The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1868.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 316, 5 August 1868, Page 2

The Westport Times AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1868.

Now that the railway scheme has practically exploded, thanks to the good sense of the Nelson Provincial Council, the question comes, what will be done with our coalfields. The Brunner coal mine is to be leased, and an influential company is about to utilise it, so that at least is being turned to good account. But within a few miles of our own doors, within some ten miles of Westport, a coalfield, whose extent caa hardly be measured, lies, and yet there is no apparent intention of exploring its treasures, or of bringing them to any particular account. Only recently Mr Wrigg and other authorities went up to the Mount, searched closely into the mineral wealth contained, and came back convinced that Mount Boehfort, as had been previously stated; was a great "lump of coal." The mineral has been tried in every way that it is possible. It has been subjected to the furnaces of tho steamers, it has been burnt on private hearths, it has been polished into pillars, and has been gazed at by thousands of visitors to the Duncdiu Exhibition. Whether in a utilitarian or ornamental light it has been severely tested, and in all it has come out with flying colors. As a steam coal it has no superior, as a household coal it burns brightly and without sulphur or other unpleasantness, it is hard iu texture, admirably adapted for transhipment, does not crumble or crush, and iu fact is par excellence the best coal in New Zealand or Australia. .It is true that in some respects the (Trey coal is superior, but is very few and any superiority is infinitely overbalanced by finer texture and greater adaptability for carriage. Some time ago we published the results of a series ox trials made at the Woolwich dockyard on coal sent from the West Coast, and the whole experiments showed that the coal was superior to the best British. Yet, with such a vast fund of wealth waiting enterprise, we find that nothing is done. Mr Wrigg and party went up recently, Mr Burnett and and party prospected formerly, Dr Hector intervened and pronounced most favorably, millions of tons are waiting transport and excavation, and still nothing has been arrived at. Dr Hector told us that an enormous coal bed of some sixteen miles in length extended northwards, with a break or a " fault" as it is techuically termed, occurring at intervals. We have this treasure at our doors, and we have at the same time numbers of vessels going away from here in ballast, tuat ballast, sand. Why in the name of all that is reasonable can we not ballast these vessels with coal, why indeed can we not load them with that mineral, and let them fetch and take away full cargoes either way. We are told that the coal is not accessible, that the expeuses attached to opening up the mine are so enormous that private enterprise cannot face them, and the consequence is, that soee of the best coal in the known world lies useless and untouched. Now with reference to this great difficulty in transit, the bark is far,worse than the bite, for there really is little i or no trouble in the matter, and the outlay of a -comparative trifle would procure all that is necesssary in thia respect. The mine has already, thanks to th@ somewhat lavish expenditure of the Nelson Government years ago, been opened and the bust scams have

been laid bare. All that is needed is the usual work in all coal mines, to procure the mineral, and then some means of carriage. Of course it would be ridiculous to think of carting coal with any hope of profit, but it could very easily be conveyed by tramway and that mode of conveyance would not be by any means difficult to provide. Prom West- , port to the foot of Mount Kochfort is almost a dead level, and where the , incline would commeuce there is an ( abundance of timber, and all other ma- , terials needed in the construction of a I line. When Mr Burnett some years ago gave an opinion as to the cost of working, his estimate was excessive, , and it was based on the presumption , that the coal development was to be carried on as at the iirst mines in England. Not only was the coal to be got, but the appliances were to bo of the most costly description, and the modest little sum of £1,00,000 altogether was set down, as needed Now it is quite possible that something might be done with profit to the investors at somewhere about live per cent on that estimate. It is true tLiat an expensive tramway or railway could not be built with it, but a plain substantial work, fitted to carry down the coal obtained could be constructed on even such limited means. If we cannot walk we must creep, aud by initiating small beginnings, we may arrive eventually at grand consummations. As to getting up a really influential company with large capital at command, we have no hope, but as to getting together enough money to work the liochibr} coal even partially, surely there cannot any difficulty. Shareholders in such a speculation are simply giving a shiiliug for a future half crown, and the demand is sufficiently large to put a fortune at the disposal of the pioneers of the enterprise. That some day the coal will be the means of benefitting Westport there can be no doubt, but surely just now, of all other times, is the fittiug one to develope any or all industries that are fraught with so much advantage to all concerned, whether those engaged, or the public. As to waiting for red tape, waiting for companies to come from a distance it is all nonsense. Let us be self dependent as far as possible. Nature has done her part, and has bountifully bestowed her riches upon us, we only need attach them. If a good coal mine is opened the future of Westport will brighten considerably, and all that is requisite to do it is a very small amount of capitai and some spirit and pluck. Let us hope that the everlasting prating about our coal resources may resuit in some practical proof of their value. Everything is in our favor; we have in the iirst piace an almost uuexhaustible suppV of the material, we have an unlimited market, the Panama Company aione being able to consume infinitely more than we can get out, the route over which a tramway would pass is level and inexpensive, and altogether a fortune of no mean kind -waits the first enterprising people who attack the " great lump ot coat'" contained in Mount lioehibrt. Surely such men can be found in New Zealand, and the sooner they come forward the better, both for themselves and the Westport public.