NEW ZEALAND IRON

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 295, 25 September 1873, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND IRON

(Prom ihe "Melbourne Herald." The steamship Alharnbra, on her last trip from New Zealand, brought up from Nelson a small shipment which may possibly have the effect of creating a new industry here, and at the same time of making the whole of the Australian group independent of the mother country in an important staple commodity — we allude to iron ore. A parcel of about six tons of this ore arI rived last week by the above steamer, | which was at once handed over to Messrs Drysdale and Fraser, King street for the purpose of smelting. The owner of the mine, being anxious that the ore should be thoroughly tested, engaged the services of Mr Patterson, assayer of the Bank of New. ' Zealand, and the work was carried out by the above firm under the inspection of the latter gentleman, the result being in the highest degree satisfactory. By the return of the Alhambra, which left for Nevr Zealand on Saturday, several " pigs "of iron, were dispatched, and their arrival inNelsonwill doubtless convince the sceptical of this pretty but not a very go a-head province. The ore was brought from a place called Collingwood, which hitherto has only been known as a good.bearing reef country. Collingwood, is about thirty miles from the town of Nelson, on the road to the West Coast diggings. To Messrs Anderson and Borthwick (both Melbourne men) belong the credit of having discovered the ore and these gentlemen state that the mine can be worked at a. comparatively trifling cost. To use their own expression, " There are two huge mountains of the ore, ready to hand on the surface, and only waiting to be smelted." The prospectors have leased about two square miles of ground from the Crown, the whole of which, according to their account' is incredibly rich in minerals, and the lease includes the property lately known as the Collingwood coal mine, which has, we are given to understand, been profitably worked. Besides the iron and coal, any quantity of limestone is obtainable, stertite or French chalk also abounds, and plumbago may be had for the picking up. That such a marvellously rich field, lying as it does almost on the back doors of the Nelson people, has hitherto [ received no attention, naturally excites wonder in'the minds of us Victorians, but to any one who knows the apathy of the Nelsonians, the wonder will be but short-lived. Messrs Anderson and Borthwick, finding that it would be a matter of impossibility for any private firm to effectually work a mine of such magnitude, have determined to form a company. It is, we understand, their | intention to endeavour to launch the 'affair into the colonies, failing which I the aid of English capitalists will be invoked. To those interested in the iron trade, we shall be happy to show a sample of the smelted iron, which has been sent to us.