NEW COLLIERY

Hokitika Guardian, 31 March 1930, Page 6

NEW COLLIERY

. - OPENED AT TARANAKI. [By Telegraph— Per Press Association.! NFAY PLYMOUTH, March 30. A new industry of importance to Taranaki was launched on Saturday when the Egmont Collieries coal mine at Tangarakau was officially opened by Air Vbitch, Minister of Alines. A special excursion train conveyed a large number ol people from all p.uts of Taranaki and Wanganui to Taiigarakau Flat, a new station on the Strat-ford-to-Alain Trunk Railway, lour miles past Taliora, the present official railhead, forty-eight milbs”’from 'Stratford... The tramline, mining operation.*, and tlie mine were inspected, and on a return to the fiat, a demonstration was given of tlie working ol the modern screening and grading plan, by means of which the coal straight from the mine face is cleaiiedv graded and deposited into the railway 'trucks without any double handling. The chairman; of directors, Mr T. C. List, said that the mine would mean a revenue of £30,000. to £IO,OOO per annum to the railways- on a basis of the production -of 70.000 tons ol coal annually. it was hoped to employ 250 men.

Hon. Mr Vcitcli said that, as Minister of Labour, lie was gratified to know that an industry was being started tliat would mean employment for so many. He considered that nearly every mining failure in New Zealand, outside some mineral enterprises, had been due either to developing the enterprise in such a parsimonious way regarding the capital invested that the undertaking became very expensive to work afterwards ; or where there was insufficient capital for the organisation of distribution. These defects jhad been eliminated at Tangarakau. This was the first coal mine of any magnitude in Taranaki. The geologists said that there were vast deposits in the district, and he considered that there was a wonderful opportunity to. reduce the cost of production v and thus the cost of living. He believed that the 'future for coal in New Zealand was very great. It. was generally recognised that coal was coming,, into it's, own all over the world. Those who had believed that the.- solution of the ower problems lay in the construction of a hydro-electricity system were now beginning to realise that tbe capital had been far greater than was desirable in comparison with the. benefits accruing. Me believed that it nould always be possible to produce electricity from coal far more cheaply than, vet had been the case with the supply from hydro works, for the simple reason that the coal could be burnt at the mine mouth, and that was the cheapest form of power.

A strong plea for support of the Dominions coal industry and for its protection against cheaper imports from other countries was made by the Minister. He referred, particularly to the great efforts being made in Australia at present to reduce tbe cost of-coal production. Tl that movement succeeded and coal were imported to New Zealand, it would mean that hundreds of the New Zealanders engaged in the mining industry would ho thrown out of employment. “1 am going to see that that doc snot occur,” said the Minister.