TARANAKI COAL FIELDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1919, Page 3

TARANAKI COAL FIELDS.

STATEMENT BY MINISTER. de P utati »n on Saturday, the Hon ft. D. S . MaeJtonald said that Oat coal was one of his grcat troubles, \° S i F nißtcr of Mines »««1 wing to deal wuh the miners' disputes. He stated that he had an expert, Dr. Henderson, at present in Taranaki engaged on geological work, and others all over the Dominion on similar requests to open up coal measures. He '™ ln „t the meeting that the Dominion was 2000 miners short of pre-war times, -!'.u«,n \ PreS , nt tI,C was iMfiW tons short of their requirements. There were ields in the north, south and west awaiting development, and it was a question of facilities for opening them up, out if they were opened they would not provide more eoal for the people, as the labor market was at a discount now He recognised that the position must cause dairy factory directors much anxiety, and the sooner they could get elec tncal power all over the Island the better it would be for industry of every kind and also for the Dominion Strike's were in progress at three mines that day, and they could imagine his position .Some people said: Fight the miners; but the Government had to consider the position of the farmers with produce iu coid store and their position as trustees for the Imperial Government. So far as ne eould c(o ~e vwM would instruct Dr. Henderson to make a leport on the coal measures in the distrie., He recognised the very great '•enefit to the district of a plentiful coal mipply at their doors. He was glad to Hear from Mr. Coxhead that the deposits were on Crown Lands, as that simplified the matter., ?o od deal. Several other eoal propositions were before the GovZ n 7?LT> inTo,Vin - tilc expenditure of £oo,ooo to open up by rail, and in hat connect.on, he wished to state that here were no rails in the country. Some had been on order from Australia for eighteen months. The wharves there were piled up with goods awaiting ship. ment, and.it was a difficult matter to 4t of the dignities facing the Government '.'/ f ''« "O'lntrv in their offorts to develop ;'■. but he promised to give the matter h.s earnest consideration as scon as ooss i We.—Post.