COAL FOR 50 YEARS

Chronicle (Levin), 1 November 1947, Page 5

COAL FOR 50 YEARS

Press Associction)

Production Brop Discussed In House

(Per

WELLINGTON, O'ct. 31. When the mining Estimates wefe before the House of Representatives, Mr. T. L. MacdonaJd (Wailace) asked what steps the Minister proposed to take to increase coal production in view of the serions decline last year when industry and transport had been. affected and it had been necessary tonse dollar funds to import coal. What plans had the Mmister to make mining a more attractive occnpation for young men? Mr.. Macdonald also urged thar every encouragement shouid be given in the development of small mines which served a useful purpose in pro dueing coal for locai domestie cbnsnmp tion. Mr. McLagan, replying, said that foi the tirst nine montns of this year pro duction was up 8025 tons and in Bep tember was 2000 tons above the pro duction for deptember 1946. Mining as an occupa-tion was sufficiently attractive to tlie men in it provided they had a reasonably dry mine, good ventilation, fair wages and continuous employment. During the depression and against his advice, the companies had put men off work instead of shar ing Ihe work, as the miners were prepared to, even though it meant, perhaps only two days a week each. The result was that the displaeed men went to the cities and never returned Had they been kept on they would still have been in the industry and theii sons v : ' have followed them. It was ffifticu!. . -i adults to take up mining for t ! 1 : ■ . . ime and praetieally the oniy v, t ■» attract men was by providing hostel accommodation for single men and houses for married men. The miners needed no sympathy if their working conditions were good. Every thing- possible was being done to encourage working parties to operate small mines. Replying to an i'nterjeetion by Mr W. S. Goosman, the Minister said New Zealand needed 3,000,000 tons of coal yearly. Hon. C. F. Skinner (Buller)* said an alarming statement had been made on the coal resourees by a departm-ental offieer- — not mining — that there were only 16,000,000 tons of bituminous coal left in New Zealand. In his own distriet alone there was that quantity available in the existing workings. The Grev, Buller and Reefton area had 14,000,000 tons visible of bituminous coal. Many other seams wero being prospected and he vras sure there was enough to meet requirements for 50 to 60 years. ilr. C. M. Bowden (Karori) asked what the prospects were of turning the working loss on the State coal mines of nearly £250,000 last year, into a figure more favourable, perhaps profltable. 'Mr. McLagan agreed that erroneons statements had been made about the bituminous coal reserves and proved and probable suppliefc a'mounted to more than 70,000,000 tons and it was all accessible. A further 1,000,000 tons had been diseovered in the Murchison area and prospecting wns continuing in the hope that more would be dis covered. These deposits w-'ere not accessible at present but would be latei on. It was true that the mines as ? whole showed a loss last year. Some, however, were profltable and others were unprofitable. The State had ac quired some mines from which thf previous owners had never been abl to make a profit and the reason for tlu State losses as a whole wTas that tlu uneconomie mines had to be worked ii order to keep up production.