Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/206

162 and M‘Carthy, on the usual conditions of rent and royalty, and a yearly output, commencing at 12,000 tons, and increasing 3000 tons every year, until a maximum of 30,000 tons would be reached. The new lessees were very loud in their professions of the hundreds of thousands of pounds they were to embark in the development of the mine and in providing steam colliers, but it soon became apparent that they only embarked in the venture as a speculation. Not answering their anticipations, they quarrelled amongst themselves, and after a lapse of six months, in July 1874, they sold out all their interest in the lease of 1280 acres to the present owners, Messrs Kennedy Brothers of Greymouth. This enterprising firm have, since that time to the present date, worked the mine most successfully.

Up to July 1874, the output of coal from the mine for the preceding twelve months was about 10,000 tons, and the area worked was about 15 acres. The seam, although brittle, was regarded as the best in the Australian Colonies, being 16 ft. thick, clean and free from bands, and was pronounced an excellent gas, smithy, and steam coal. There was, however, one drawback. A large fault was met while the mine was being worked by the Provincial Government. It had been examined and was reported upon by Dr Hector and other authorities in coal mining, and geologists, who concluded that it was a downthrow of at least 100 ft. The manager, Mr Dent, was authorised to prove this fault, and for that purpose put down a winze, but after sinking some 60 ft., abandoned the project, not being satisfied with appearances. But when the new proprietors got hold of the property, coal mining was commenced on proper principles, and the work was carried on in real earnest. Like all new industries, coal mining had then, and I suppose still has, its difficulties. More especially were these visible in the early days of Messrs Kennedy Brothers’ occupancy of the mine, when ships had to be employed to take the coal to markets of consumption which were already occupied by the trade, who held large bottoms of 1000 tons and upwards, which were regularly engaged between Newcastle and New Zealand ports, whereas only vessels of about 100 tons could be employed at Greymouth, owing to the shallowness of the bar in those days. The firm in this way had a handicap of 10s. per ton, the freights being 15s. per ton from Newcastle, as against 25s. per ton from Greymouth. To overcome this difficulty Messrs Kennedy were compelled to purchase sailing vessels, coal hulks, and steamships. Subsequently they established branches at the principal ports in the Colony, with the object of pushing the sale of their coal. In 1875 the General Government, in order to facilitate the progress of this industry, constructed a line of railway from Greymouth to Brunnerton. Sir John Coode proposed plans for the improvement of the harbour, and after a considerable expenditure annually by the Government, the depth of water on the bar at high tide is now seldom less than 14 ft., and often 16 to 18 ft.

Messrs Kennedy Brothers have now, of their own fleet, five sailing vessels, barques, and schooners, and two steamers, the “St Kilda” and the “Maori.” They also are constantly freighting innumerable steamers and ships throughout the Colony and Victoria, which they load up with the produce of this mine. In addition to coal-mining,