NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 February 1918, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

FATAL TRAIN ACCIDENT

GISBORNE, this day,

Patrick Green, 66, labourer, was killed by a train at Ormond on Saturday night. He was married, with a family, and was an old resident of Gisborne

THE HUNTLY MINERS’ TROUBLE.

MINE DECLARED SAFE,

this day,

Mr. Bennie, Government mine inspector, in his report on the Taupiri extended mine, says that the mine is safe, but the miners at a mass meeting yesterday decided not to resume work until the enclosed area beyond the creep has been flooded to a point that will cover the spot where the fire is alleged to exist.

* SCARCITY OF COAL.

WEST COAST SUPPLIES.

DUNEDIN, Feb 9,

So far as the officials of the head office of the Westport Coal Company

are concerned they have heard nothing in regard to any contemplated strike on the part of miners. The Westport Company’s mines are working satisfactorily, and the only thing which local officials know of the matter is what they read in newspapers with regard to supplies of coal. These had been very scarce for a long time past, and were in large measure due to scarcity of skilled miners and labour generally, owing to such i large number of men leaving the West Coast to go on active service. The result was that outputs of coal from the various collieries had been re. duccd considerably in consequence. Importations from Newcastle, upon which the Dominion has had to depend to supplement local supplies, are not coming to hand so freely as formerly, owing to the difficulty expert-

■ ,rr 'd in securing sufficient shipping to bring the supplies across the Tasman Sea. As a result of conditions the railways and otheiA users have been unable to store coal, and it is highly improbable that they Lave large stocks in hand at the present time.