STATE COAL MINES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10289, 26 May 1919, Page 5

STATE COAL MINES

NEW DEVELOPMENTS PENDING. Interesting information in regard to the activities of the Mines Department in developing State coal production was given by the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonakl, Minister for Mines, to a "Times" representative on Saturday. "It has been decided," stated the Minister, "to open up a new mine ao the Nine-mile coalfield, which is really an extension of the Point Elizabetn mine. We have been boring on the site for some time. It is Crown land, part of the State coal reserve of 350 acres, and is estimated to contain over four million tons of coal. The matter has been gone into very carefully before coming to a decision. It is estimated that it will take two .miles of line to carry the railway from Runanga to the new mine. I have written to the Minister for Public Works, asking him to take the necessary steps to have a survey of a suitable line made, and have requested that the work should be done with the utmost possible dispatch, as the matter is one of extreme urgency, owing to the shortage of coal. . This branch railway lino will have to be authorised toy a special Act, and it will take some considerable time to have the whole business in operation. It will probably take two years to open up and develop the mine; but the main thing was to tost the field, and see whether it was worth developing, and that has been done. STATE MINE IN NORTH ISLAND. "We have also under consideration the purchase of another coalfield in the North Island, near Huntly. I am making a recommendation to Cabinet, and a decision will probably be arrived at next week.

"Wo have been continuously boring at Charming Creek, near Seddonville, for the past three years, and it was decided that, owing to certain conditions, tho field could not be developed by the State. The reservation has now been lifted from the land, and several parties of miners are winning the coal there, and Belling it to different merchants.

"A great deal has foeen said ahout a new coalfield near Westport. This field is about eighteen miles from Westport, on tho Westport-Inangahua road. It would be necessary to construct twelve miles of railway over heavy country. It is known that the coalfield has .an area of about nine milea by seven, but it has never been properly tested to get an estimate of the amount of coal that could bo won. Until the connection iby rail is made it is, of course, impossible to work the coal deposits in that locality. Tho coal, however, is of very good quality. I have inspected tho mine on several occasions during tho last few years, and a good many thousand tons havo been mined, and used for various purposes, dredging, and so on."