N.Z. COAL OUTPUT GOES UP WITH SEVEN-HOUR SHIFT

Grey River Argus, 15 April 1948, Page 4

N.Z. COAL OUTPUT GOES UP WITH SEVEN-HOUR SHIFT

P.A. WELLINGTON, April 14. The production of coal under the seven-hour day in all districts had been very good to date, and there was not the slightest doubt that, if it could be continued at the present level, the miners would more than make good their promise to maintain production, stated the Minister of Mines, Hon. A. McLagan, in announcing to-night ' the production figures for February. The Minister added that the coal production for February of this year amounted to 231,453 tons, as compared with 225,862 tons for February, 1947, an increase of 5591 tons. A satisfactory feature of the increase was that the production for the month from the underground mines was up by 7658 tons, as compared with the corresponding month last year. The open cast production had showed a decrease of 2067 tons, but this was for purely temporary reasons, which had since been overcome. It was certain that the open cast production for the coming winter would be higher than for any similar previous period. The aggregate production from open cast mines, which commenced in October, 1943, amounted up to the end of February to not less than 1,528,002 tons.