MT. EGMONT METAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1921, Page 4

MT. EGMONT METAL.

LOCAL BODIES’ REQUIREMENTS. ENQUIRIES BY PROGRESS LEAGUE. Further information as to the possible requirements of Mt. Egmont metal by the local bodies of Taranaki, in the event of the quarries being opened up by the Government, was presented at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki Progress League at Stratford. The secretary reported that •he had circularised all local bodies in the province asking them to state what quantities of metal they would be likely to require from the Mt. Egmont quarries, provided the metal could be supplied as cheaply as present supplies were delivered on existing railways. The replies he had received up to the present were as follows: Stratford Borough Council: 10,00?) yds. Whangamomona County Council: 10,000 yards. Taranaki County Council: 5000 yards. Inglewood County Council: 10.000 yds. Inglewood Borough Council: Nil. Egmont County Council: Nil. Patea County Council: 5000 yards. Waitara-Borough Council: Nil. Waimate West County Council: Nil. Clifton County Council: Nil. Total: 40.000 cubic yards. Mr. J. B. Richards said that when the matter first came up the Public Works Department or the Minister had asked for guarantees, but since then several deputations had waited on the Minister, and he did not ask for guarantees now. The present attitude was quite right, because it was unlikely that any local body would care to' definitely commit itself by giving a guarantee. All the Minister now wanted was to make sure that a demand existed for the metal before he went on with the quarries. Mr. Richards expressed the opinion that if the Government developed the quarries it would be able to supply the metal cheaper than at present was believed to be possible. Mention was made by members of the committee that no replies had been received from the Hawera and Eltham County Councils, both of which were understood to have stated their requirements at 10,000 cubic yards. This brought the total up to 60,000 cubic yards, the amount which the Minister required to be stated before he would go on with the work. Mr. E. Walter (chairman of the Stratford County Council) said he felt certain the Government would not be able to supply the metal as cheaply as his council was getting it at present. By merely stating that local bodies required certain quantities each year they were likely to mislead the Minister, because local bodies would not purchase Mt. Egmont metal if they could get. other metal cheaper. The chairman (Mr. J. W. McMillan) asked if Mr. Walter was agreeable to state in writing that his council used 8000 cubic yards of metal a year, and would take* it from the Mt. Egmont quarries if the price was satisfactory. Mr. Walter agreed to consult his colleagues about supplying such a statement but maintained that the information would, be of little use to the Minister, because the Stratford County was unlikely to buy Mt. Egmont metal. After further discussion it was decided to write to the local bodies which had not replied to the league’s circular, asking that the information be supplied as early as possible. Inquiries were received at last night s meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council from the Taranaki Progress League and the Counties’ Conference, as "to the council’s probable requirements of stone from the Mt. Egmont quarries. The council decided, in view of the fact that they could secure metal cheaper from their own 4epot. that it could not guarantee to take any quantity from the Egmont quarries.