SECTION VIII page 174 - 225 [8 MB, PDF] - Christchurch City Libraries

Alexander ; lithographic stone from Pawareka ; specimens of iron and platinum ore
from Arahura ; cinnabu from the Taipo Valley ; and an immense variee of minerals
of various sorts collected by Xr- 6. J. Roberts, Mr. Charles E. Douglas, the
veteran pioneer prospector and esplorer of South Westland, and other mineralogists
and surveyors. All the way from Big Bay, in the extreme southern part of the wild
West Caast, came specimens, ranging from alluvial gold to asbestos. Westland's latent
wealth in the form of oil was represented by good samples of crude petroleum horn the
Kotnku Oil-springs, near Lake Bmer ; the samples were stated to contain about 50
per cent. of lubricating-oils. Mr. Taylor, of Cobden, exhibited in glass jars all the
extracts from this petroleum, in the form of benzine, kerosene, pardin, kc. ; these
products were of the highest commercial quality. Of Grey coal there was a good display,
comprising samples horn the Blackball Company, Brunner, Tyneside Company,
and also the State Colliery Department's mine, near Point Elizabeth. These coals
included some splendid specimens of steam and household fuel and some of the coalblocks
shown came from very remote places, where promising coal-seams crop up in
the midst of the forests. Besides the State coal shown there were samples of 6recla~
and oil-shale and cores from proqecthg-bores, The Greymouth and Point Elizabeth
Railway and C~al Company (Limited) made a good display of fireclay goods of all kinds.
The possible great future importance of Point Elizabeth, seven mi!es north of the
Grey River, as a naval cdi-station was brought under the notice of visitors by eshibits
of excellent anthmite coal from the grat seams near that locality, and by a
good relief map of the place, the work of Mr. E. J. Lord, engineer. Point Elizabeth
is a limestone promontory jutting out into the Tanman Sea ; from its extremity
e chain of rocks estellds seawards nearly two milea ; these rocks it is proposed to utilise
as portioll of one of the breakwater lines nece598ry to form the harbour. The State
coal-mine liiown as Point Elizabeth Colliery is within two des of the bay, and the
anthracite seams of the Papam Coal Colnpauy are in the vicinity. The Westland-
Grey coalfield, of which the Point is the western termiml, has a coal-bearing area of
a h ~ 40,0() t acres, and the coal in situ was recently estimated to exceed 151),000,000 tow.
The antbite coals found near the Point are practically smokeless, and therefore very
valuable for consumption in the ships of the Roe@ Nav. The advantages of Point
Elizabeth as a site for a coaling-station for ships of war have been placed before the
British dd~niralty by the Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, and it is possible that before long
this quiet corner of New Zealand may sudde* iind itself a spot of great inlportance.
Specimens of mineral waters from eighteen hot springs in various parts of Irestland
were shown.
The poarnamu or greenstone (nephrite), the West Coast's own MBT product,
and New Zealand's national jewel-stone, was represented not oulp by some large and
valuable blocks and boulders, we- about 2 tons in all, but also
Greenstone.
by specimens of greenstone dressed in the form of Maori-made chisels
and axes ; some of the best of these wen shown by Dr. E. Teichehnn, of Hokitilia,
and by Xr. A. Hadton, Ditor of the Colonial Jduseum. Some specimens of greensto~le
from Milford Sound, noted for its beautifully clear amber-like tu.9;wai or " teardrop-water
" stoue, were shown by &. P. Wilson, of Cobden. There was also a fine
display of beantiful European-mannfsctuted articles in greenstone sent by Messrs.
Littlejohn and Son, of Wellington. For centuries the punamu has been the most
highly prized article of wealth among the 36aoris; to obtain the precious greenstone
in the rough and in the form of the beautiful weapons and ear and neck
pendants they made long expeditions and waged fierce wars. The s-metrically
shaped and finely polished mere or p&u of this imperishable greenstone was a chiefs
weapon, and was handed down in a family or a tribe for generstions. There are several
Gds of greenstone, varying horn the rich gnen kahwangi and rau-haka found in the