THE KAKAHU COAL MINES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1417, 12 November 1885, Page 2

THE KAKAHU COAL MINES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l most apologise for troubling you with another letter, but as I wiih to write upon a subject you take great interest in I venture to trust you will give insertion to these few remarks. I Bhould like to know why the Kakahu Coal Company is so quiet. I have mnny letters in tbo papers about the coal mine, but to my mind there has been only one good letter about it—signed by " Limestone." There was one man, I bear, who offered his services and knowledga for L6a week. Now, that man, I presume, would ruin a Company, Then there was another man by the name of Butler who wanted to put his nos« in. Now that man never worked in the face of a coal pit in his life. He bad better mind his farming: at the Point. Now, Mr J Editor, I think it my turn to have a say. I was the first to make a move in the matter. I went to Mr Barker, and very plainly told him what to do, but it leems to me that there are too many cooks, who will aaoil the broth. There wag a meetisg in Temuka some time ago, and there were four practical men present who all held different view?. One was for boring, one for sinking, one for driving in the bilU, and one snid that if they found coal 300 ft down they could not, work it for watei. Now, Mr Editor, I want to know if there was a practical man there at all ? What we want is the mineral resources of. the country opened uu, and, Mr Editor, I believe if the Geraldine boys had had their hands in til" Kakahu Coal Mine the seams of coal would have bepn found before now. I will give you my views on the coal mine. First I would drive into the hills about a chain to test the depth of the lignite, then I would put tho rods down, and I believe at 300 ft coal will be found. The farmers of this country have ploughed and gown and reaped, and where are thoy to-day ? Why, 19 out of 20 are fit to go through the mill ! {a Geraidine there is a new industry—the chaese factory. Now, Mr Editor, I am not a prophet, nor the son of one, but I predict that the cheese factory in Geraidine will before apvpu years' tim<> be turned into an " Old Men's Hnrop," or something else. The future, then, of the farmer is dark and gloomy ; but if this seam of coal is found, things will turn. There are 70 men in Geraidine. but there is only perraaaent work for 10 men. What are tbe other 60 going to do ? Why, do as they can ! If something is not done soon, Geraidine will be like a gold-deserted city—full of empty houses, full of poverty, full of poor men in storekeepers' books and unable to get out.—l am, etc., Ge >rge Stoks*. Geraidine, Nov. 11th. [Mr Stokes is quite wrong a« regards Mr Butler, that gentleman went twice to Kakahu, and attended two meetings, and all he got for it war a

vote of thanks. Mr Bntler attended the meetings to girn his opinion by special request. 'J'he reason the matter is not being pushed forward is that no satisfactory answer can be got from the Hon. Mr Wigley, on whose land the Ivst of the coal is to be found. If Mr Stokes and his Geraldine " boys " like to try their ban 1 in Kakahu we believe no one will hinderthem.—Thk Editor.]