Famous Waihi Gold Mine To Close

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1949, Page 5

Famous Waihi Gold Mine To Close

AUCKLAND, June 9. After operating abo'ut 70 years, the Martha gold mine at Waihi will virtually close down tomorrow because its operation is no ldnger eeonomical. About 100 of 450 men employed at the ' mine will be immediately affeeted bul they are unlikely to be unemploved Arrangements have been made for their temporary absorption into forestry, public works and borough works. It will, however, be some time before the mine closes eompletely and all men put off. A quantity of ore still remains to be treated and the crushjng batten at Waikino, a few miles from Waihi, is expected to be working full pressure at least until the end of the month. The battery employs 170 men, After this ore has been treated, all the movl able plant will be taken out of the workings. A nuniber of men, therefore, will be kept on for several months yet. v In the main, the rceu immediately affeeted are underground men, the one3 who actually hew the ore. The Government has pledged full cooperation to prevent any unemployment and short term schemes have been arranged which should accommodate the -men until Waihi settled .into its new role as an industrial town which will be able to absorb permanontly all the men ■ from the mine. During the past few weeks sinee the closmg down of the mine beeame imi minent, there has been a eonsiderable 1 amount of activity 011 the part of the Waihi planning coinmittee ' and Gov- ■ ernment officials, to avert uneinploy- " ment. A large nuniber of men will be: employed at the State forestry planta1 tions near Whangamata rurtner up the coast but within fairly easy travelling distanee of Waihi where the miners have their homes. Others will be on , public works in the distriet while,. some,t it- is hopedy will be put on urgent » borough . work. An industrial planning seheme is going ahead and it is under- . stood one overseas manufacturi'ng firni is interested in setting up a fairly large plant at Yi'aihi, which should employ about 100 men. Many enquiries have been received from other eoncerns' who realise the advantages of setting up in a town where land is cheap and pjentiful, transport good and plenty oi 1 iabour is available. ' There will, how* ; evqr, be an inevitable timo gap befori • any of these -industries caa be estab1 lished although the -Government is said to be giving every assistance in thu • way of prjority permits. Short-tern. ■ rural employment schemes have been ■' designed to Hll this gap. It is, never- ; theless, likely that many actual under >. ground men may not wish to take on L; ,any . other form of employment and -. "may move to mining jobs in other parts" • of the country. Huge quantities of ; equipment ' which can be adapted in ; other industries, have to be dismantled [ and salvagecL Mueh heavier specialised gear will have. ao salvage value at all.