Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1901. OUR COAL MEASURES.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 16 November 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1901. OUR COAL MEASURES.

In this district we cannot afford to sit idly down and wait the slow course of events in regard to coal development. We are at that stage when action is necessary. The State Coal Mine Bill has passed, and under its provisions Government are now developing a Westport mine. Rumor hath it that no further attempt at State Coal Mine management, than in this single instance, will be made for at least twelve months. We trust rumor is in this instance a lying jade, and that the hopes of this district are not to be .blasted. The vote taken of £150,000 certainly inclines to the belief that more than one coal mine was intended to be opened, and we believe such to be the intention of the Government but we cannot allow delays, if they can—by any possibility—be avoided. The Brunner mine cannot continue the present output for more than twelye

months. If our coal trade is not to pass from our hands, it is imperative that immediate action be taken to get the Coal Greek mines opened, and the railway thereto completed. At present a large quantity of the coal exported from Greymouth is for Government consumption, and it naturally follows that if only one State mine is opened the Government will take the coal from that mine. This would mean a direct loss of 50,000 tons per annum to this port.