MINERS' STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 202, 28 August 1888, Page 8

MINERS' STRIKE.

AUCKLAND'S COAL SUPPLY.

Obdees continue <.to pour in on the local coal companies, and there is every indica.' tion of a very heavy demand for coal both for steam and other uses, as ;th° miners'strikeutNewcastlemay be prolonged. Large orders have been received by the manager of the Kamo mine (VVhangarei), and, the. product of this.,,mine- .is being largely drawn on by steamship proprietors. Inquiries have been made as to'the" possibility of getting large orders tilled at the other local mines,, but,business is still somewhat; ujsettiecU owipg ;j jig. tho 7 ,,uricertainty of the strike lasting for any length of time. The Miranda mine at Mercer is now putting out iipin 700 to 800 tons: a month, and it is estimated to be ■capi able of. reaching 'an . output ot from" 300 to 400 tops daily. This coal: comes to Auckland by railj. and the supply, would be equal, to. «ny... deniand provided the ruiiway arrangements: were also made equal to. the emergency. 'J'he Bay of Islands mine has an output of 2,000 to 2,500 tons per, month, which is fully-consumed by ordinary "demands,, ana the output, unfortunately, cannot'bb increased without a- ; very heavy 'putlay. The Taupiri Extended mine,. \~\aikato, I has an output of about 120 tons /per day, and this could be doubled. , ,The 'Taupiri Reserve ■mine, adjoining the Taupiri 'Extended,■ has an increasing output daily, '.and eUorts are being made to meet any demands that may- be made-upon the mine. -The machinery in : : use .'l is estimated to be capable of turning but 200 tons per day. The Whangarei Coal Company's mines are hot working .up to i their fulls capacity. The property was .recently sold by the liquidators, and bought in by the mortgagee. Captain Smith has a lease of the mine and is working, it on his own account. ,The Kamo Company's mine JaY Whangarei, after having been 7,closed for a period of twelve. months,:':Jiaß been in active operation to?. the, last two; or three months, under the management of Mr Buddie, at MorxJii and Company's, The ordinary output of' the Kamo mineia 2,OQQ tons monthly.j this oould be increased to 3,000 tone; per'month with the present appliances and exist:! ing railway accommodation,. but •' if the railway arrarigenients were imV proved probably the output, could be iirought" upto 4,000 tons monthly.. Orders bavi been received" fop 3,000 tons Kamo

coalfor the Union Company's, steamers and 1,000 tons tor the Balmoral Castle. There is almost any quantity ol good coal in the mine, and now that the demand has arisen, work will be pushed on vigorously, witb the view of meeting increasing orders.