a—B

12

down above the school to take the coal out; and the other way, going towards the south, you would be getting out of the water all the time, as the coal would be rising as you went south, When you got high enough you could put in a drainage-tunnel to drain the field. The country east of Coal Creek, or, I should say, south-east from Hut Seam to where the Coal Creek takes to the bottom of the main range, is all good country, unbroken right to Hut Tunnel. The only trouble you will have is just where we left off last, and even that will not be much. You will have about 2 chains stone-drift to drive to catch the coal on the rise to southwest, a matter of £30. The country going south towards the Ngakawau Eiver is all good country; over a mile beyond your back-boundary place where I found outcrop in Coal Creek is about 40 chains from No. 4 borehole, in towards the main range, right east. But you will see on plan where I got another outcrop, about 10 chains below the No. 4 borehole. This was top coal, the same as the Knights were working, but the same sandstone was below this coal as was in No. 4 bore. About 8 ft. under this was the coal. I went down into it 4 ft. It was good hard coal—same class as Hut Seam. It was right in the bed of Coal Creek, and I expected I would catch the full body of coal about 1-J chains above the creek. This was not long before we stopped, while that was the reason why I marked that tram-road on plan. If you had the engine-power—that is, where you could get in to the coal with very little trouble—by putting down the endless haulage, it would be level road from the top of the Knights' first tunnel. Country west of Straw's Heading. —l think nothing of about 10 chains to the west of heading. There is the Granite Belt, off which coal is cut. The coal is traced close on two miles south-west into the Ngakawau Eiver, and it crosses Chasm Creek where Cooper's Track crosses the creek, and it must go through the Native reserve about the Hut Seam boundary. I only found this out just before we stopped, and I did not think my advice was wanted by the short notice I got. There was pretty fair coal in Straw's Heading when I knocked off, but very stony. I got half a chain of good clean coal—there was a band of stone coming into it. These drives going to the west of Straw's must have been close to the Granite Belt. There is very little coal to the "westward of this heading; it goes into the Cardiff lease when it crosses Chasm Creek. There is no borehole about Straw's Heading that I know of with 12 ft. of coal. Straw Ido not|think*ever bored; he sunk a shaft about his heading and got 12ft. of coal, I believe. That borehole at figure 7is not right. I put down that bore. I went down through the top coal and got into sandstone, but they broke the bit in the hole. It was the last bore I put down, as I could get no boringbits to work with. Straw was about the most useless man I have ever come in contact with. I thought it a shame to take back the things to Mr. Broom. All flat country extreme south and a mile further south, then your lease goes right on to Ngakawau Eiver; you can see the outcrops in bank of the river. You ask my opinion on Hut Seam. I cannot but give you a good one, as lam sure thejcoal is there. You will have to drive a stone drift for 1£ chains; you will catch coal on the rise ; the heading is now into that fault that shows in the creek above Hut Tunnel, and it is a downthrow. Furthermore, I have no hesitation in saying that the Mokihinui Company has one of the best leases on the West Coast. lam not afraid to stand before any of our Government experts, and I am of opinion that with about £3,000 Mokihinui could raise the cheapest coal on the Coast, as wear-and-tear will be very small. Yours, &c, Mr. C. D. Morpeth. Thos. Alexander.

Inventory of Plant in and about Mokihinui Coal-mine. 43 281b. rails, 18ft. long (in stock). 24 chains tramway, of 28 lb. rails (Hut Seam). 29 chains tramway, of 28 lb. rails (Top Mine). 24 chains tramway, of 401b. rails (Top Mine). 40 141b. rails, 12 ft. to 15 ft. lengths (in stock). 10 chains rails, 12 ft. to 15 ft. lengths (bord-lines, Hut Seam). 15 chains rails, 12 ft. to 15ft. lengths (bord-lines, Top Mine). 5 chains rails, 12ft. to 15 ft. lengths (bord-lines, Bell's Heading). 20 chains rails, 12 ft. to 15 ft. lengths (tramway, Top Mine). 1 coil of f steel wire-rope, about 40 chains (new). 3 coils of old wire-rope, about 20, 4, and 4| chains long respectively. 20 chains f steel wire-rope on drum steam-winch. 2 pair wagon-wheels, diameter 2 ft., on 2f axles, 3 ft. 6 in. gauge. 12 cast-iron wheels, 14 in., 18 in., 20 in., 24 in., and 4 ft. diameter. 1 20 cwt. weighing-machine. 1 horizontal double-action pump, BJin. cylinder, driven by endless rope. 1 horizontal double-action pump, 7f in. cylinder, driven by endless rope (in stock). 1 vertical pump, driven either by hand or rope (in stock). 1 hand force-pump, 3£ cylinder (in stock). 50 2in. pipes, 10ft. to 15 ft. lengths (in stock). 10 l£in. pipes, 10ft. to 15ft. lengths (in stock). 52 cast-iron pipes, 4in. diameter, 9ft. long, socket-joints (in use). 6 cast-iron pipes, 4 in. diameter, 8 ft. long, flange-joints (in use). 9 cast-iron pipes, 4 in. diameter, 9 ft. long, socket-joints (in stock). 3 cast-iron pipes, 4 in. diameter, 8 ft. long, flange-joints (in stock). 12 cast-iron pipes, 4 in. diameter, elbow and short joints (in stock). 1 water-wheel, 12 ft. diameter, 2 ft, breast on 3 in. shafting 10 ft. long.