GREATER OUTPUT FROM MINES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 21 September 1938, Page 7

GREATER OUTPUT FROM MINES

PROGRESS IN INDUSTRY SURVEY BY MINISTER A survey of the achievements of the Mines Department in the last three years was given in a statement issued yesterday by the Minister for Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb. Mr Webb claimed that there had been marked expansion in all departments of mining, and that the conditions of employment of miners had been substantially improved. The first aim of the. Government, said Mr Webb, was to see a healthy expansion in both gold mining and coal mining. While the output, of gold had not increased to the extent that was hoped, mainly because of the delay in completion of certain large dredges in the South Island, the production of gold last year was the best for 18 years. The coal output in 1937 was 162.000 tons greater than for 1935. The Government undertook to give assistance to private companies developing gold-bearing areas on the West Coast, and to this end had arranged at a cost of £200,000 for electric power to be taken over the Southern Alps for use by mining and other industrial undertakings. „ "I set out in 1935 with the ambition to bring our Mining Act and Coal Mining. Act to the forefront of the world's legislation without, however, unduly harassing the industry," said Mr Webb. "To achieve my object I sought the help and co-operation of both the mine owners and the mine workers. As a result of that co-opera-tion I feel it can genuinely be claimed that my objective has been reached. Several amendments to both the Coal Mines Act, 1925, and the Mining Act, 1926, were passed by Parliament, and the opposition displayed to the amendments was almost infinitesimal. I wish to record my great appreciation of thp assistance which I received from all sections of those engaged in the industries." „ : * ■ ■ ' \

Through the encouragement given to the West Coast bituminous mines, said Mr Webb, the output, which had been seriously curtailed for many years, had been increased by 220,000 tons, or 30 per cent., in two years. To examine the possibilities of increased us2 of New Zealand coals, a thorough scheme of geological surveys had, been undertaken, with a comprehensive laboratory analysis of the coals under examination. A complete investigation would take some years yet.

"A guestion that has given me the freatest concern for many years has een the unnecessary wastage of coal, particularly as a result of bad mining

methods and the dumping of slack, said the Minister. "In the Waikato district especially the destruction ot slack coal had reached grave proportions, the amount of coal wasted each year being almost identical with the total amount of coal imported into New Zealand. With the helpful collaboration of the mining companies the Government has been able to devise and operate a system under which this wastage of 100,000 tons per annum is being entirely eliminated." Mr Webb concluded by saying that the object of the Government to make th social conditions of the miners of New Zealand happier had been largely successful, and that the lot of the 12,000 men engaged in the industry had been made more fruitful, and free from want.