GAS MANAGERS CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1931, Page 3

GAS MANAGERS CONFERENCE

URGED TO USE COAST COAL. DUNEDIN. February 12. The Gas Institute resumed its annual sittings to-day. Mr A. 11. Ivimbell, Under Secretary of Mines, in an apeal to the gas managers to ponder seriously before they ordered coal from Australia, pointed out the serious effect this was having on the West Coast Mines, many of which were losing many days a yearowing to tbe lack of orders. He paid a tribute to the Dunedin City Council, which, since the installation of its \ optica Iretorts, was using 100 per cent, of New Zealand coal, and he said that the mine owners wondered why the orher vertical retort owners could not do the same.

Mr Kimbell pointed out that the tinnier of the mines in the Grey and Bn Her districts was forty-five, which employed 2850 men, who were supporring something like 20,000 people. The annual production of these mines'was about 1,232,000 tons. Twelve of flic mines were limited liability companies and the other thirty-three wore worked by co-operative or other parties .The subscribed capital of the limited liability mines was £1,174,000. For five months dur'ng the Maitland coal strike only 2,856 tons of Australian coal were used by six gas-works in New Zealand, lint in five months after the settlement of the trouble those six works imported 28,800 tons. That meant much loss of time to tne West Coast mines, and he therefore urged the Gas Works Managers to use as much New Zealand coal as possible.