LOOKING FOR MORE COAL MINES TO BUY

Chronicle (Levin), 20 September 1946, Page 7

LOOKING FOR MORE COAL MINES TO BUY

WELLINGTON, Ki-pt, 17. In u grailual process toward. the goal of tko ultimuto nationalisation oi' all coal mines, the Governmeut is investigaling Ihe purehase oi' a number oi mines throughout New Zeaiand. Four mines where it i.s known tliat tlie Government is making invesligations i'or possible purehase are Ihe Lincoln, >Star, Black Diamond and Birchwood, aJI situuU'd in ihe Ohai ureu in Wouthland. Tlio report thsxt ihe Ktate was eonsidering ihe purehase of these four mines was referred tonight to Ihe Minister of Mines, .\1 r. O'Brien, who said that whatever mines eould be purchased at an eeonomic priee would be takou over. "The i'o..r mines nientioued are only a number of lho.se }>ei 11^4 eonsidered i'or purehase," added ihe Minister. "Wo are uot e.ommitted to buy any of them, l>ut the purehase of any mine now privateJy owned at a reasonalile priee is ]>art and ]>aretd of llu* ultimate nationalisation of :ii! our mines. We are alu'ays investigaliug e.ertain mines witli a view to buying thein. ' ' Aeiually there is not a plan in pros-pet-t for the immediale uholesale acquisition oi' the four mines. They are being eonsidered nn their relutive nierits. Bv the pureliase of whatever mines are availalde at a priee eeonomieal to the State. tiie uetual proeess of nationalisation is naturallv proeeedi ag." '