MOKAU COAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1921, Page 8

MOKAU COAL.

LARGE SUPPLY AVAILABLE. RIVER PROBLEM. A detailed report on the possibilities of working cqal deposits in the Mokau district, was presented to the quarterly meeting of the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce Friday night, as the outcome of a visit made by Mr. E. P. Webster (president), and Mr. Gordon Fraser (member of the Council), to the seams on the Manga-Awakino and Kaipaku streams in November last. The result of the investigations were set out comprehensively and were supported by extracts from geological reports which have been made from x time to time on the district. The main points of the report may be summarised as follows: — (1) It is evident that a large amount of coal exists in the basin of the Mokau river. (2) TJie access to any mine in the district is dependent upon communication by the river and a vessel drawing 6ft 6in would be quite suitable for the trade. (3) At the present time (March, 1921), the river has an average depth of Bft at ordinary high water for a distance up to and beyond the seam inspected. (4) Reports to the Public Works Department, presumably by Government officers, state it would be possible to improve the river, and that boats drawing 10ft. of water could enter 'at high water spring tide, and proceed to the Rangapapa mine, and at ordinary high tide if the river were snagged and the bed scarified. (<5) That the statement that it would cost £lOO.OOO to gain access to • the Mokau coal has reference purely to the old mines, and concerns an elaborate scheme of improvements, and not the snagging of the river. (6) The larger seam, which the committee inspected, was accessible at present to the river bank to any vessel that could cross the bar. (7) With regard, to snagging, the Mokau Harbor Board is at present negotiating for the assembling of the snagging punt, some materials having already been purchased and there are good prospects of further Government assistance, judging from Ministerial statements.

(8) The coalfield at Mokau is probably the largest in the Dominion, vide a statement of Sir James Hector after investigation some years ago. (9) The Mangapapa mine (according to the mining handbook) is the safest in the world, naked lights having been in use from the first time of working. (10) There are also big and promising deposits of limestone and also ironsand deposits. In supplementing the information in the report, Mr. Fraser said that probably the mine could be opened at a cost’of £12.000 or £15.000. One seam comtained 176,000 tons of coal. In connection with the transport of the coal, the report remarked that in the past the trade went through Waitara. and the problem to be contended with, was working the Waitara and Mokau bars one trade. If the coal were shipped to New Plymouth,, however, this difficulty would not arise, as trips could be arranged to work the Mokau bar at the best time. During a discussion on the report, it was. pointed out that at present the time was not opportune for financing the opening up of the mines. With regard to the quality of the coal, one speaker said it was a lignite of splendid steaming quality and good for household purposes. A vote of thanks was accorded to Messrs. Webster and Fraser for their report, and mention was made of the assistance rendered to the visitors on the trip by Mr. MacDonald, secretary to the Mokau Harbor Board, and Mr. G. Sage, a pioneer on the river.