STONE SUPPLY

Taranaki Daily News, 9 December 1921, Page 8

STONE SUPPLY

THE POUAKI RANGES. A MATTER OF FINANCE. The question of exploiting the Pouaki ranges for z stone supply was discussed by the Taranaki Chamber of Commerce at Wednesday’s meeting, and the utilisation of prison labor for this work was also touched on, as it is now generally

understood that the Prisons Department is considering the closing of the New Plymouth gaol on account of the fact that the metal pit at the present site is exhausted.

A letter was received from Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., enclosing reports received through the Minister of Public Works giving the opinion of the resident engineer (Mr. T. M. Ball) on the Pouaki source. In the course of his letter Mr. Smith •wrote: — <r You will no doubt find the estimates interesting, but some of the statements can be challenged. It appears to me that so far we have, obtained. some useful data for future use.” The engineer’s report stated: ‘‘The stone is of good quality, and is found in the form of boulders in the Kiri and other streams rising in the Pouaki range. I followed the Kiri stream from Carrington Road up towards 'the ’-ange, and find that no solid face of stone is to be found until the creek gorges, about three-quarters of a mile inside the Mount Egmont National Park, and at an e l evation of about 2406 feet above sea level. ESTIMATES TOTAL £llO,OOO. “The estimated quantity of boulders-in the creek bed is about 500 cubic yards per chain, and it would be a very expensive matter getting them put on account. of the grade of the creek, which is about 350 feet per mile. I had not sufficient time to examine the rock -face carefully, but on the whole it is not so favorably situated as Mount Egmont quarry, as it is in a confined gorge where the disposal of stripping would be heavy. To get access to this quarry a railway about 13 miles long would be required, and the ruling grade would be at least 1 in 25. The cost of this railway would be £95,000, and the quarry plant and buildings would bring it up to £lllO,OOO. A very large output would be required to meet this capital expenditure. “Taking 45,000 cubic yards per annum as a basis, this cost per cubic yard delivered at New Plymouth is as follows.’ Interest and depreciation 3s 9d. quarrying and crushing 6s, stripping 2s, railage to New Plymouth 2s, total 13s 9d per yard. The climate at this quarry would not be much improvement on Mt. Egmont; in fact, the proposition is about the same, except that Mt. Egmont is nipre central and a large proportion of the work is already carried out. “The Te Wera proposal was an immense advantage over the, Pouaki ranges owing to the low capital expenditure, and the very favorably situated quarry with easy facilities for working, also from the fact that there is an immediate demand for a moderate output. The best market for the broken metal is in the Whangamomona, Hawera and Paten counties, and ultimately, when the railway is completed, the Ohura county.” The Minister’s letter stated 'further that Mr. Murray had also reported agreeing with the resident engineer that the Egmont schefne was better, and the Te Wera. scheme much better than the suggested Pouaki scheme. PRISON LABOR. When the correspondence was read the chairman (Mr. T. C. List) said he could not favour asking the Government at present to undertake such a big expenditure as was involved in connection with opening up the quarries If there was any possibility, however, of shifting the gaol to the Pouaki district meantime, and getting on with the preliminary work of opening the quarries, leaving the question of railway communication over for the- .present, the department could again be approached, but they must acknowledge the financial difficulties were great at the present moment. The stone, it was understood, was of a much better nature than that obtainable from the Mount Kg-motft or Te Wera quarries. The engineer's report, however, was fairly condemnatory of the Pouaki as a source for stone. In connection with the shifting of the gaol, Mr. E. P. Webster asked if the chamber had considered whether the prison labor might not be used on the harbor works.

The chairman said the department s reply in regard to the Pouaki matter had just been received that day, and it was now open for the council to ascertain whether the prison labor could bo utilised in any other manner. It was stated that the gaol would probably be closed within n year. Mr. G. Fraser believed it was a doubtful advantage to the town to retain the gaol “seeing that local juries so rarely brought in convictions." Mr. Webster considered that the chamber should do what was possible to retain the gaol, and to secure the employment of the z prison labor on die harbor works. - Mr. C, 11. Burgess said he did not think it was feasible to employ prisoners on the harbor works. He was of opinion that prison labor should not be allowed to come into competition with ordinary labor, and that the Gover*«- | ment should find tree planting or j other occupations for prisoners. He ‘thought there would be . opposition to the suggestion, and he believed rightly *°Mr, P, E. Stainton said the idea was that the Government should be. asked to start the .Motiiroa-l.lpnnake railway from the New Plymouth side, pointingout that the line would be of advantage in working the Pouaki quarry. The chairman replied that there would still be a fair amount of special railway to construct —at least four r miles.’and through difficult country. The suggestipn regarding the employment of prison labor was referred to the council, as was al?q the matter pf further inquiry concerning Pouaki stope resources.