effective attempt at development. These known deposits lie right in the heart of the North Island, but the knowledge of their existence is practically confined to the Mines Department and the Geological survey hrancb of the Government service. Yet even that knowledge is insufficient to enable any reliable estimate to be established as to the. real value of the field or the possibility of utilising the coal which, like the diamond of Golconda, lies "neglected, rough, concealed in common clay."

The territory in which these deposits lie extends from the Wanganui river to the mouth of the Mokau, and is even supposed to run as .far north as Kawhia Practically the whole of tlic north-west portion of the Taranaki district is scored with coal seams, and reconnaissance surveys made from time to time show that no less an area than four hundred square miles contains deposits of coal reputed to he of an exceptionally high-class household character. There is, of course, as ye t little close settlement in a considerable portion of these baekblocks coal areas, and the absence of transit facilities render them valueless for the time being; but it so happens that the Strat-ford-Ongartie railway, now in course of construction, will cut right through Hie centre of the coalbcaring strata, and pass directly over some of the known seams.

The reports of geologists and geological surveyors, give a fairly clear idea of the carboniferous wealth lying dormant and almost in proximity to a number of important agricultural and industrial ceutres—including Stratford, Wanganui, and Palmenston North. Whangamo moana, which, within a month or two, will be the terminus—for the time being —of the new line, is within a dozen miles of the located coal seams, and the further entension of the line will bring a large field of workable domestic coal into immediate touch with transit facilities.

What is required at the present time is a detailed survey of the area under notice, or at least so much of the field as might come within profitable reach of the railway. All the reports of the flying surveys and inspections are sufficiently encouraging to warrant expenditure upon a more thorough investigation of the deposits. If the coal industry could be profitably established in the neighborhood of the line the carriage would probably add very materially to the railway revenue. A detailed survey would probably cost about £4OOO, and if there is a reasonable prospect of opening up a rich coal field the cost of investigation should not be allowed to bar the wav to so desirable an end.