THE DEVELOPMENT OF MINING IN AUSTRALASIA. 227 



In the Queensland collieries there has not been the same pitch 

 of perfection reached as yet, since the coal traffic is somewhat 

 liampered by government railway freight, the principal mines 

 being situated at Ipswich. 



In New Zealand the most important mines are those of 

 Greymouth and Westport, and at the first of tliese a railway has 

 been constructed from the port to the mines, and in one case, 

 right to the outcrop of the coal. The bar-harbour here is the 

 greatest drawback to the success of the district, but even this has 

 been greatly improved by the construction of a breakwater which 

 has served to confine the waters of the Grey River and deepen 

 the channel. At Westport some very heavy expenses have been 

 incurred in the construction of a self-acting tram to a height of 

 about 1,800 feet on which the railway trucks ascend and descend, 

 and a system of endless chain haulage has been introduced 

 throughout the mine. The harbour here has also been a serious 

 difficulty, but has been materially improved lately hy harbour 

 works which have been undertaken. 



From a productive point of view the collieries are no doubt 

 steadier paying mines than any of the metalliferous ones, but no 

 sensational returns are obtained from them as in the case of many 

 gold, tin, copper, and silver mines ; nor is the value of the coal 

 raised so high as would be anticipated from the stress which is 

 frequently laid upon the value of the coal mining industry. 



I should not omit to mention, in this connection, the deposits 

 of kerosene shale which are being worked in New South Wales, 

 both in the Blue Mountains, and also at Mittagong. Near the 

 latter place, most extensive works have been erected at Joadja 

 Creek for the manufacture of kerosene, and the various bye- 

 products which are obtained, and these operations are also carried 

 on upon a smaller scale at Hartley Vale. The best shale is 

 always sold for gas making purposes, a large quantity being 

 annually exported, while the second qualities, which have also to 

 be taken out, are treated at the works. 



Tin mining deserves our next attention, on account of the value 

 of the mineral raised, and by far the greatest quantity -has been 

 obtained from alluvial deposits. Reefs have, however, received 

 some attention, being worked at Mount Bischoff in Tasmania, 

 and in a few places in New South Wales and Queensland. There 

 has not, however, been much enthusiasm in working these deposits 

 hitherto, and there is a great futvu'e in store for these more 

 pei-manent deposits when capital is directed to their working. The 

 conditions under which tin lodes occur in Australia are precisely 

 similar to tliose which prevail in the older and better known tin- 

 fields of the world, and so do not demand any special description. 



Silver mining has attained an importance in the colonies during 

 the past few years, wliich could hardly have been anticipated 

 from the previous yields. Silver discoveries have been made 



