EGMONT STONE QUARRIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 January 1920, Page 3

EGMONT STONE QUARRIES.

SUPPLIES FOR LOCAL BODIES. The Resident Engineer of the Public Works Department at Stratford has written to the New Plymouth Borough Council as follows in regard to the Mount Egmbnt railway line and stone quarry:—

The question of the re-openSng of the Works at Mount Egmont and completing the quarry with all its attendant crushing and transporting plant has again been brought before the Public Works Department. Before anything definite can be decided either as to the cost of the metal when ready for delivery or whether the opening up of the quary at all would be justified a definite statement is required as to the amount of crushed metal which the local body will guarantee to purchase annually from the Department. In connection with the matter it must be understood that it would not be possible to supply the annual quantity during just a few months of the summer. The local bodies must be prepared to purchase the metal in fairly continuous quantities for say nine months of the year, and if during that time they are unable to cart it out they must arrange to store it It will be impossible to store in large quantities at Mount Kgmont, though lines to hold about a week's supply are projected. This will enable you to get over fluctuations due to bad weather. No doubt when all the requirements of the different bodies are tabulated, it will be found possible to supply different bodies during different months rather than a dribbling supply to a large (number of different bodies at the same time. I am directed, therefore, to communicate with you to find out what quantity of metal your council is prepared to purchase annually; failing your being able to give a definite figure, I would be glad if you would give a probable maximum or minimum. It should be carefully noted that the cost will largely depend upon the output so that if the quarry is worked up to its designed capacity of 60,000 cubic yards per annum, the price will be very reasonable, but if only half this is used the price will be increased over 60 per cent., and if only a quarter the capacity is utilised the price will be 24 times the minimum.

The borough engineer (Mr. W. H. Cook) wrote stating that it would be quite impossible to state what quantities the council could guarantee to purchase.