THE NGAKAWHAU COALMINE.

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1071, 13 May 1873, Page 2

THE NGAKAWHAU COALMINE.

[southern ch6ss, APIIIL 28.] The results of the 'recent coal explorations carried on under 'the'orders of the General Government Geologist are of sufficient importance to justify us in asking the country 'to 'conduct the coal enquiry with a view, to the national greatness of New 'Zealand apart from iocal prejudices or Pro. vincial jealousies. We have i'n'c'iden"tally once more averted to this subject from the necessity of pressing on with prompt energy the working ,of ths coalfields with 1 which New Zealand abounds. Every one knows ho\v scarce and dear—in fact hardly purchasable at any price—coal has, been and. is now iri Auckland:. From Napier comes telegraphic intelligence that the supply of coal there has entirely run out. Steamers are detained for lack of fuel, and yet the Colony possessesdeposits which.regarding extent aud richness, 'are not excelled by any known country. Victoria Has been making exploration's for coal by Government instructions; and as yet the explorers have failed to find any of the now really precious mineral. Here with abundance at'our doors, we are suffering a coal famine. Any efforts to provide a full ;and ample supply for our own consumption and, if possible, for exportation, must be hailed with satisfaction. The demand is so large that all that can be produced must rapidly find a market. For some years past the north-west portion Of the Middle Island has been pointed to as the locality likely to develop the largest coal supply in New Zealand, and as long ago as 1867 the late Mr James Burnett reported to the Government of the Nelson Province on the existence of a coalfield of practically unlimited extent and of valuable quality, extending from the Buller river from twenty-five miles northwards. In the early part of last year Dr Hector proceeded to the prosecution of his coal researches in that neighborhood, and, after many months of untiring exploration, a report was published throwing a flood of light ori this most interesting subject in a comprehensible and readable form; No point of interest was left unvisited; and in places where the densetiess of the bush obstructed progress, and where, consequently, uncertainty of the formation existed, lines ere ordered to be cut and drives put in. Within the last fortnight Dr Hector has returned from' ah inspection of these prospecting works, after having revisited the prominent outcrops of coal in the neighborhood, and the portions of the seams exposed bj private workings, the result being thai his preconceived opinions of last yeai have been fully confirmed. He is satisfied of the existence of a coalfield of practically unlimited extent oj a quality superior to that of any coal hitherto in use in New Zealand, and to be got at without any engineering difficulty or profuse outlay of monev. A prospectus of a company in ' course of formation for the working of this coal, now lying before, omits we notice, a point of vast importance to the people of this Province, n3melj the price at which it can be supplied. The projector of the Albion Company is probably not in a position to lay ; down any definite prices at which this coal will be supplied, as that musf _ depend on various outside contingencies ; but ho has produced data on whic he has grounded an opinion that it can be discharged at O'nehunga a< prices from 23s to 25"s per ton, with a very fair balance of profit to the shareholders. If this price should rule, a great advantage to the country at large would result, for if such a rate would pay at Auckland; so will it in other' Provinces where dearth of coal is now severely experienced. It will bo remembered that the value of a coal depends upon its evaporating power more than any other quality, . and a coal that will produce one-third more steam for a certain amodnt of coal is precisely one-third more value, or ought to be. By Dr. Hector's published tables showing the evaporative power of New Zealand coal, it appears that the evaporating power of Bay of Island coals is placed to 6£lb, Whangarei coal at nearly 51b, Waikato coal at 61b, Brunner (Grey river) at nearly 7-1 lb, Mount Eochfort coal at 81b, and the Ngakawhau co'al at 0-Jib; which has since been increased to lOilb by more recent experiments made from coal out of the sarric seam but 150 ft into the hill. With one unimportant exception which, oa account of its limited quantity and inaccessible position, is unavailable for public purposes? and wtfich is classed as high as ll^lb —this has the greatest evaporating of any coal yet discovered in New Zealand. According to this the same weight of Ngakawhau coal ought to be worth dearly a third moro than tho Bay of Islands coal; and according to the engineer. of the steamer Wellington, 3 tons lasted as long under easy steam as 3£ tons of New South Wales coal; it ought to be worth one-seventh more than coal from Newcastle. Nov> this is of no' visionary importance, and must command as ready a market jfer it as in England is found for tile Welsh steam coal, whose by tho way is stated at nearly 2f lb, and North of England coal at Where space is required on board steamers,, every 100 tons that can be saved is of the utmost importance ; but if 600 tons of this coal will produce the same effect as 700 tons of New South Wales coal, of course it will command a relatively higher price, apart froirf

: Janjr national and patriotic considerations. Some years ago a report was obtained from "Woolwich Dockyard by the Nelson Government on jfctie relative value of English, Welsh, Grey river, and Bliller coals when the following remark 'was appended to the "statistics;.—" The mean result of 10' trials of North 'Country and the Banie of Welch coal shows that the New Zealand coal evaporates more water per lb "of coal than Welch or North of England coal, but does not evaporate 'it so rapidly; a larger fire-grate will consequently be required." These 'observations will perhaps be enough to satisfy the sceptical that within 300 miles of .the Manukau Heads we have art article at bur fingers' ends that can; ~and at once, if properly managed, drive "New South Wales out of the market, and retain in the country the 'enormous sums yearly sent away for coal. There ought to be no local jealousies in the matter of our coal workings. The supply, is abundant, extending all over New Zealand ; the demand both for home consumption and importation 'is large 'and increasing, and. it must increase as our manufacturing 'enterprises proceed. In fact coal is to a large extent the backbone of manufacturing ventures. "Wherever it is properly worked it is so much money 3aved to the country, so much capital profitably employed. The more companies that are started the better each will develop different districts, and when prudence is exercised there is no fear of any lack of a 'profitable market.