Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/188

146 suitable for domestic purposes, whilst still other seams now untouched are generally high in quality, and suitable for gas as well as steam and domestic consumption.

A seam of splendid coal exists near the Ngakawau, and will be available for a great export trade as soon as the facilities for getting sufficiently large steamers away from the port are provided. A small export trade to Melbourne is carried on for gas purposes, but this has necessarily been restricted in consequence of an unfavourable condition of the harbour. The following detail of the chemical analysis of the coal now being worked will show conclusively the really superior quality of the coal:—

Of the whole of the surveyed area of 86,000 acres, only a small portion has been taken up, and this is now held by two proprietaries, the Westport Coal Company, Limited, with a capital of £400,000, and the other, the enterprising steamship proprietor, Captain W. R. Williams, Wellington. The former company has spent about £120,000 in works on the coalfield to bring the coal to the port of shipment, and the works of the latter, constructed by the Koranui Coal Mining Company, have cost between £40,000 and £50,000, so that it will be observed that large expenditure has been made, and great enterprise shown in developing a very small portion of this magnificent coalfield.

In addition to the large expenditure in the construction of works on the coalfield itself, the Westport Coal Company and Captain Williams have each provided a fleet of steamers to take coal away from this port—the former at a cost of about £40,000, and the latter at a cost of about a similar amount. The Westport Company’s steamers, the “Kawatiri,” “Wareatea,” and “Orawiti,” are essentially colliers; whilst Captain Williams’s steamers, the “Koranui,” “Mawhera,” "Manawatu,” and “Grafton,” combine cargo and passenger accommodation. The Union Steamship Company and other shipowners have also provided steam colliers for the trade, and some six or seven new vessels are now on the stocks, or on the way to the Colony for the trade. These steamers have all been provided during the last two years, and it may be said that the development of the coal industry of Westport commenced two years ago, although operations have been going on for some time back. The output is now at the rate of 90,000 to 100,000 tons per annum, but it is expected next year to reach not less than 150,000 tons. The great drawback, however, to the rapid development of a large industry, lies in the unfavourable condition obtaining up to the present in the river entrance. Hitherto vessels drawing more than 12 ft. have been unable to trade regularly to this port, and during the last twelve months, in consequence of a continuation of untoward circumstances, the bar silted up to such a degree that vessels could not leave drawing an average more than 9½ ft. loaded. As a result the industry has been retarded