SOLVING THE COAL PROBLEM.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 June 1919, Page 5

SOLVING THE COAL PROBLEM.

| TliE MOKAU FIELD. THE NEWCASTLE OF NEW ZEALAND. Mr. David Whyte, of Hastings, tupplies tile Wellington Times with some particulars of the coal deposits at Mokau. Quoting the report u*f Mr. Sydney Fry, Director of the Reefton School of Mines, he says that the seams extend all over the Mokau coalfield, that there are seven teams exposed, that the tnain seam, which is sft. Bin. thick, contains 464,000,000 tons of coal, which, Kfter allowing a deduction of 40 per cent, for pillars, leaves 274,000,000 tons of vendible coal available for present commercial purposes, and that the other beams, being 4ft. or lets in thickness, need not be considered at present. According to Mr. Fry, the coal is "the highest grade of caa.l in the North Island, and is probably the very best household coal in New Zealand; in fact, I cannot see how it could well be surpassed, for it appears,' to have just the correct proportions of fiued carbon to make it lasting without preventing it from igniting. It gives a long flame, and yet not a smoky one, as is usually the case with long-flame coals; the ash is gritty, and does not fly about when disturbed, as flocculent as.hes do; moreover, it is not high in sulphur." The by-products will be a valuable asset. "The amount of volatile ingredients of the Mokau coal compares very well with that in other well known New Zealand coals of different classes."

"The facilities: for comfortable living conditions for miners who may be employed in the extraction of the Mokau coal seams are much more favorable than is the case with the chief coal mines of Westport and Greymouth in several respects. There are ample supplies of food, water, and milk; butter, beef, and mutton are readily obtainable and of excellent quality, and cottage gardens thrive very well indeed." , Evidence was given before tlje In», dustries Commission, said Mr. Whyte, that bad housing and living conditions were responsible for most of the unrest among miners; but almost ideal conditions. 1 can be obtained at Mokau, There is plenty of timber for building good houses, and suitable areas of flat and undulating country for laying out ideal towns on the most up-to-date townplanning lines. Added to that is one of the most charming rivers,' in New Zealand, with river scenery second to none in the Dominion, and witli a tidal basin of twenty-seven miles long for boating and pleasure excursions. It is'impossible that natural conditions could be more favorable for mining townships.'. "Mokau, I believe, is the coming Newcastle of New Zealand. It is possessed of excellent land, capable of feeding a. large population at a minimum of cost. At the present time there are 40,000 sheep and many cattle carried on land which was all virgin bush seven vean.' ago. This land demonstrates its carrying capacity at two sheep per acre, plus oiie cattle beast to every five acres." The present shortage of coal in New Zealand, said Mr. Whyte, can, I believe, be met by supplies from Mokau, provided tho shipping is available. The Government is the only body that can command the necessary shipping at present. It can invite local authorities to engage email steamers to go to the Mokau, and bring away shiploads of coal to every port in New Zealand. The coal could be landed at New Plymouth at £1 per ton if the Government took the matter in hand. Private individuals cannot command the shipping at present, owing to private arrangements amongst shipowners; but the Government can overcome the diffieutly and have the coal shortage of New Zealand overcome in two or three mouths.