TANGARAKAU COALFIELDS

Taranaki Daily News, 22 January 1921, Page 5

TANGARAKAU COALFIELDS

REPORT OF GEOLOGIST. GOVERNMENT SURVEY RECOM’ (From Oar Own Correspondent ) Stratford, Last Night. A summary of the report of Mr. Morgan, Government geologist who recently made an inspection of the Tangarakau coalfields on the route of the StratfordOkahukura railway, was read at the meeting of the management committee of the Taranaki Progress League this afternoon. The report was forwarded, by the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey, Minister of Mines, who stated that owing to the length of Mr. Morgan’s report it was only possibly to supply the main features of it. The report stated that outcrops of coal exist in several places, some of which are too small to be of any value. The most important coal outcrops occur in the Tangarakau Gorge and are all close to the Stratford-Ohura road and only five miles by road from Tahora. A few chains from the 59 miles post (distance from Stratford) hard, clean, brown coal outcrops exist just off the road in a little gully. Three feet of coal without a floor was .visible at this spot. Further outcrops or coal were found on both sides of the 63 miles jxist, the seams being from 3 to feet thick. The letter from the Minister went on to say: “The principal object of the visit was to inspect and report upon the coal outcrops in the Tangarakau Gorge. These, so far examined, are decidedly disappointing. The coal is thin and access is bad. The cost of working a 3ft to 3%ft seam of brown coal will be very great, and transport to the railway will be expensive. Hence it is unlikely that Tangarakau coal can compete successfully with other coals outside the district in which it occurs. It must be remembered that two large mines are about to' be opened in the neighborhood of Huntly, and if at full capacity they will, be able to supply Taranaki as well as Auckland. Coal is scarce in New Zealand markets at preempt but the scarcity is due to want of miners, not for want of coal. The fact that miners, if available, could be more profitably employed in the mines of the Waikato, Westport, Greymouth. and Otago districts than in the Tangarakau Gorge, needs, in Mr. Morgan’s opinion, to be emphasised. “The Tangarakau Gorge seams, however, deserve a certain amount of prospecting. The main seam is ptobably sor feet’’thick in places, and if so a small mine could be opened in it to supply Tahora, Whangamomona and other townships as far south as Stratford. The coal will probably have to be carted over a'bad road to Tahora at considerable expense. The cost of a special tramline will hardly be justified, but the gorge may possibly be tapped in the near future by a timber tram, and if so, fairly cheap transport for small quantities of coal will be available.

“A detailed geological survey of the Tangarakau and adjoining districts is advisable and steps are now being taken to begin such a survey. Apart from the work of the geologist, a little surface prospecting is advisable, which work could be carried out under the direction of the geologist in charge of the survey, but your committee would have to find and pay the wages of one or two men.” Mr. W. P. Kirkwood dharaeterised the report as unsatisfactory and expressed the opinion that Mr. Morgan had gone about his inspection badly and seemed to have relied very much on hearsay. The speaker thought the report was of no vfelue whatever. Mr J. B. Richards: It shows that there is a good quantity of coal there. The chairman: Mr. Morgan was sent out to report as to whether a geological survey was advisable and he has reported that it is advisable. Mr. Kirkwood pointed out that when the Government found there was coal in the vicinity, the land was withdrawn frofn selection.

It was decided to urge on the Minister of Mines the advisability of proceeding with the geological survey and the surface prospecting as recommended by Mr. Morgan.