Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/203

Rh Lake a party of enterprising prospectors have expended a few hundred pounds on a seam about the same thickness, but the reports of experts have not been of a sufficiently encouraging nature to warrant large expenditure.

The marble quarries at Caswell Sound have been reported upon most favourably as being of great extent, and the quality of the stone is said to be equal to any in the world, not excepting Carrara marble, as was proved by the fact that the Caswell marble, competing against Italy and other marble producing countries, took first prize at the Sydney and Christchurch Exhibitions. Judges say it is a first class, almost pure sychrine marble, easily and freely worked, and susceptible of a very high polish. The advantages and facilities for working these marbles are such as are possessed by no other marble quarries in the world. Caswell Sound is a commodious, thoroughly safe and land-locked harbour, with great depth of water throughout, and the largest ocean vessels can ride with perfect safety in all weathers, taking in cargo close up to the quarries, the marble cliff outcrop being about 600 ft. perpendicular, with 30 fathoms of water immediately alongside. A company was formed some years ago for the purpose of working these marble quarries, and they have already shipped a considerable quantity of stone, which found ready market at a high price.

Reference has already been made in another chapter to the lithographic stone at Abbey Rocks. About £4000 has been spent in ascertaining the value and extent of the stone at the quarries.

The manufacture of leather, beer, coffee, and furniture have each been successfully carried on, but in the absence of railway communication, insuperable obstacles to the establishment of industries of any kind constantly present themselves. Indeed many of the natural resources of Westland may be said to be lying dormant simply from the want of ready communication with a market. Facility of intercourse is the chief requirement, not only of Westland but of the whole coast, to ensure the development of its resources, to enhance the colonial revenue, and to largely increase the population.

There are nine saw-mills in the county of Westland, two of which are exporting mills, the others supply local demands only. The two principal mills are the Three-Mile Mill and the Maori Mill, each of which can supply 35,000 superficial ft. per week. Good bush may be said to average 32,000 ft. per acre, which, at the shipping price of 50s. per 1000, would make the value per acre, for timber only, £80. This, I am given to understand, is the average yield of timber cut by Messrs Malfroy, Brothers, & Co., the owners of the Three-Mile Creek Mill, for the past nine years. Some years ago there was exported by the proprietors of the Three-Mile Creek Mill, as much as 2,000,000 ft. in one year, but the export from both mills now does not exceed 1,000,000 ft. per annum. The price of timber is cheaper on the coast than anywhere in the Colony, but the high rate of freight ruling, as compared with freights and railway carriage elsewhere, has prevented an extension of this line of business. The exports consist principally of red and white pine, and totara. The Three-Mile Creek Mill is worked by a 45 h.-p. engine; the Maori Mill, the property of Messrs James Craig & Co., by a 40 h.-p. engine. The