COAL PRODUCTION

Southland Times, Issue 24888, 30 October 1942, Page 3

COAL PRODUCTION

Increase In Waikato

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, October 29. Before leaving with the Waikato Coal Mines Control Board to meet the Production Council and pit committees in Huntly today, the Minister of Mines, the Hon P. C. Webb, said the board had appointed as secretary Mr J. Allison, the present managing secretary of Pukemiro Collieries Ltd. The matters settled yesterday included reports on the establishment of contract trucking, which was now operating at all except two mines, the inauguration of working machines in pillars at the Renown Colliery, and the need for installing boring machines. An output report since the resumption of work indicated production as follows:—First week, 16,136 tons; second, 16,805; third, 17,231; fourth, 17,008. Before the mines were declared to be controlled on behalf of the State the average production was 15,850 tons weekly. The board was aiming at a weekly output of 18,500 tons, steadily increasing to meet future needs.

The Minister said that railway coal stocks had shown a welcome improvement in the past month, the North Island increase being 9532 tons and the South Island 2608 tons. “There is still a lot of leeway to make up,” said the Minister, “before railway and other coal stocks in the country are built up to a basis which is considered safe in wartime. To achieve this will require a very long and sustained effort on the part of all the industry.”